Building the Next Generation of Diesel Technicians with Jeff Arledge from J&M Tank Lines

In this special edition of NextGen Talks, host Lindsey Trent sits down with Jeff from J&M Tank Lines to discuss how his company is tackling the diesel technician shortage by partnering with Wallace State Community College through the innovative Diesel by Distance program. Jeff shares his personal journey from mechanic to director, the steps J&M has taken to invest in young talent, and how their unique apprenticeship-style model blends on-the-job training with classroom instruction.

Listeners will hear how J&M mentors young technicians, covers training costs, and even encourages CDL certification as part of technician development. Jeff also highlights the pride that comes from seeing employees grow—from wash bay to lead technician—and even how his own son chose diesel technology as a career. This episode is a powerful look at how schools, companies, and individuals can work together to build sustainable career pathways in trucking and logistics.

https://jmtank.com/
https://www.wallacestate.edu/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-arledge-747ab3251/

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https://www.wallacestate.edu/dieselbydistance/index.html
https://www.wallacestate.edu/programs/technical-division/diesel-mechanics/womendiesel.html

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Transcript

Welcome to NextGen Talks, the podcast where we dive into the future of trucking and logistics by highlighting the voices shaping it today. I'm your host, Lindsey Trent, and together we'll explore how schools, industry leaders and young professionals are coming together to drive change. From classrooms to truck cabs, from diesel shops to logistics hubs. We'll share stories, insights and innovations that are steering the next generation towards rewarding careers in this vital industry. This is more than just a podcast. It's a movement to inspire, connect and celebrate the people building the future of trucking. And we couldn't do it without the support of our sponsors, Performance Food Group, Descartes, Fastport, National Transportation Institute, XBO and Advanced Training Systems. Thank you and let's get started. Hey, welcome to NGT Talks. 

I have a special edition today because we're kind of inserting an interview from a school organization that has interviewed Jeff about the pathway to get into becoming a diesel technician and from a parent's perspective. But Jeff, we're excited to have you on the call today on NGT Talks because we're going to talk about diesel technicians, the apprenticeship program that you created, and how you all work with your community college to help build your workforce. So Jeff, welcome to the show and I want to hear Linda, little bit of background about yourself and you work for J and M tank lines. Tell us a little bit about J and M tank lines and what you do to invest in diesel technicians. 

Yes, ma'. Am. Well, I started off as a mechanic in the shops, you know, started off on the refrigeration end and worked my way over to working on the trucks and into lead positions and then management positions and just worked my way up through the company that I was previously at. Opportunity came over here at JJ&M four years ago to come in as a director. And when I came in as the director, one of the things that they had challenged me about was coming up with a program for the mechanics mechanic shortage that were having at the time. And one of the things I did was go and visit the community college and up around and that's where we found out about the diesel by distance program that we started. But J and M is a family owned business. 

Two brothers own us and it's been in business since 1948. We're a bulk tank carrier so we haul dry bulk primarily. We do have some other things that we do outside of that, but our bulk is the dry goods. 

What to get, what's dry bulk. 

Give us Examples like calcium, we haul a lot of calcium, haul lime, haul Portland cement, we haul flour, we haul sugar. You know, we have a food grade division, corn starch. There's. You'd just be amazed at all the different things that gets hauled in those dry bolt tankers. 

It's really fascinating to me. I just love all of the things that trucking does. It's such a vital industry. So here you are. Workforce shortage. We need more diesel technicians. And we know there's an aging workforce. How are we going to start developing our own? Right, and so that's why you went to the community college system. And tell us a little bit now about working with the community college system and this diesel by distance program that you all have been a part of. 

Yes, ma', am. It's through Wallace State. I think there's other schools around that do the diesel by distance. But so when I went up there, it was mainly going up there trying to recruit talent. It was my first intentions of going up there. And when we got to talking about the diesel by distance, I went back and looked and we had several young guys that were working in the wash bay that had been there for some time, and I approached them about would they be interested? And two of them said yes. And we put both of those through the school. When they were halfway through, we added another one and he started in there. And we've got a total of four that have gone through it. It's a two year process. So it's. 

They, they work during the week and in our shops two months or two weekends of the month they go up to Wallace and for Saturday and Sunday classes. And you know, they have two online classes during the week and if it interferes with their shift, they're recorded and then they can come back and watch them and complete the assignments on those recorded ones. So it's very flexible. But again, it takes a dedication to go through that two years that when they finish, they've got their PM certification, they got brake certification, they got some engine certifications, some transmission certifications. They have a CDL license. That's one thing that, that I have. When I started off in the trucking industry, everybody had CDL licenses if you were a mechanic. But that was something. 

In the last couple of years, it's kind of what, you know, gotten pushed to the side. And I think that's very important. I think if a driver's telling you what's wrong with the truck or what it's doing, I think it's very important that the technician can get in there and drive that truck and know what it's doing. So I've pushed that CDL back into our shops. I've got shop managers that are going through CDL programs now. But I want everybody being able to drive that truck. It's working on it. 

