Diesel mechanics play a vital role in the U.S. economy and beyond. The skills to review, diagnose and repair heavy machinery and equipment — like semi-trucks or construction machinery — help companies across industries stay productive.
As a diesel mechanic, your job is difficult. You often deal with long hours, harsh weather conditions and difficult problems.
There are thousands of companies you can work for as a technician in the U.S.
Although employers generally offer similar benefits to their technicians, it’s not uncommon for these to change from one company to another.
At RDO Equipment Co., we have more than 80 locations across 12 states and have been growing as a technician employer since 1968.
If you’re evaluating your employment options this year, here are some common diesel mechanic benefits to look out for.
- Boot allowance
- Tool financing
- Tool reimbursements
- Uniform laundry service
- Tuition reimbursements
- Training and development
- Profit sharing
- Overtime pay
- Paid time off and holiday pay
- Retirement benefits
- Health benefits
Diesel Mechanic-Specific Benefits
The first section we’ll run through is a list of benefits companies may offer to help their technicians prepare for and perform their jobs. These benefits are often given in addition to some of the more traditional employment benefits we’ll cover below.
Boot Allowance
Boots are an essential part of your safety attire in the shop. Having a good pair of boots without too much wear and tear helps to protect your feet from accidental drops or other events.
Purchasing a pair (or rotation) of boots can be expensive — especially if you wear through them more than once per year. A new pair of steel-toed work boots can cost anywhere from $70 to $300 (or more) depending on the brand you choose.
To help you with this expense, companies may offer a boot allowance program.
Through this benefit, technicians can purchase a pair of boots and submit the receipt to their employer for reimbursement. Usually, this is up to a set dollar amount per year. A common boot allowance range is $150-$200, but some companies may offer more or less.
Tool Financing
Tools, tools and more tools. The most important expense you need to consider throughout your career is the tools you use. You need a reliable, quality set of tools to do your job well.
There are some ways to save on your mechanic tools, but without proper planning, these can get expensive and cut into your earnings.
Since you’ll churn through tools over time (sometimes replacing portions of your set multiple times per year), tool purchases can add up quickly.
When it’s time to buy new tools, mechanics often take advantage of financing options directly through tool companies. You might be familiar with this process, which gives you a buy-now, pay-later option.
The downside of these programs is the interest you pay when financing tools — which regularly exceeds 20 percent APY.
Some employers offer tool financing programs to help you get the tools you need without paying a lump sum upfront. This can be a major benefit for mechanics as they get to buy now and pay later without worrying about paying interest.
Instead, these programs remove a set dollar amount from your paycheck each day/week/month until you repay the borrowed money.
Tool Reimbursements
Tool reimbursements are another benefit companies may offer technicians. Like the boot allowance benefit, this program is designed to help you cover the recurring expense of purchasing tools by giving you a set dollar amount per period.
The amount a company may offer its technicians will vary, but it’s common for total reimbursement to range from $500 to $3,000+ per year.
Sometimes, companies set this up so the tool reimbursement increases as a technician spends more time with the company — a 10-year employee would receive more than a 2-year employee, for example.
Note: Purchase receipts are often needed to take advantage of tool reimbursement incentives, so make sure to keep your receipts when buying tools.
Uniform Laundry Services
Uniform laundering service is a benefit offered to technicians. The company pays to have their work uniforms cleaned at regular intervals throughout the year.
An employer can help you keep your work attire clean by doing so. This also helps you avoid the cost of regularly having clothes professionally cleaned or replaced.
Participating companies will pay to have your uniform collected from your location regularly, taken offsite to be cleaned and then returned to you.
An often overlooked benefit, having a freshly cleaned uniform can help you save money in the long run and is a cool perk to look for in an employer.
Tuition Reimbursements
Tuition reimbursements are another standard benefit companies offer diesel mechanics, especially when they’re first entering the field.
These programs can vary substantially between companies.
Companies (like dealerships) commonly offer tuition reimbursements to intern/apprentice mechanics who become full-time team members after finishing school.
Usually, this money is dispersed over the years following graduation from an accredited diesel mechanic education program. Tuition reimbursements may cover a portion of or the entire amount spent on school.
