Careers
Who Are We?
Sonny Merryman is one of the nation’s leading bus & people-moving equipment companies. Our vehicles transport students and the community across Virginia and as well as other states across the country. We’re a small business but a big fish in our respective pond as Virginia’s largest and most experienced bus company and one of the most respected and successful dealerships in the country. Our team of nearly 200 employees works across our four locations in Central Virginia (Evington/Lynchburg), Greater Richmond (Ashland), Hampton Roads (Chesapeake), and Northern Virginia (Bristow/Manassas). We love to help our Customers when problems arise, and our employees would tell you that we appreciate each other and treat our fellow coworkers with respect. Put simply: we’re a bus company, but if you dig a little deeper, you’ll understand we’re much more than that.
Take a glimpse into what it means to be part of Team Sonny.
What Do We Do?
We are a bus dealership that sells, services, and provides parts for school buses and commercial buses used to transport community members. Besides buses, we have supporting business units that sell trailers, rent storage containers, provide parts services to city garages, and we even operate a collection of local Napa stores.
Why Be a Part of Team Sonny?
There’s a reason many of our employees have 10+ years of service on Team Sonny. Here are a few to consider:
- Our Culture. It’s what we call the “Sonny Merryman Way,” and it has a very specific recipe that all comes down to the ingredients – our core values. We’re a company that believes in taking care of our customers as well as our team.
- Competitive Pay. We believe in a livable, fair market wage for all of our employees.
- Paid Time Off. Full time employees immediately start accruing time upon hire; that’s in addition to the seven paid holidays.
- Medical and Prescription / Dental Coverage. Multiple plans are available for you as well as your family at competitive monthly premiums.
- Employee-Stock Ownership Plan. It’s a company retirement plan our employees don’t pay a single dollar into but rather are awarded simply for their continued years of service.
- Optional 401K. In addition to our ESOP, we also provide employees with a 401k program.
- Growth and Advancement. We’re a team that wants to be better today than we were yesterday. We grow as a team as well as individuals.
- Security. Last but by all means certainly not least – job security. We keep good people for an awfully long time. Founded in 1967, we are a trusted partner of the transportation community and work hard to maintain and continue to earn the loyal business of our customers.
Sonny Merryman Inc. is an Equal Opportunity employer and a drug-free workplace.
Think you’re a good fit for our team?
Click the button below to fill out our preliminary employment interest form and one of our team members will contact you.
Career Openings
Commercial Vehicle SERVICE Technician
Multiple Openings: Central Virginia center (Evington, VA), Northern Virginia center (Bristow, VA), Greater Richmond center (Ashland, VA) | Full-time, 1st shift, Mon-Fri.
If you like to work on big stuff that transports our future and our community, we may be a match.
Read MoreWho Are You?
You are motivated to help others. You like to think problems through and come up with creative solutions. You have a good sense of humor and like to have fun. You like a brisk work pace and enjoy pleasing a Customer. You’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and do what needs to get done. You are honest and tend to smile a lot more than you frown (or scowl). You like to be treated as an adult and be afforded the opportunity to get your job done.
Please do not apply if…
- You enjoy drama and gossip. We just don’t have time for that!
- Nothing is your fault. We love to “own it” – and mistakes are the best way to learn!
- You like a large “corporate” work environment. We like to give you enough rope to run on your own, then eliminate the rope.
- You want someone asking you every hour “when is that job going to get done?”
What kind of stuff will I be doing?
You will be inspecting, diagnosing, and repairing all systems found a modern medium/heavy duty vehicle, as well as diesel engine.
What experience or qualifications do you need?
- Former related experience required.
- Tools necessary to perform the common duties of the position.
If you’re interested in this position, submit an application and one of our team members will contact you.
Maintenance Technician I
Sonny Merryman Central VA Location (Evington, VA) | Full time, Mon-Fri.
Read MoreOverview
This is level 1 of 2 for Maintenance technician.
Helps perform skilled maintenance, repair, minor construction work in the trades to ensure that facilities are properly maintained. Duties may fall into a variety of trades, including carpentry, painting, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, and keys/security systems. Works with Maintenance Technician II to learn more skills.
General Responsibilities and Tasks/Duties
- Helps Maintenance Technician II performs preventative maintenance on building systems, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical.
