Lead Shop Technician

Beacon Mobility; Tulsa (OK); On-site; USD 34,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

DS Bus Lines Inc. is seeking a Lead Mechanic to oversee maintenance and repair of school buses and district vehicles in Tulsa, OK. You will guide and support maintenance staff, ensure safety and compliance, and help schedule repairs to maximize fleet uptime.

The role requires diesel and electrical system expertise, plus strong organizational and communication skills. CDL with School Bus endorsement preferred or obtainable within timeframe.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• 3+ years in school bus, diesel, fleet, or heavy vehicle maintenance.
• Experience diagnosing and repairing diesel engines, electrical systems, air brakes, and safety components.
• Leadership, mentoring, or supervisory experience preferred.
• Knowledge of school bus inspection requirements and safety regulations preferred.
• Proficiency with CMMS, work orders, and MS Office.
• Strong organization, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Valid driver’s license; CDL with School Bus endorsement preferred or obtainable.

Responsibilities

• Perform advanced diagnostics, maintenance, and repairs on school buses and related equipment.
• Inspect and repair diesel engines, electrical, air brake, and safety systems.
• Provide guidance and training to mechanics and maintenance staff.
• Assist with scheduling repairs to maximize fleet availability and minimize downtime.
• Conduct vehicle inspections to ensure compliance with regulations.
• Maintain maintenance records and work orders accurately.
• Assist with parts inventory management and vendor coordination.
• Support transportation operations by covering maintenance tasks as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Diesel repair

Electrical systems

Brake systems

Diagnostics

Organization

Communication

Driver's license

Education

High school diploma

Tools

CMMS

Microsoft Office

Job description

DS Bus Lines Inc.

The Lead Mechanic is responsible for overseeing the maintenance and repair of school buses and district vehicles while providing day-to-day guidance and technical support to maintenance staff. This position ensures that all vehicles are maintained in a safe, reliable, and compliant condition to support the transportation of students and staff.

Responsibilities

• Perform advanced diagnostics, preventative maintenance, and repairs on school buses, service vehicles, and transportation equipment.
• Inspect, troubleshoot, and repair mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, brake, steering, suspension, and engine systems.
• Provide direction, training, and technical assistance to mechanics and maintenance personnel.
• Assist with scheduling and prioritizing repairs to maximize fleet availability and minimize vehicle downtime.
• Conduct and review vehicle inspections to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations governing school transportation.
• Monitor the quality and completion of maintenance and repair work to ensure adherence to district standards and safety requirements.
• Participate in daily transportation and maintenance meetings to communicate fleet status, repair priorities, and operational needs.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records, inspections, repair documentation, and work orders.
• Assist with parts inventory management, equipment purchases, and vendor coordination.
• Ensure maintenance facilities, tools, and equipment are maintained in a safe and organized manner.
• Promote and enforce district policies, workplace safety procedures, and environmental compliance requirements.
• Provide on-road diagnostic assistance and emergency repair support when necessary.
• Support transportation operations by covering maintenance functions as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum three (3) years of school bus, diesel, fleet, truck, or heavy vehicle maintenance experience.
• Experience diagnosing and repairing diesel engines, electrical systems, air brake systems, and vehicle safety components.
• Demonstrated leadership, mentoring, or supervisory experience preferred.
• Knowledge of state school bus inspection requirements and transportation safety regulations preferred.
• Ability to utilize computerized maintenance management systems, work order software, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Valid driver’s license required; CDL with School Bus and Passenger endorsements preferred or ability to obtain within a specified timeframe.

Preferred Competencies

• School transportation fleet maintenance
• Technician leadership and coaching
• Preventative maintenance planning
• Regulatory compliance and vehicle inspections
• Fleet reliability and uptime management
• Safety leadership
• Inventory and parts management
• Customer service and stakeholder communication

Beacon Mobility is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.
This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Beacon Mobility makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.

DS Bus Lines is a family-oriented company that focuses on our core values of family, respect, service, and safety. We understand how important of a responsibility transporting children is and we take that role very seriously. We strive to create mutual respect and trust with school districts so that we can work together to provide the best possible service for students and parents.