About Us

Metropolitan Garage is about people! We are proud of our work and we love what we do! We love being heroes when people break down. We love fitting people in and we love being the ones who can solve complex issues with precision. We love being the ones to save customers money. We love working with good cheer and efficiency. We love maintaining a reputation of honesty and integrity. We love our culture of teamwork and collaborative growth. We love staying on top of the industry by continuous training and by sharing what we learn with each other. We love working in a clean, bright, well-equipped facility. And we are all about Work/Life Balance by working a four-day week. We have a flexible work schedule and encourage taking time off. We specialize in Subaru, Toyota, Honda makes, but we also repair most makes when we have time. We specialize because it helps us perform better. We carefully track pattern failures and stock parts so our customers get quick turn-around. We love what we do and we look forward every day to making our workplace an even more inspiring environment. We are scientists who enjoy puzzles. We celebrate when we discover something new and we are very good about giving dignity to each other when we learn from our mistakes. We enjoy working as a team and we love what new team members bring to the game!

Photos

Under The Hood

Is the shop heated? Air conditioned?

METRO has an incredible climate control system. Starting with in-floor radiant heat, all bays are undergirded by a cement slab radiating at 75 degrees. We also have a second forced-air furnace that provides immediate make-up heat when Shop doors open and close during winter. Summer months are mild and we work with the doors up from May-September. Ceiling fans through out make things comfortable when temperates get into the 80's. Most summer days are 70 and sunny!

What is the size of the team I’d be working with?

We have 5 technicians and 4 service advisor team members.

What are the shop hours and what are the shift timeframes?

METRO is open Monday-Thursday, 8 am to 6 pm. Technicians work from

What tools does the shop provide that are available for all technicians to use?

Filler

What type of break room facility is provided?

We have a Yoga room/Gym and also a break room with four cushy chairs, counter, sink, refrigerator. It is central to the front office, well-lit and cozy.

How many bays does your shop have?

Six lifts, one alignment rack, and room to pull cars in behind lifts.

How many repair orders do you average per month?

340

What is your parts ordering process?

Following approvals, if we don't have the parts in stock we order from local vendors, which include dealerships and independent parts houses. Because we specialize we stock at least 50% of what we sell on repairs.

What is your policy on side work?

We encourage technicians to use our facility in the off hours for their own personal projects or on family members cars.

Are there any other unique features of the work environment worth noting?

We barbeque salmon, moose, caribou all time. Pizza parties, spaghetti parties and general get-togethers during the work day make for a nice break, and fun conversation.

Do you offer any skills training or continuing education opportunities?

We offer tuition help for courses and training sessions for continuing education. We pay for and facilitate the ASE Certification and Re-Certification process for technicians.

Can you describe opportunities for career growth at your business?

We offer profit share to technicians who want to grow into an ownership position with us. Minimum three years at the business is required before profit share is offered.

Can you describe your performance review process?

We have quarterly meetings with each staff member where owners listen to how performance and workflow are going. These meetings are positive in nature and always result in some growth. Each staff-member comes up with goals and these goals are assessed and adjusted each quarter, jointly with staff and owners.

What type of safety training is required?

Basic safety requirements are assessed during the interview process. At the time of on-boarding new staff begin training in monthly meetings where safety protocols are addressed.

Can you describe how Techs work with and mentor younger techs?

We collaborate extensively. Bays, although spacious, are close enough that we can easily ask for help or offer assistance to team members who need it. Our Production Quality manager is available at all times to answer questions and to help confirm diagnosis and repair recommendations.

How does your shop get involved with the local community?

We do so much in our community. We sponsor many outdoor activities including the Tanana River Challenge, Run for the Refuge, Alaska Bird Observatory, Interior Alaska Land Trust, Chena River Run, Folk School Fairbanks, Fairbanks Symphony, just to name a few. We also run Repair Cafes as members of Repair Cafe International. We open our Shop to the community in a registered event where people can bring anything from toasters to lamps to snow-blowers to help them learn how to repair.

Do you do anything with local high schools or tech schools to encourage more students to enter the profession?

We help with Scholarships through our participation in Napa Auto Care of Fairbanks.

Where do you see the shop in five years?

We have grown into the Top Subaru Shop in the State. We were recently rated in the top 10 Auto Repair Shops in the State of Alaska. We will continue to gain marketshare as inflation rises and people continue to fix their cars. We have a strong work culture and are able to attract and provide a workplace where employees enjoy spending time. This culture will improve over the next five years.

Do you have an application form and how long does it typically take to complete?

We don't have a formal application process.

Do you phone screen applicants before doing in-person interviews?

Yes

What do your in-person interviews entail?

We get to know people and find out what they enjoy and how they want to see their professional lives improve. We also get to know you personally. We provide time and openness about ourselves as owners. We have managers conduct tours and secondary meeting processes with prospective hires to ensure they are confident they will be a good fit for the Shop.

Do you perform background checks, drug screening, or personality tests before hiring an applicant?

We perform basic background checks.

Do you perform a skill assessment before hiring an applicant? If yes, what does it entail?

No, skill assessment is determined through our interview process

After an in-person interview, approximately how long should I expect to wait for a rejection or an offer?

Two to three days usually, depending on how many applicants we are screening.

Approximately how long does the full hiring process take from submitting the application to the time of the hiring decision?

Depending on the fit it is usually within one week.

A Level Technician Pay Range: $75,000 - $105,000/year

We work a four-day week. (Four ten-hour days, Monday-Thursday)

Student Tech / Apprentice Pay Range: $60,000 - $75,000/hour

This is full-time, mentored position. Beginning wage is hourly. Apprentice will be evaluated monthly to assess productivity. Hourly wage is negotiated according to trade school education and attitude. Usually begins at $25/hour

Health Insurance Offered: Blue Cross/Blue Shield Health Care policy. METRO covers 75% of premium. Employee portion of premium deducted weekly: $38/week. HSA available.
Dental Insurance Not Offered
Vision Insurance Not Offered
Retirement Plan Offered: Simple IRA, Company matching up to 3%.
Sick Leave Not Offered
Vacation Offered: 2-4 weeks vacation offered, depending on salary negotiation. Most team members use 2 weeks paid vacation and take available unpaid "flex-time" if desired during slow seasons. This is only elected. METRO does not have seasonal furloughs of layoffs.
Paid Holidays Offered: METRO pays all major holidays: New Years, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas.
ST / LT Disability Not Offered
Life Insurance Not Offered
Uniforms Offered: Uniforms are comfortable! We don't do laundry, but we pride ourselves in looking like professionals and feeling good.
Other Not Offered

Shop Talk

0:40

Bryson talks about the shop's culture

1:22

Bryson talks about a typical day

0:46

Bryson, one of technicians, discusses onboarding