Whether you provide a set of tools for technicians or offer a tool allowance, it's important that technicians have the right tools. Here's what technicians keep handy.
by Daryl Lubinsky
January 16, 2019
As a Midwest City, Okla., employee, Technician Cole Davis get $1,200 per year to purchase tools.
Photo courtesy of Midwest City
2 min to read
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What's in a toolbox? If your fleet offers a tool allowance for technicians instead of a provided set, you must make sure they have the right tools.
Snohomish County Fleet Services in Washington provides a tool allowance for employees and requires its technicians to bring their own tools, typically up to the 1-inch combination wrench and ½-inch drive socket range for automotive technicians. The required tools would be “all the standard tools you need to do probably 90% of the work on a passenger car or light-duty pickup,” said Director/County Fleet Manager Roy Scalf. The fleet provides specialty tools in the tool room.
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Examples of tools required in technician toolboxes include:
¼-inch, 3/8-inch, and ½-inch-drive socket sets
full screwdriver sets
pry bars
combination wrenches
hammers
punches
plyers.
Snohomish County in Washington provides a tool allowance, which its fleet manager believes is a cost-effective solution.
Photo courtesy of Snohomish County
Midwest City, Okla. provides an allowance for techs to purchase their own tools, but it supplies tools such as ¾-inch socket sets and larger. The city also provides personal protective equipment, mechanics’ gloves, rubber gloves, uniforms, cold weather gear, steel-toed boots, jacks and jack stands, a personal Portacool fan, and electronic hand-held testers.
“We don’t want to make it sound like we’re saying, ‘You can’t work here if you don’t have $50,000 worth of tools.’ That’s definitely not the case,” said Craig Davis, transportation manager.
Do you provide tools or offer a tool allowance? We spoke to fleets about the pros and cons of both methods. Read the full story below.
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