Technician Staffing Levels for
Modern Public Transit Fleets
TCRP Project E-10 Summary
TCRP E-10 Project Scope
 Analysis of NTD Data, and surveys of 68
 Survey of existing data and outreach to transit
agencies to identify main factors driving technician
staffing levels
 Develop Interactive Staffing Tool to evaluate local
needs and model fleet or maintenance practice
changes
 Develop Guidebook explaining application of
findings and how to use Staffing Tool
Analysis of NTD Data
 Reviewed NTD submissions from 321 agencies
 Correlations identified in several areas:
– Between agency size and staffing ratios
– Between spare ratio and staffing ratios
– Duty cycle and miles based staffing ratios
– Data was widely distributed; many outliers might be
mistakes in the submission of data or
misunderstanding of NTD definitions
– Could not really compare “apples to apples”
Detailed Staffing Questionnaires
 68 Participating Agencies
– Diversity of Size
– Diversity of Geography
 Most agencies found it very difficult to provide
confident data for the breadth of information
sought
 A main goal – identifying the right fleet with the
right staff
– e.g. adjusting for outsourced fleets or maintenance
staff maintaining non-transit vehicles
Geographic Distribution of Participants
Region
Round 1
Round 2
Total
California
10
2
12
Northwest
3
2
5
Midwest
3
8
11
Southeast
1
8
9
Southwest
1
1
2
Mid-Atlantic
5
2
7
New England
2
2
4
Canada
2
16
18
Size Distribution of Participants
Agency Size
Round 1:
Round 2:
Total:
>1000 Buses
4
2
6
500-999 Buses
3
4
7
250-499 Buses
6
6
12
100-249 Buses
7
10
17
50-99 Buses
5
12
17
<50 Buses
2
7
9
Existing Staffing Levels
# of Agencies
Agency Size
Maintenance Technician
Hours per 10k Vehicle
Miles
Standard
Average
Deviation
6
>1000 Vehicles Maintained
159
44
7
500-999 Vehicles Maintained
114
54
12
250-499 Vehicle Maintained
97
29
17
100-249 Vehicles Maintained
108
33
17
50-99 Vehicles Maintained
84
39
9
<50 Vehicles Maintained
63
29
Summary of Correlations
 Strong correlation between variable and staffing level:
– Fleet Size (for core maintenance as well as overall)
– Fleet Composition (articulated buses / cut-aways)
– Level of Outsourcing
Summary of Correlations – Fleet Size
Technician Hours Per 10k Vehicle Miles, sorted by fleet size
1500
250.0
200.0
1100
Fleet Size (Blue Line)
R² = 0.2393
900
150.0
700
100.0
500
300
50.0
100
-100
0.0
Transit Agencies Sorted Largest Fleet to Smallest Fleet
Core Maintenance
Supplemental Staff (Mech Helpers / Trainees)
Heavy Repair
VAMS
Total Staffing Level
Linear (Total Staffing Level)
Maintenance Hrs per 10k Miles (Purple Line)
1300
Summary of Correlations – Outsourcing Effect
Heavy Maintenance Hours by Fleet Size
200.0
180.0
160.0
Annual hours per vehicle
140.0
120.0
R² = 0.7344
106.9
100.0
80.0
67.2
62.9
60.0
45.5
40.0
20.0
18.5
9.7
0.0
>1000 Buses Maintained 500-999 Buses Maintained 250-499 Buses Maintained 100-249 Buses Maintained 50-99 Buses Maintained
(n=6)
(n=7)
(n=12)
(n=17)
(n=17)
Min
Max
Mean
Linear (Mean)
<50 Buses Maintained
(n=9)
Summary of Correlations – Core Maintenance
Core Maintenance by Fleet Size
700.0
600.0
Annual hours per vehicle
500.0
400.0
R² = 0.9035
395.2
341.1
329.5
300.0
288.5
217.5
200.0
227.4
100.0
0.0
>1000 Buses Maintained
(n=6)
500-999 Buses Maintained 250-499 Buses Maintained 100-249 Buses Maintained
(n=7)
(n=12)
(n=17)
Min
Max
Mean
Linear (Mean)
50-99 Buses Maintained <50 Buses Maintained (n=9)
(n=17)
Summary of Correlations – Fleet Size
Maintenance Technician Hours per 10k Vehicle Miles
180
160
25.8
140
6.0
120
Hours
6.3
16.8
5.6
80
60
16.8
26.7
100
6.7
0.6
3.4
127.0
3.2
82.0
40
80.2
0.0
90.0
74.1
59.7
20
0
>1000 Buses Maintained
(n=6)
500-999 Buses Maintained
(n=7)
250-499 Buses Maintained
(n=12)
Core Maintenance
Supplemental Staff
100-249 Buses Maintained
(n=17)
50-99 Buses Maintained
(n=17)
Heavy Repair and Overhaul
<50 Buses Maintained (n=9)
Summary of Correlations – Bus Type
Annual maintenance hours per vehicle maintained, sorted by % of fleet articulated vehicles
100.0%
700.0
90.0%
600.0
R² = 0.1075
70.0%
500.0
60.0%
400.0
50.0%
300.0
40.0%
30.0%
200.0
20.0%
100.0
10.0%
0.0%
0.0
Hours per Vehicle
% Articulated
% CutAways
Linear (Hours per Vehicle)
Annual Maintenance Hours Per Vehicle
% Articulated (Red); Cut-Away (Green)
80.0%
Summary of Absent Correlations
 Small or no correlation between variable and staffing
level
– Spare ratio (small correlation, but not as big as NTD data)
– Duty Cycle (Fleet mph) (small correlation, not as big as
NTD data)
– Fleet age (very small)
– % of time on scheduled maintenance
– % of fleet using alternative fuels
Most correlations identified were not as strong as found
in NTD Data, but data set much more reliable
Limitations of Data
 Breakdown of hours by type of maintenance
seems unreliable
 Definition of “Scheduled” and “Unscheduled”
maintenance varied
 Definitions of “Productive time” varied – some
based on contract, others actual timesheets
Interactive Staffing Tool
The Bus Maintenance Staffing Calculator has three
related purposes:
 Compare actual current maintenance staffing
levels with agencies in your peer group
 Planning tool to determine necessary staffing
levels for your particular maintenance operation
based on existing factors
 To model possible changes to maintenance policy
to determine the impact it will have on your
maintenance staffing levels.
Interactive Staffing Tool - Fleet Composition
Interactive Staffing Tool – Existing Staff
Interactive Staffing Tool – Existing Staff
Interactive Staffing Tool – PMI
Interactive Staffing Tool – Other Core
Maintenance
Interactive Staffing Tool – Unscheduled
Maintenance and Repairs
Interactive Staffing Tool – Heavy Repair and
Overhaul
Staffing Sufficiency Dashboard
Staffing Comparison Dashboard (1 of 2)
Staffing Comparison Dashboard (2 of 2)