- Helps repairs and maintain a variety of facilities systems, components, and structures; repairs building plumbing, low-voltage, and line voltage electric systems, door hardware, fire and life safety protection equipment/systems, constructs and maintains indoor/outdoor facilities, fans, lights and related; conducts structural inspections for safety.
- Helps maintain HVAC systems, cleans, and inspects all equipment, completes filter changes.
- Responds to facility emergencies and closures including adverse weather to ensure that all facilities are protected and remain operational. Assists with tasks required in preparing to open facility after a closure including snow and ice removal, systems and equipment checks, and start-up operations as assigned.
- Helps maintain appropriate records and reports.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
- Trains on the job to be a Maintenance Technician II.
Expectations/Successes: The primary goal of this position is to create a clean, safe, and comfortable environment for our customers and staff by keeping all facilities in proper and professional condition. Success can be seen in customer, partners, and employee feedback. Other successes include reduced equipment and facility downtime, and timely and economical project completions.
Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Experience in facilities maintenance.
- Must have a valid driver’s license for operation of a motor vehicle in Virginia.
- Forklift driver certification required within six months of employment.
- Effective Communicator with external vendor and external customers.
Parts Analysis
Sonny Merryman Central VA Location (Evington, VA) | Full time, Mon-Fri.
Read MoreIf you like being part of transporting our future and community by helping our Customers find and purchase the right parts for their vehicles, this may be a fit for you.
Who Are We?
Sonny Merryman is Virginia’s Bus Company. Our vehicles transport students and the community. We’re a small, family-owned and employee-owned business that started south of Lynchburg, and now has additional locations in greater Richmond, Chesapeake and Northern Virginia. We love to help our Customers when problems arise, and our employees would tell you that we appreciate each other and treat our fellow coworkers with respect.
What Do We Do?
We are a bus dealership that sells, services, and provides parts for school buses and commercial buses used to transport community members. Besides buses, we have supporting business units that sell trailers, rent storage containers, provide parts services to city garages, and we even operate a collection of local Napa stores.
Who Are You?
You are motivated to help others. You can carry on a conversation while doing research in the background to assist our Customers. You are detail-oriented and will go to the lengths necessary to make sure your customer gets the right part the first time. Navigating a computer is a breeze for you and you feel at home using Microsoft products, such as Outlook, Teams, and Word. You enjoy building relationships and pleasing a Customer. You are honest and tend to smile a lot more than you frown (or scowl). You like to be treated as an adult and be afforded the opportunity to get your job done.
What Kind of Stuff Will You Be Doing?
You will support Customers by identifying the part(s) they need, placing their orders, and following-up post receipt of order to ensure satisfaction. As a direct line to our Customers, you will also serve as a contact for other areas of support, such as online account navigation, transaction assistance, and product announcements. You will play a key role in the parts team’s collective efforts to meet sales goals.
What Experience and/or Qualifications Do You Need?
- Automotive or commercial vehicle parts experience preferred but not required.
If you’re interested in this position, submit an application and one of our team members will contact you.
BODY SHOP TECHNICIAN
Sonny Merryman Central VA Location (Evington, VA) | Full time, Mon-Fri.
Read MoreIf you like to work on and give new life to big stuff that transports our future and our community, we may be a match.
Who Are We?
Sonny Merryman is Virginia’s Bus Company. Our vehicles transport students and the community. We’re a small, family-owned and employee-owned business that started south of Lynchburg, and now has additional locations in greater Richmond, Chesapeake and Northern Virginia. We love to help our Customers when problems arise, and our employees would tell you that we appreciate each other and treat our fellow coworkers with respect.
What Do We Do?
We are a bus dealership that sells, services, and provides parts for school buses and commercial buses used to transport community members. Besides buses, we have supporting business units that sell trailers, rent storage containers, provide parts services to city garages, and we even operate a collection of local Napa stores.
Who Are You?
You are motivated to help others. You see a dented, scratched, faded, and sometimes even mangled vehicle as a canvas to work your art. You like to think problems through and come up with creative solutions. You have a good sense of humor and like to have fun. You like a brisk work pace and enjoy pleasing a Customer. You’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and do what needs to get done. You are honest and tend to smile a lot more than you frown (or scowl). You like to be treated as an adult and be afforded the opportunity to get your job done.
What Kind of Stuff Will You Be Doing?
