Darrin Johnson credits his love of working on engines with helping him get involved with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) - and eventually working for the department as a mechanic in Callaway County.
"I started worked with large trucks in high school," he said. "I went from there to an ag dealer, and what I liked there was I was able to work on trucks, but also tractors and other farm equipment. It allowed me to get flexible instead of just working on one particular thing."
Johnson did mechanic work in Fulton for 14 years before starting with MoDOT's maintenance department in 2007. A mechanic's job with the department opened in Columbia, but he later was able to return to Fulton.
"Our primary job is to support the bridge crews, signal folks and others," he said. "We take care of their needs as far vehicles and equipment. We do repairs in shop or go out on sites. If it's storming, we have to go out and respond for vehicles, or equipment breaks down. We're on call at all times and work in all elements."
Johnson said finding parts to fix problems can be a challenge.
"Sometimes during a storm that can be a problem," he said. "During the last ice storm we had lots of vendors who were closed, so trying to find some things was hard. We try to keep a lot of parts on hand that we know we use frequently. Sometimes we have to send out to other parts of the state where places are open to get what we need. If we have to go out to help the guys on the road, it's usually real hot or real cold, so the atmosphere is not always the best to work in."
Johnson said there is usually one MoDOT mechanic per county, but Callaway County has two to service the county's three sheds. Having I-70 running through the county, as well as the Callaway Nuclear Plant, also means more support staff are necessary.
"One mechanic trying to cover a day and night shift - that gets pretty exhausting at the end of an event like a snowstorm," he said. "MoDOT has lots of different equipment form backhoes to cars, so we have to have the people to diagnose and repair them safely."