The Shop Manager in Training (SMIT) is a structured, six-month development role that prepares high-potential technicians and emerging leaders to independently run an LRS fleet maintenance shop. The SMIT works alongside an assigned Shop Manager mentor to learn every function of shop operations — preventive maintenance planning, technician supervision, DOT and OSHA compliance, parts and inventory control, vendor and warranty management, budget accountability, and fleet uptime performance.
This is a working leadership role. The SMIT spends time on the shop floor, in the parts room, in the office, and on the road, progressively taking on decision-making authority under supervision. Upon successful completion of the program and evaluation milestones, the SMIT is placed as a Shop Manager at an LRS location, which may require relocation within the assigned region.
Reports to:
Shop Manager
Essential Job Duties:
Responsibilities expand in scope and autonomy over the course of the program. The SMIT is expected to demonstrate competence in each area below prior to program completion.
- Learn to plan, schedule, and dispatch preventive maintenance (PM) and repair work across collection vehicles, roll-off trucks, front-load and rear-load packers, containers, and support equipment.
- Assist in managing shop workflow and work-order throughput to meet daily route-readiness requirements and minimize road calls.
- Diagnose and troubleshoot heavy-duty diesel systems — engines, aftertreatment, transmissions, air brakes, hydraulics, electrical, and body/packer systems — and validate the quality of completed repairs.
- Monitor fleet availability, PM compliance rates, repeat repairs, and mean time between failures; identify root causes and recommend corrective action.
- Coordinate outside vendor and warranty repairs, including towing, mobile service, and dealer work; verify invoices against work performed.
- Support fleet asset planning — capital replacement recommendations, spec review, new equipment commissioning, and end-of-life disposition.
- Learn to supervise, coach, and schedule a team of diesel technicians, welders, tire techs, and shop support staff across multiple shifts.
- Conduct and participate in shift huddles, toolbox talks, and shop safety meetings.
- Practice performance management under mentor guidance — setting expectations, delivering feedback, documenting coaching conversations, and supporting corrective action.
- Assist with technician recruiting, interviewing, onboarding, skill assessment, and certification tracking (ASE, DOT brake inspector, welding, refrigerant handling).
- Build technician capability through hands-on training, cross-training rotations, and OEM/vendor-led instruction.
- Model and reinforce LRS values, professional conduct, and a culture of accountability and mutual respect.
- Learn and enforce all federal, state, and local regulatory requirements applicable to shop and fleet operations, including FMCSA/DOT, OSHA, and EPA standards.
- Administer DOT annual inspections, driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIR), out-of-service criteria, and maintenance recordkeeping requirements under 49 CFR Part 396.
- Support OSHA compliance programs — lockout/tagout, hazard communication, respiratory protection, personal protective equipment, hot work permits, confined space, fall protection, and machine guarding.
- Manage shop environmental practices including used oil, coolant, and solvent handling, waste manifests, spill response, SPCC requirements, and aboveground storage tank compliance.
- Participate in incident and near-miss investigations, complete root cause analyses, and implement preventive countermeasures.
- Conduct shop safety audits and housekeeping inspections; maintain a clean, organized, and hazard-free work environment.
- Learn to read and manage a shop maintenance budget, including labor, parts, outside repair, tires, fuel, and cost-per-mile / cost-per-hour metrics.
- Assist with parts inventory control — min/max levels, cycle counts, obsolescence, core returns, and shrink prevention.
- Support purchasing and vendor negotiation within delegated authority; evaluate supplier performance on price, quality, and turnaround.
- Review and approve work orders, invoices, and purchase orders for accuracy and cost justification.
- Identify and quantify cost-reduction opportunities such as in-house versus outsourced repair decisions, warranty recovery, and PM interval optimization.
- Become proficient in the fleet maintenance management system, telematics platforms, and LRS reporting tools for work orders, PM scheduling, parts, and labor tracking.
- Maintain accurate and audit-ready vehicle history, compliance, and personnel documentation.
- Prepare and present shop performance reporting to operations and fleet leadership.
- Partner with Operations Managers, route supervisors, drivers, and Human Resources to align maintenance activity with service commitments.
- Complete all assigned phases, coursework, competency signoffs, and evaluation checkpoints of the six-month Shop Manager in Training Program.
- Meet regularly with the assigned mentor and program sponsor; maintain a training log and documented progress against objectives.
- Complete a capstone improvement project delivering measurable results in safety, uptime, cost, or quality.
- Travel to assigned shops and training sites; accept placement at an LRS location upon program completion.
Scope of Responsibility:
The Shop Manager in Training has a broad, developing scope of responsibility across fleet maintenance, shop operations, technician leadership, safety and regulatory compliance, inventory and vendor management, financial performance, and fleet uptime. Working under the guidance of an assigned Shop Manager mentor, the SMIT progressively assumes responsibility for daily shop operations, maintenance planning, workforce coordination, compliance, cost management, and performance improvement. The role requires collaboration with Fleet, Operations, Human Resources, vendors, and other cross-functional partners to support safe, reliable, and cost-effective fleet operations. Upon successful completion of the program, the SMIT is expected to independently oversee the maintenance operations and performance of an assigned LRS shop.