Abstract

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) is divided into six districts, with district offices located in La Porte, Fort Wayne, Crawfordsville, Greenfield, Vincennes, and Seymour. Each district includes multiple vehicle maintenance shops (totaling 32 shops at the launch of this project). Each maintenance shop has multiple mechanics (totaling 151 mechanics at the launch of this project). The mission of these shops and mechanics is to maintain INDOT’s fleet of vehicles, including snow removal equipment, mowing equipment, paint striping equipment, transportation vehicles, and various other equipment.

At the time of the launch of this project, it was recognized that there was a need to improve the training process for maintenance mechanics. It was believed that this would result in improved performance (effectiveness and efficiency), as well as contribute to improved retention of mechanics (which was also recognized as an issue).

This research project was chartered to support improvement of the maintenance mechanics training process by accomplishing the following deliverables:

1. A review of maintenance/mechanic training programs at other DOTs and other industries for best practices.

2. Analyze data and other information to recommend work to be done in-house and the skills required.

3. Review current skills of INDOT maintenance/mechanic people and compare to skills needed.

4. Develop plan for maintenance manpower, skill levels needed and training curriculum costs to effectively maintain and sustain INDOT equipment.

Keywords

mechanics, maintenance, district, skills, training, equipment

Report Number

FHWA/IN/JTRP-2017/03

SPR Number

4000

Performing Organization

Joint Transportation Research Program

Publisher Place

West Lafayette, Indiana

Date of Version

2017

DOI

10.5703/1288284316387

Additional Files
SPR-4000 Technical Summary.pdf (782 kB)
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