Sometimes you’ll be working on a new vehicle that gets a custom paint job or needs a touch-up here or there before delivery. More often though, you’ll be working on vehicles already in-service that need repair after an accident or parking lot oops or a fresh coat of paint after a few years of service.
What Qualifications and/or Experience Do You Need?
- Former body shop experience required.
- Tools necessary to perform the common duties of the position.
If you’re interested in this position, submit an application and one of our team members will contact you.
EV CHARGER SPECIALIST
Sonny Merryman Central VA Location (Evington, VA) | Full time, Mon-Fri.
Read MoreField Support Technician
Job Overview
The Field Support Technician (FST) is passionate about EVs and a self-starter who will work closely with Sonny Merryman’s customers to ensure that their electric vehicle charging stations are running properly and that their buses can get students where they need to be. No day will look the same, but responsibilities will include performing original equipment manufacturer-approved testing, troubleshooting customer issues, and repairing a broad range of equipment (including Level 2 EV chargers to DC Fast Chargers, and communications equipment). The FST reports to Sonny Merryman’s VP of Parts and Service, with input from the EV Charger Manager.
Responsibilities
Training and development
- Undergo EV and charger training
- Support launch of new buses, charging stations and Regional Field Service Representatives.
- Help shape the customer support process for a fast-growing team
- Train the customer and other partners on the safe operation and best technical practices on all charging products.
Triage
- Act as the company’s on-site advocate for EVSBs, striving to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction
- Proactively monitor data and create reports to inform best charging practices, utilizing on site and telematic charger management platforms.
- Order parts, tools and supplies when needed
- Manage various vendors when working on customer equipment
- Maintain detailed and timely paperwork and documentation for repairs and installations.
- Manage manufacturers and external support vendors to implement our customer support plan, including support ticket submission.
Service and Repair
- Be available on the ground or to travel to customer sites across the state to repair, maintain, clean and troubleshoot and service charging systems and electrical infrastructure
- Repair, maintain, troubleshoot and service electrical buses and chargers using skills and tools that range from computer diagnostics to basic mechanical tools.
- Work with the Service team to develop maintenance methodology to prevent issues from arising and track ongoing repairs
Expectations/Responsibility:
EV charger specialist is responsible for supporting the uptime of chargers at our Customer’s site throughout the life of the project. Uptime can be maximized through Customer training on proper charger use, coordination and data collection for charger OEM’s when defects occur, and hands on problem solving through OEM guidance, training, and experience.
Qualifications
- 1+ years of related work experience
- High school diploma or GED
- Comfort with electrical systems ranging from 12V to 120+ systems
- Strong technical capabilities
- Has driver’s license and is able to travel domestically
- Ability to troubleshoot and solve mechanical and electrical problems
- Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals
- Self-starter with the ability to multitask, prioritize assignments and work independently
- High focus on safety and customer service
- Competent in operating hand tools and electrical tools and measurement devices
- Familiarity with solar, EV chargers, power supply, batteries, high voltage, etc. is a plus
- Flexibility to be on-call during off-hours and weekends (when on scheduled shift)
If you’re interested in this position, submit an application and one of our team members will contact you.
Body Shop Technician
Sonny Merryman VA Location, Chesapeake Virginia | Full time, Mon-Fri.
Read MoreIf you like to work on and give new life to big stuff that transports our future and our community, we may be a match.
Who Are We?
Sonny Merryman is Virginia’s Bus Company. Our vehicles transport students and the community. We’re a small, family-owned and employee-owned business that started south of Lynchburg, and now has additional locations in greater Richmond, Chesapeake and Northern Virginia. We love to help our Customers when problems arise, and our employees would tell you that we appreciate each other and treat our fellow coworkers with respect.
What Do We Do?
We are a bus dealership that sells, services, and provides parts for school buses and commercial buses used to transport community members. Besides buses, we have supporting business units that sell trailers, rent storage containers, provide parts services to city garages, and we even operate a collection of local Napa stores.
Who Are You?
You are motivated to help others. You see a dented, scratched, faded, and sometimes even mangled vehicle as a canvas to work your art. You like to think problems through and come up with creative solutions. You have a good sense of humor and like to have fun. You like a brisk work pace and enjoy pleasing a Customer. You’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and do what needs to get done. You are honest and tend to smile a lot more than you frown (or scowl). You like to be treated as an adult and be afforded the opportunity to get your job done.
What Kind of Stuff Will You Be Doing?
