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Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

Installation, Maintenance, and Repair · SOC 49-3031

0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$61,770
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
28,400
Proj. Annual Openings
289,960
Employment (OEWS 2025)
+1.4%/yr
Empl. growth (2019–2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score

AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.

Decision card

Career Evidence Passport

SOC 49-3031 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.

Proxy / seed data labeledDescriptive-only
SOC exposure
0.0%
Low · Anthropic AEI
Automation friction
66/100
High friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
Wages
$61,770
H-1B offered wage $70,000; LCAs are filings.
Projected openings
28,400
BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +2.4%.
Observed/proxy demand
1
FY2025 certified LCAs; 37,915 postings in 2025.

Skill evidence

TroubleshootingRepairingOperations MonitoringEquipment MaintenanceCritical Thinking

Transition context

  • H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
  • Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
  • Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
  • This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.

AI Exposure Analysis

AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure1.6%

Across AI measures

Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.

13.2%
Consensus
Actual adoption · Anthropic0%
AI capability · OpenAI0%
AI ability · AIOE39.5%
Automation baseline (2013) · Frey & Osborne73%

Top Skills

1.Troubleshooting
2.Repairing
3.Operations Monitoring
4.Equipment Maintenance
5.Critical Thinking

H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand

View full H-1B trends →

Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.

8
Decade Total (Certified LCAs)
1
FY2025 Volume
0% of all H-1B filings in FY2025
$70,000
Median Offered Wage (Latest Year)
#482 of 776
Rank by Total Volume
H-1B filing volume, FY2016–FY2025

O*NET occupation profile

What this work involves

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines. Includes mechanics working primarily with automobile or marine diesel engines.

Common titles: Bus Mechanic, Diesel Mechanic, Diesel Technician (Diesel Tech), Fleet Mechanic, General Repair Mechanic, Heavy Truck Mechanic

Representative Tasks

  • Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists.
  • Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
  • Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
  • Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
  • Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Select tools, equipment, or technologies for use in operations or projects.
  • Inspect mechanical components of vehicles to identify problems.
  • Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
  • Adjust vehicle components according to specifications.
  • Test mechanical equipment to ensure proper functioning.

Tools & Technologies

Autodesk AutoCAD · hotDassault Systemes SolidWorks · hotMicrosoft Excel · hotSAP software · hotComputerized maintenance management system software CMMSCummins INSITEDassault Systemes CATIAEngine diagnostic softwareShop management software

Employment Projections & AI Exposure

15
Occupations Shown
1.9%
Avg AI Exposure
4
Bright Outlook
Horizontal bar chart showing occupations with the highest projected annual openings. Each bar length represents annual projected openings. Color uses a gradient from violet (lower) to cyan (higher). Summary statistics are shown above the chart.

Employment & Wage Trend

BLS OEWS, 2019–2025


Occupation Employment & Wage TrendMulti-year BLS OEWS history for SOC 49-3031: 2019 — employment: 266,330, median wage: $48,500; 2020 — employment: 253,010, median wage: $50,200; 2021 — employment: 261,420, median wage: $48,690; 2022 — employment: 271,720, median wage: $54,360; 2023 — employment: 285,030, median wage: $58,970; 2025 — employment: 289,960, median wage: $61,770.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.

Sector Comparison

MetricThis CareerSector Average
AI Exposure0.0%1.6%
OutlookAverage24% Bright
Median Salary$61,770N/A
AI Resiliency100/100N/A