How To Become A Heavy Truck Mechanic: What It Is and Career Path

What is a heavy truck mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A heavy truck mechanic is the point person for truck maintenance and repairs. Their chief responsibilities are to inspect trucks, diagnose problems, conduct preventive maintenance, and repair any issues as needed. They are also in charge of keeping accurate and complete maintenance records, as well as helping truck operators learn basic truck maintenance to address any issues they might encounter on the road.

Heavy truck mechanics work in any organization that uses heavy trucks, including fleets, truck manufacturers, government agencies, and auto repair shops. Their work environment is typically noisy, dirty, and fast-paced, requiring a high level of noise tolerance as well as physical strength and endurance.

There is no strict educational requirement to become a heavy truck mechanic, but most companies require at least a high school diploma or GED. A technical degree or apprenticeship in heavy truck maintenance is a more important requirement for this role.

Aside from mechanical skills and physical strength, a heavy truck mechanic must also be able to follow instructions well, communicate clearly with other mechanics and superiors, and have basic knowledge of computer programs (for documentation purposes).

Since the role of heavy truck mechanic is vital to road safety, these professionals are paid an average of $49,000 a year on top of bonuses and benefits.

ScoreHeavy Truck MechanicUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $49,777

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.3

Growth rate 4%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.07%

Asian 2.48%

Black or African American 9.13%

Hispanic or Latino 12.83%

Unknown 5.02%

White 69.47%

Gender

female 2.41%

male 97.59%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.8

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a heavy truck mechanic

Explore heavy truck mechanic education requirements

Most common heavy truck mechanic degrees

High School Diploma

34.4 %

Associate

27.3 %

Diploma

22.7 %

Start to develop specific heavy truck mechanic skills

Skills	Percentages
CDL	22.66%
Diagnosis	17.82%
OSHA	12.09%
Service Calls	7.19%
Troubleshoot	4.10%

Complete relevant heavy truck mechanic training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New heavy truck mechanics learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a heavy truck mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real heavy truck mechanic resumes.

Research heavy truck mechanic duties and responsibilities

Accomplish several other kenworth basic training modules.Skills UsedProblem solving, mechanical aptitude, and efficient workmanship.
Comply with all dot regulations.Skills usedrepair vehicles right before being put on street.
Have committed myself to working safely base on OSHA standard to avoid personal injuries.
Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulicjacks or hoists.

Prepare your heavy truck mechanic resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your heavy truck mechanic resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a heavy truck mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable heavy truck mechanic resume templates

Build a professional heavy truck mechanic resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your heavy truck mechanic resume.