Technician Name: G "Jerry" Truglia
Shop Name: Automotive Technician Training Services (A.T.T.S.)
Location: Mahopac, NY
G "Jerry" Truglia these days trains technicians and acts as a consultant more than he wrenches, but even when he trains he still needs his tools. This neatly organized, classic red Snap-on toolbox contains what has taken him a lifetime to acquire.
In a way, a technician lives and dies by his toolbox. Trugia takes this belief very seriously. Even though his training facility resides in a safe and sleepy suburb of New York City, he religiously locks the box every evening, reasoning that the longer it takes a theoretical thief to remove its contents the more likely he will get caught. He also insures his box with Pro-Tec Mechanic's Insurance. "When I die," says Truglia, "They can throw my fat butt in my box. It's a $100,000 mausoleum."
What Truglia refers to is his estimated investment in general automotive repair tools up until 12 years ago, when he focused full-time on his training and consulting company, Automotive Technician Training Services (ATTS). His box has tools that are relics of the past, such as full sets of sockets and wrenches in standard measurement. It also has some odd tools from the "As Seen on TV" commercials, such as a multi-use strap wrench and gator-grip sockets. "I probably went overboard with those," Truglia admits.
While he does not need a tool cart for day-to-day wrenching anymore, he uses one for advanced diagnostics.
"I love PC-based tools because all the factory scan tools are going that way and the best labscopes are PC-based as well," Truglia explains. "But, let's face it, they are a pain to use." This matching Blue-Point cart has been modified so that PC-based scan tools and labscopes can be used effortlessly around the shop. J2534 reflashing, scanning and scoping are done with three different laptops that can easily be transported around the shop and plugged into the powerstrip in the back. "I probably use my labscope or Drew Tech [J2534 programming] equipment the most," Truglia notes. "One or the other are used every day, so they need to be on a convenient cart."
Most importantly, Truglia views his box as a reflection of his career: "This box fed my kids and put them through college. It has been big enough to hold everything I need. But, I always keep it neat, clean and organized. Technicians are not grease monkeys, they are professionals. My box reflects what I do for a living, that's what makes me proud."
