Transport Trailer Technician - Career GPS

Associated NOC Code: 7321 – Automotive Service Technicians, Truck and Bus Mechanics and Mechanical Repairers

Job Prospects: High

Education: Often Required

Salary Range: Coming Soon

Transport Trailer Technicians spend their days working on commercial trailers. Trailers need to be in safe working condition to get freight from point A to point B, and Trailer Technicians contribute to this effort.

Transport Trailer Technicians inspect, diagnose, maintain, rebuild, assemble and repair transport trailers connected to, or moved by, a power unit. Trailers include flat decks, dry freight vans, refrigerated vans, tankers, converters, boosters, jeeps, pole trailers, steering dollies, dump trailers, and other commercial pull-type units.

Being a Transport Trailer Technician is physically demanding. They use their body strength and flexibility to perform their work and spend most of their days on their feet, climbing onto ladders and equipment while servicing the trailers.

Requirements vary by province and company. The following may apply:

1. Educational Requirements

Completion of high school/secondary school is usually required by employers.
Completion of a 4-year apprenticeship program and trade certification may be required in some provinces and/or by certain companies.

Trade Certification

Transport Trailer Technician is a Designated Red Seal Trade in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and the Yukon. In these provinces, apprenticeship programs are offered.

Red Seal endorsement is available to Transport Trailer Technicians upon completing the interprovincial Red Seal examination. Red Seal certification allows a Trailer Technician to work in any province where trade certification is required.

Trade Titles

Commercial Trailer Mechanic: British Columbia
Commercial Trailer Technician: New Brunswick
Heavy Equipment Mechanic – Transport Trailer: Northwest Territories
Truck – Trailer Service Technician: Ontario

Getting Your Trade Certification

A written and practical examination is required to achieve trade certification. To qualify to write the certification exam, individuals must complete a four-year transport trailer technician apprenticeship or have a combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and high school, college or industry courses in heavy-duty equipment or trailer mechanics.

2. Physical Requirements

Transport Trailer Technicians use their body strength to push, pull, lift and carry tools, equipment and parts. In addition, some companies require employees to be able to lift a minimum of 20 lbs. Transport Trailer Technicians also use their flexibility to crouch, bend, kneel, twist and sometimes lay down on creepers to work on equipment over their heads and under a trailer. Other physical requirements include:

Hearing: They listen to various sounds and recognize the difference between them, particularly when diagnosing and troubleshooting equipment problems. They often use their sense of hearing to pinpoint issues.
Vision: They need to see the detail of objects up close and from a distance (more than one foot away) when servicing equipment. They are also required to detect colours, shades and brightness.
Agility: They need to steady themselves and maintain a strong posture when performing actions that involve intense pushing/pulling.
Dexterity: They need manual dexterity to manipulate hand and power tools.