Fleet mechanics...

[Snowdog311]

I am studying to be an auto mechanic (if I don't go into law enforcement) and I was just wondering about a few general questions. One of my instructors worked on fleet cars for about 10 years. Now because many parts of the car, such as brakes, need to be tested by someone certified, the mechanics can test drive the police vehicles, sometimes even take them home if necessary. My question is, what rules stand with this, if the town doesn't have say a testing course, where cars have to be tested on the road/parking lot? Do they have to sign in on the MDT when driving? What about the fact somebody say "flags" them down because they need help. I myself have worked on fleet cars under strict supervision (one of the reasons why I got my own) and I've been with the technician when test driving sometimes. This scenario never happened but I never really asked him what the "can and cannots" of test driving entail.

[Stump]

Ok, what reason would a mechanic need to take the car home?
Secondly, how can you sign onto an MDT without having a password/car # assigned to you? There is no reason you need to use the MDT.
I haven't seen or heard of any circ-umstances where a citizen has flagged a mechanic down.

[jmill79]

OK , I was a mechanic at a dealership and often we would have the local P.D. bring their cars in to be maintained or repaired. The mechanics were allowed to test drive just as any other car. A mechanic would never take ANY vehicle home...none the less a police car.

As far as "What if someone flaged them down" goes well seems sort of easy to just say "Sorry, Im a mechanic and im test driving this patrol car" and that they should call the Police. very simple.

"Should they sign on to the MDT?" Of course not, like Stump said what are they gonna sign on with?

One of the main rules of working on Police cars was pretty much not to touch ANY of the emergency type equipment while test driving the car....pretty much all of that type of stuff can be repaired and checked within the shop area anyway.

[Snowdog311]

Yes, I have to ask him why he would take a care home. Probably because he was running out of time and the problem would be too serious to where he couldn't drive it very far. I'd be better calling a truck then risk something happening on the road.