Many Paths Can Lead to Fulfilling Truck Technician Career

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When Riley Doyle entered the 2024 Rush Tech Skills Rodeo in December, his expectations were realistic. As a technician with Rush Truck Leasing with two years of experience, Doyle wanted to use the time to gather knowledge.

“I didn’t know what to expect going into it” he recalled. “I’m not here to win but to learn as much as possible.” However, Doyle did win, placing first in the Rising Stars division, a category for technicians who have two years or less of experience.

Doyle is among many technicians who have recently entered the profession and were fortunate enough to have the support of fellow workers and leadership to thrive in auto technology. As for Doyle, he noted that didn’t attend a conventional trade or vocational school but rather grad­uated from the school of hard knocks. He started his journey by working on tires, grew a love for becoming a technician and worked to become a competitive technician for Rush.

All the while, he was nurtured by a supportive staff and managers who helped him achieve his first-place finish last year.

“It’s invaluable. I can’t even put a price on it,” Doyle said. “It’s so important to have someone to learn from, and you have to be willing to learn and listen,” Doyle said, adding that humility is key to success in the beginning of a tech career.

“You can’t go in thinking you know all that. When they give you criticism, sometimes it’s not going to be the friendliest criticism,” he explained. “You got to be able to take it and take your opportunity, because when you mess up sometimes, it might be a big mistake. You have got to learn from that.”

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