Absolutely. That's great. And I mean, that's one of the things that we're doing is the high school diesel tech programs we work with. We're saying, hey, why don't you add a CDL component? Because it's going to benefit your students if they can also get their CDL while they're learning to be a diesel technician. So your students, that they're your employees and then they became students. What. So it took, it's taken them two years and they're doing on the job training, plus they're learning with the community college system. How, how do you all manage as a company to train them as well? Because I, I am sure they're not just coming and learning on their own. You all have a mentorship process or how does that work? 

Yes, ma', am, I. When we pull them out of the wash bay, we put them with one of the guys, one of the more seasoned guys that are working in the shop. And it really starts off more as they're a helper in the shop. They're still, they're still. We give them a little incentive money for going through the school. We give them a dollar an hour increase to, for going through the school. And you know, as they're going there, start off more of a helper and as they build their skills, then they kind of separate off and they'll start doing some of their own jobs, you know, and then it's always fun when you see a guy complete their first job assignment by themselves. The pride that technician comes up with, I got it fixed. 

And you know, that's part of being the mechanic is enjoying fixing things. 

Absolutely. And that is one thing that people often forget is when you help develop these young people and they find something they're good at and they can be proud about. I mean, there is no value to having self worth because you find something that you're good at and you can be passionate about and successful in and it's fun to have these accomplishments. 

Yes, ma'. Am. And as they're going through the school, anybody that's going through the school, they, they pretty much go to what they're comfortable with. There's different skill levels in the mechanics there's different. You know, some guys are better axle guys, some guys are better transmission guys. They automatically kind of go to what they're the best at. Some guys are really good on the computers and they can get in there and you know, go through the diagnostics really quick and some guys will struggle with it, but even if somebody's struggling with it, there's still a place for them in a shop. 

Absolutely. And so the process is they're doing some weekend work and then they're working for you during the week. How are they paying for the schooling that they're going through? 

Well, anything that their grants or scholarships don't cover, we cover here at J. 

And M. Wow, that's great. So did you guys kind of help them navigate or did the community college help them navigate some grants and scholarships that they could apply for? 

Yes, ma'. Am. There's a lady up at Wallace, Anna Beard, that works through when she gets our guys, she takes them through all the financial aid stuff and sees what they can get grant wise or through scholarships. She has done a great job finding different scholarships for us on there. But even as much as if they go up there and some of the guys that live far away, it's an hour and a half drive, they have to be there at 6 o' clock Saturday, they don't get through until 5, have to be back up there 6 o' clock Sunday. We get their hotel room up there around the school so we take care of them. 

On going through the program, I've only had one guy leave that has gone through the program and he bought his own snap on truck after he had worked with us for two years and he's a snap on dealer. So if they're better in themselves, then that's what it's about. 

Yeah, that's a success right there. 

Yes, ma'am. 

Finding that, you know, finding that opportunity and seeing that it all connects. Because maybe he's your snap on tool guy, right? 

Well, he does do some of our shops, so absolutely. 

That's cool. So how many shops do you have and have you tried to do this program at maybe some of your outline shops where they're coming in a little further? 

We, we have 10 shops. We got four in Georgia, one in Texas and one in the Carolinas. We also have a trans chem shop in Texas, that's a sister company of ours that we manage. So really you could say 11 shops. If you throw the trans chem one in, we've done that in Georgia, but we brought them over to Alabama for the diesel by distance program. 

That's awesome. So you can you see this as a valuable tool even for your outlying locations. It's not just for your main Alabama shop, but for Georgia as well. 

Yes. Now, one thing about J and M, our employees, our diesel shop employees are very loyal. I've got guys that's been here for 35 years. I've got, you know, most of my technicians have stayed for a long time, you know, 10, 12 years. Seniority in most shops is the average. 

That just goes to show. Right. Like if you can get some new people in, then they're gonna be mentored by the seasoned technicians and hopefully it's just going to continue to grow. 

Yes, ma'. 

Am. 

This guy did not go through our diesel by distance program, but he had started 12 years ago in the Wash Bay and he's now running my Silicaga shop. I've got another guy that started back at entry level, I think 20 years ago, and he's one of my divisional managers. So J and M as a whole has always, you know, let the guys grow inside the company, start off entry level and work their ways up. 

Yeah. That's incredible. Is this program, is it an official Department of labor apprenticeship program? 

I'm not sure on that, Lindsay. I would think it would be coming through the community college. I haven't ever asked that question. That's a good question. 

Yeah, yeah. I mean, you guys are doing it and it's two years of investing in them, going to school and learning while they're coming to work for you as well. And then when they're done, what happens. 

When they complete the program? We move them to a B level technician, which is, you know, usually about a 10, $12 increase in pay from where they start off. 

10 to $12 an hour more from. 

When they started off. Now we'll give them some bumps through the way, but it really turns it into a career at that point. It's something that they can make a good living at and support their families and things of that nature. It's really, I've witnessed it change people's lives. And that's one of the things why I like it so much is you get a guy that comes in and he's just making a paycheck, you know, looking for his next opportunity and you keep him on, you let him grow inside the company. And I mean, they get a degree out of it and that's, to me, that's a real rewarding thing to watch the guys come through your shops and do that. 

