After 70 years in the moving industry, Team U-Haul knows what it takes to keep our trucks and trailers running smoothly … and it’s much more involved than regular oil changes and accurate tire pressure.
Since the launch of the U-Haul Technician Training Program, shop team members are better equipped to keep up with this ever-changing field. Thanks to these hardworking team members, U-Haul equipment is serviced efficiently and then is back on the road, helping customers with their moving adventure.
To honor their contributions to the Company, we will be highlighting team members who hold the title of U-Haul Trained Master Technician. To earn this title, a technician must complete all of the training courses and pass the mastery exams in each of the specialty areas of the U-Haul Technician Training Program. It’s the pinnacle of all U-Haul technicians, and not everyone can claim this prestigious distinction. Johnny Smith, lead person of Columbia RERS in West Columbia, S.C., is one of them.
Meet Johnny
I’ve been employed at Columbia RERS for 16 years as of October 4, 2015. I was hired as a transmission specialist which later led me to become an engine specialist. I was later promoted to shop supervisor, followed by becoming lead person. Lead person and pre-inspector are my current positions.
I am a self-taught mechanic who as a teenager enjoyed working on cars with my younger brothers. I was 14 when my passion for mechanics began. As an adult, I have owned two of my own shops. Working on automobiles and trucks is truly a passion of mine. It’s something I have always been skilled in and love. I even taught myself how to work on motorcycles.
I have completed all the Roadman courses and I am MACS certified in air conditioning. I do all of the driveability and diagnostics. Becoming a U-Haul Trained Master Technician was a great way to retrieve past knowledge and to better educate myself. I learned a lot and think all team members can benefit from this program. You can learn something new every day, especially when it’s presented to you as an advantage through U-Haul.
While at U-Haul, I have had the opportunity to travel to other locations in our area to train other team members and check their service rigs. I like having the knowledge to help others so they can be successful and maintain their positions in the Company.
When I started out at U-Haul, I was a single father trying to support my son. I am now married with four children. I am very involved in the church. I am a Venture Crew leader, Boy Scout leader and church trustee, as well as a helper with our youth. You learn and grow by experiences and what matters in life. You have to be committed to your job to be successful.
I take great pride in my abilities and have always given my best, which allows me to guarantee my work. I treat my job as if I personally own what I am working on. I try to lead by example and ultimately plan to retire from U-Haul one day.
Shop manager praise
“Johnny is always ready, without asking him, to jump in and lend a hand,” praised Shop Manager Clarance Clayborn. “Johnny is not in the habit of replacing parts. He will read up on the situation to resolve it before he starts replacing parts. He is my right-hand man here at the shop. Vendors and mobile repair unit operators will call the shop to ask him questions on how to fix a truck. Johnny is a very polished U-Haul Trained Master Technician.”
Congratulations on becoming a U-Haul Trained Master Technician, Johnny!
