{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Jaded Mechanic Podcast","title":"Is Flat Rate Driving Young Technicians Out of the Trade? with Tanner Watters","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":8191,"description":"In this episode, Jeff Compton talks with Tanner Waters, a field and shop technician in rural Montana, about his path into the trade and what life is like working on tractors, combines, and hay equipment. Tanner shares his apprenticeship experience, field diagnostics, long drives, and major repairs while comparing hourly efficiency pay with flat rate.\nThe conversation also explores why younger technicians leave the industry, the importance of shop culture and leadership, technician communication, diagnostic time, training apprentices, and the future of agricultural equipment with autonomy, EVs, emissions, and right to repair.\n\nTimestamps:\n00:00 Shop Culture Wins\n 00:34 Podcast Intro and Guest Setup\n 01:45 Montana Life and Fishing Talk\n 02:43 How Tanner Got Wrenching\n 03:24 Corvette and Hemi Memories\n 05:43 Wrangler Ownership and Oil Cooler\n 08:41 Life as a Field Tech\n 11:55 Winter Regens and Emissions\n 13:36 From Kenworth to John Deere\n 14:32 Old-School Trucks and Cabovers\n 18:17 Apprenticeship Tools and Toolboxes\n 22:50 Princess Auto and Canada Road Trip\n 26:14 MMA Stories\n 31:02 The Missing Age Group in the Trade\n 32:00 The Flat Rate Gap\n 34:48 Recalls and PIPs\n 36:08 Why Technicians Leave\n 40:54 Hourly Efficiency Pay\n 51:18 Workflow Support Roles\n 55:03 Technicians Selling the Job\n 59:54 Pre-Authorizing Repairs\n 01:04:18 Why Diagnostics Take Time\n 01:09:50 Transmission Service Expectations\n 01:11:05 Free Diagnostics vs. Evaluation\n 01:13:08 Asking Better Questions\n 01:14:07 Intermittent Turbo Faults\n 01:15:19 Parts Quality Reality Check\n 01:18:39 Build Quality and Technician Pay\n 01:20:54 Training Apprentices the Right Way\n 01:23:27 Motivation and Career Paths\n 01:27:13 Turnover and Leadership\n 01:32:56 Ag Tech Levels and Certifications\n 01:34:08 Autonomy and Electric Agriculture\n 01:38:29 EVs in Rural Life\n 01:41:32 Muscle Cars and Collectors\n 01:44:49 Jeep Ducks Culture\n 01:45:53 The Top-Off Jeep Debate\n 01:47:13 Wrangler Tops and Leaks\n 01:48:26 Refrigerant...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/Sk2Cxg758d7EdB1ogJfG9vxVkVeo1MgDWAiF0B9gSYw/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzQxMjAxLzE2ODI4/OTE3NjctYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}