The last thing I would like to ask is tell us a little bit about these young people that you've developed. What are some of their strong suits in who they are as a younger technician versus maybe some of your older technicians and what do they have to give to the organization? 

Well, the one thing that you grab right away when you have the younger guys, when I started in diesel, we had mechanical fuel pumps, we had mechanical engines completely. There was very little commute computer stuff in there. You learned how to read a wiring diagram and do simple checks that way. Now you have a truck problem, you grab a computer. Now, not to say that there's several of the old season technicians that are very good on the computers, but the younger ones that come in, it's just like natural, it's like a part of their body. They can just go right to it and they really excel at the diagnostics and things of that nature on there. 

You can tell a big difference how much quicker they'll catch on to something over somebody who's come through the schools of hard knocks and diesel like I did, Right. 

Like all of us, our kids teach us so much in terms of technology. 

Yes, ma'. Am. 

Yeah. And you believe in being a technician so much that your son actually followed in your footsteps? 

Yes, ma'am. My son, when he was a senior in high school, he was looking at different trades and he had asked me about diesel and I'd had, you know, I had a connection up at Wallace and I carried him up there and let him go through and see it and he took off with it and he absolutely loves it. You know, one thing I tell these young guys, and you'll hear me say it all the time, be early, don't let nobody outwork you, and stay dedicated. And he's doing all that. I'm very proud of him. 

That's awesome. So from my perspective, hey, research what you want to do as a skill, right? And your son decided I do want to be a diesel technician. So he looked at all the different trades and found being a diesel technician was a good fit for him. And then he went and explored the community college that had a training program to see, hey, is this training program the right fit for me? 

Yes, ma'. Am. 

And then he enrolled and he eventually got a job, I think second semester, right? 

Mr. Yes, ma'. Am. He worked second shift and went to school during the day and, and after he went to work, he paid for all his anything that any expense that he had, he paid for it all the way through the rest of the way. 

He's incredible. I mean, I love that. So he did school and learning, so learning through work based learning. So he had that combination when he graduated. I'm sure he could have gotten a job at any location he wanted to. 

He, he actually did change locations. He, he went to work at another tanker company here in Birmingham. They, it's an oil company. So he's actually working on fuel and oil trucks and things of that nature now. 

So when they work on fuel and oil trucks, are they working on the tankers as well as the tractor or is it kind of one or the other? 

No, he works on every, all of it. They all, I mean, you know, even my guys here, they, you might be, you know, building an engine one day and putting brakes on a trailer the next day. One thing that I've always pushed is I, I like seeing my more senior guys doing the PMs. The PMs are the backbone of your fleet. And you know, a lot of companies want to put an entry level guy doing PMs but, and our entry guys do PMs but they're always audited behind after they do it. But I like putting my more senior guys doing the PMs and then letting the younger guys fix what they find the older guy finds on the pm. They get skills and see why it's broke and things of that nature. 

So that's just some of my theology on in the shops. 

I love that. And so why is that? Why, why do you want to have your senior guys look at those PMs? Just to give those younger guys experience. 

Well, senior guys gonna find more wrong with the truck. My goal when we PM a truck is it doesn't come back in until the next pm. So you know, and we grade our technicians on their pm. Reliability is what I call that. 

That is so smart. So your senior PMs they really can identify. So they're doing those PMs. Younger guy may be looking in behind them, but then the younger guy is the one that comes in and really fixes it. And so that is a great learning opportunity. Yeah, I love that. I think that's great. Well, thank you for being on NextGen talks today. I think that we are seeing more and more of diesel tech shortages around the country. But we're also seeing young people wanting to explore. Hey, do I want to be a plumber? Do I want to be a. Welder Do I want to be a diesel technician? And now's the time for our industry to go and invest in our local community college and start to form those relationships and get our workforce from there. 

Is there any suggestion if I'm a shop manager, I'm a service manager. What would you say to that? 

Service manager as far as getting aligned with a college? Yeah, you just have to. I picked up the phone and went to calling them and talking to them until I found one that I liked and it was in our area. You know, I'm doing some other things with the Alabama Truckers association and we're trying to develop some networks there between all the shops and different training. But I mean, here's the next thing. When you're a diesel mechanic, the training never stops. This engine technology, truck technology, it's always growing. Every time you, I go to the TMC meetings twice a year and every time you go there, it's. You see something new that's coming. Wow. 

Yeah. Well, thank you for all you've done to invest in your area and young people and actual people who you gave the opportunity to prove themselves and better themselves. And that's what it's all about. It's all about uplifting these young people to help them have a great career, to be able to support their family and to be able to do something they're proud of. So thank you for all you've done, Jeff, to invest in young people. 

Thank you, Lindsey, for us having this. 

Opportunity to talk and we just hope more of you out there listening will invest in your local community college, invest in the high school and maybe have entry level positions where they can become diesel tech. So if you want more information, please check out our show notes today. We're going to have some good information in there and that is one of the things that we can do is help you get connected to your local schools. So visit our website. You can email me lindseyextgentrucking.org.