truck mechanic job : what do truck mechanics do; what is the job really like?

 I have seen the question posted: "how do I become a diesel or truck mechanic?" and most searches result in a list of schools. Schools are great, but before you jump into a decision like this, you need to know what the job will REALLY be like. The best way to do that is to talk to truck or diesel mechanics. You can post to diesel or truck mechanic discussion boards, mechanics are usually more than willing to talk about the work. You can also ask around and find someone a friend knows who is a mechanic. If you are a driver, it should be pretty easy to find someone.
  I will tell you a little about my experience. I have been a truck mechanic for over 20 years, and I have worked at truckstops, independent shops, dealers, and towing companies. I am an ASE master tech with experience in all areas of repair. I will give you my opinions, and the facts as I see them.

• First, do not get into this field if you think you are going to make lots of money doing it. You can make a decent wage, but it will take years of work to build up a reputation to demand much money, especially in today's market. Lots of your money will be spent on tools, especially for the first 10 years or so.
• Don't expect a pat on the back for doing a good job. Doing a good job is the expectation in this industry, and most of the time the work is not done fast enough, good enough, or in quite the right way.
• Don't expect to walk out of school and into an engine shop rebuilding engines. You will not be allowed to even TOUCH an engine for at least the first year, and maybe longer, until you prove yourself doing grunt work. Engine work is relatively rare, as a percentage of all work done, and it is not nearly as glamorous as you may believe. I frankly don't know why schools even teach it, except that it probably sells to students.
• Your first year or so will be spent doing services, brakes, and clutches. This work is hot, heavy, and very dirty.
• Expect to get dirty. I mean DIRTY. I don't care what you read or hear, much of this work is dirty, nasty, and smelly.
• It is not possible to stress strongly enough that whether you go to school or learn completely on the job, YOU MUST LEARN a set of basic skills. You must be able to use a multimeter effectively. You must be able to use Ohm's law. You must know at least the basics of electrical theory. You must know how to do brake adjustments on anything with wheels. You must be able to use a computer, and not for games. The more math, physics, and science you know, the better.
• Troubleshooting skills are built over a long period of time, so you must be able to ask for help.

  This is far from the comprehensive skillset needed for the job, I would call it the minimum you need to bring to an employer. It may sound as if I am trying to discourage you from the field, but I am not. It is a very interesting way to make a living, but the reality of the business just is not what it looks like from the outside. You need to be self-motivated and tough to survive, and by the time you do it for 20 years, you will hurt in more places than you thought you had places to hurt. Still, many of us find it very hard to leave.

  There are two paths to getting into the field, you can go to school or learn on the job. I did the latter, but school gets you going faster, and if you learn on the job, you need to apply yourself to learning everything you can as fast as you can. Going to school probably gives you a chance at a better starting wage, and you will have a starter set of tools bought inexpensively.