Rock Springs maintenance shop says diagnostics-first approach keeps public-safety vehicles running and saves taxpayers money

Rock Springs shop staff gave a guided tour of the city’s Vehicle Maintenance shop, saying the facility maintains roughly 450 pieces of equipment and prioritizes police, fire and plow vehicles to limit public-safety downtime.

Shop staff described a methodical, diagnostics-first approach: mechanics use scan tools and engine-control checks to determine whether a problem is the sensor, wiring or the engine control unit before replacing parts. "We're gonna replace what needs to be replaced, not replace what doesn't," a shop staff member said, explaining that targeted repairs reduce both parts costs and equipment downtime.

The shop handles routine preventive maintenance while vehicles are in for repair — oil and filter changes, greasing, brake checks and valve rebuilds — and said doing that work in-house stretches equipment life and saves money. Staff cited small examples: a hydraulic O-ring repair that restored a plow’s function for about a dollar, and larger challenges that require more complex parts sourcing.

Staff demonstrated in-house fabrication capabilities — shears, press brakes and punches — and said the shop builds many components, such as plow blades and A-frames, rather than buying costly replacements. That work, plus welding and plasma cutting capacity, cuts procurement costs and reduces lead times.

Not all work can be done on-site. Staff said hybrid patrol cars require specialized diagnostics on the high-voltage side and are sent to dealers for that work; "on the hybrid side you're dealing with 400 to 800 volts," a shop staff member said, underlining safety and tooling limits. For some rare parts staff said they must search widely: in one case they described locating a scarce harness assembly needed to repair a backhoe transmission.

The shop also supports after-hours needs: mechanics are on call nights and weekends to respond to urgent failures so essential equipment can return to service. Staff said the city prefers to use local vendors when possible for parts procurement to support the community and reduce out-of-town purchases.

Visitor remarks during the tour highlighted stewardship of taxpayer money and noted the value of preventive maintenance; staff said they are moving forward with recommendations to improve processes. The tour closed with thanks and a commitment to continue in-house upkeep and selective outsourcing for specialized repairs.