Training and Development
Training is vital for a successful diesel mechanic career, especially these days when the products you’re working on are constantly changing.
Great employers will invest in your development, whether it’s hands-on training working with machinery, virtual training through online modules or classroom training.
This training can take many forms but is a common benefit diesel mechanics receive. Training can become vital to your success and growth as a technician.
Related Article: Service Technician Construction Technology Training at RDO Equipment Co.
Traditional Benefits
Along with technician-specific benefits, full-time diesel mechanics are also eligible for more traditional employment benefits. While the exact benefits you receive will depend on your employer, here are some of the most common ones.
Profit Sharing
Profit sharing is a benefit where a company pays out a portion of its profits to its employees regularly throughout the year. These payments often equal a percentage of their pay or a percentage of the total profit-sharing pool a company has allocated. Profit sharing could also be based on performance.
This benefit is a great way to be rewarded for work well done. If the company you work for is making money, profit sharing is a great way to share in this growth.
Overtime Pay
This is a big one. When earning overtime, mechanics are compensated at 1.5 times their normal hourly wage — which can add up quickly. Depending on the situation, overtime pay can either kick in after 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week. Make sure you understand which threshold your employer uses so you’re not caught off guard.
Note: Overtime pay isn’t guaranteed. If you work in a cyclical industry, for example, certain times of the year could get busy, meaning a lot of overtime while other times of year things slow down.
If you have questions, ask companies about the potential for overtime.
Related Article: 12 Questions to Ask in a Diesel Technician Interview
Paid Time Off and Holiday Pay
Time off benefits like paid time off (PTO) and holiday pay can help diesel mechanics achieve their desired work-life balance. Accrued on a bi-weekly or monthly basis, paid time off can be used to spend time outside of work while still getting paid. The amount you earn and how you can use it will vary situationally, so ask about this benefit.
Holiday pay is another benefit to keep in mind when searching for jobs. This benefit pays you for a full day of work when your employer is closed for a holiday.
Holiday pay will also fluctuate based on the company — some businesses offer more paid holidays than others.
Retirement Plans
Planning for retirement can be difficult. With so many other things going on in your life and so many other expenses to think about, retirement is sometimes overlooked.
This is where working for a company that offers a pre-tax retirement plan like a 401k can help. Diesel mechanics that opt into it will have pre-tax money taken out of their paycheck and into a tax-advantaged retirement account.
It’s also common to get an employer match for these accounts. Up to a certain percentage — usually around 4-6 percent — your company might also contribute to the account, helping you save even more for retirement.
If you’re interested, ask a prospective employer about their retirement match.
Health Benefits
The final benefit on this list includes a variety of health-related benefits, including dental, vision and medical insurance — among others.
Companies may use different providers for these policies but the vast majority of employers offer a set of health benefits.
How to Choose a Company to Work For
If you feel it’s time to find a new workplace, there’s a lot to consider when choosing a new employer. The benefits a company offers are a major consideration.
Now you know benefits like tool reimbursement, boot allowance, tool financing, uniform laundry and profit sharing are available. Many employers (RDO included) offer all of these and more.
Although benefits are important, they are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to finding a great company to work for.
Here are seven more tips to find a great company to work for as a diesel mechanic.
Join RDO Equipment Co. as a Service Technician
You have a lot on your plate. The last thing you need to worry about is whether your employer has your back. As you work to build a career you’re proud of, your company should help you get there.
RDO Equipment Co. is proud to be a growing organization employing more than 1,000 technicians.
Along with competitive pay and growth opportunities, when you join RDO, you’ll get benefits like:
- Tool reimbursements
- Boot allowances
- Tool financing
- Paid parental leave
- Uniform laundry services
- Training and development
- Paid time off
- Holiday pay
Learn more about our service technician opportunities.
Find an opening in your area and apply in less than 10 minutes today.
Greg Maurer
Greg has a rich history in the heavy equipment industry. Before transitioning into management in 2014, Greg was a field service technician for 19 years. Nine of these years were with RDO Equipment Co. where he impacted the progress of our company in Arizona through high-quality service and leadership. Today, as the general manager for our Tucson dealership, Greg leads a growing team of heavy equipment professionals and enjoys helping RDO customers succeed every day.