Sometimes you’ll be working on a new vehicle that gets a custom paint job or needs a touch-up here or there before delivery. More often though, you’ll be working on vehicles already in-service that need repair after an accident or parking lot oops or a fresh coat of paint after a few years of service.
What Qualifications and/or Experience Do You Need?
- Former body shop experience required.
- Tools necessary to perform the common duties of the position.
If you’re interested in this position, submit an application and one of our team members will contact you.
Sales & Delivery Admistrator
Sonny Merryman Central VA Location (Evington, VA) | Full time, Mon-Fri.
Read MoreOverview
Provide administrative support to the Bus Sales Department by assisting in the purchasing, sale, and delivery of vehicles. Duties include the preparation of Sales, DMV, and Warranty documents at time of sale; maintaining Master Records Database; coordinating the delivery of sold and serviced units; tracking and arranging for the pick-up of units from OEM; and assisting salespersons and other office staff as needed.
General Tasks/Duties and Responsibilities
Sales Administration Duties (50% of time allocated)
- Manage the stocking-in and recordkeeping of all TBB units
- Prepare Sales, Warranty, and DMV documents accordingly
- Track priority and overdue units with TBB and work closely with industry partners to resolve
- Prepare eVA Contractor’s Report and submit quarterly
- Research past deals and customer information for sales team and customers as needed
- Post TBB invoices into Accounts Payable
- Accommodate and provide Daimler Truck Finance Auditor with required documentation
- Enter required data into Cummins spreadsheet for sale of new Thomas buses & submit monthly
- Provide customer service and answer incoming phone calls
- Crosstrain and back-up office staff as needed
- Contribute to ongoing process improvements and streamlining
- Prepare and maintain contract documents for in-house financed deals
Delivery Coordination Duties (50% of time allocated)
- Onboard and supervise delivery drivers
- Maintain time and attendance, and other operating records for drivers
- Prepare forms and schedule pick-up of new unit releases from TBB
- Manage, update, and change delivery schedule daily, and inform all parties accordingly
- Schedule delivery of all new bus sales, used bus sales, service returns and pick-ups, demo buses, trade-ins, and other units as needed
- Coordinate delivery with customers as needed
- Schedule delivery drivers and provide necessary instructions and requirements
- Manage driver credit cards and EZ Passes; submit required documentation
- Act as liaison between necessary departments to facilitate sales process and delivery
- Communicate workflow and delivery expectations with Service Department
Expectations/Responsibility:
The Sales and Delivery Administrator shall meet customers’ needs and expectations while maintaining accurate records and compliance with MVDB guidelines. This position will work productively and efficiently to contribute to the overall success and profitability of the company. Responsibilities will also include any special tasks and projects as assigned.
Qualifications:
- High School diploma or equivalent required
- Minimum two years general office/administrative experience
- Knowledge of office practices and procedures
- Ability to make decisions quickly and adapt
- Interpersonal skills
- Verbal and written communication skills
- Prioritizing and organizational skills
- Basic typing, computer and general office skills
- Scheduling and time management skills
- Ability to work independently
If you’re interested in this position, submit an application and one of our team members will contact you.
CDL Delivery drivers
Sonny Merryman Central VA Location (Evington, VA) | Part time, Mon-Fri.
If you like bringing a smile to Customers’ faces every day and taking in the beautiful views of Virginia, this may be a perfect fit.
Read MoreWho Are You?
You love a good road trip and enjoy taking in new scenery. Whether following directions from a GPS or a map, you can find your way almost anywhere. You value safety and would never consider texting while driving or any other distraction from the road. You are honest and tend to smile a lot more than you frown (or scowl). Your schedule is flexible and you can roll with quick delivery changes.
What Kind of Stuff Will You Be Doing?
You will be on the road bringing smiles to Customers’ faces when you deliver their new buses and vehicles safely and efficiently. Most of your trips will be in Virginia but occasionally you may take a trip to a neighboring state. As a driver for Sonny Merryman, you’ll also be a rolling billboard for our company along the roads of Virginia.
What Experience and/or Qualifications Do You Need?
- Clean driving record
- Valid CDL, minimum Class B
- Flexible schedule
If you’re interested in this position, submit an application and one of our team members will contact you.
Once you speak with a Sonny Merryman representative, you may be asked to submit a full application. Click the link below to download a paper application or submit your application online.