NASHVILLE — WeGo Public Transit held a graduation ceremony on June 1, 2026, for four participants who completed its diesel mechanic apprenticeship program. The graduates—Hunter Burnette of Smyrna, Mathew Cordova of LaVergne, Remington Stewart of Waverly, and Diego Alvarez of Nashville—finished a program designed to prepare them for starting mechanic roles within the agency.
The WeGo Mechanic Apprenticeship Program provides full-time salary and benefits, including health insurance, while trainees work on active fleet buses in WeGo maintenance facilities. The goal of the program is to place graduates into mechanic positions that offer higher pay and opportunities for advancement.
“Our apprenticeship program accelerates the development of diesel mechanics by allowing apprentices to learn in a hands-on environment, helping to service our active fleet, with pay and benefits,” WeGo Director of Training and Development Tiarra Dunn said. “This program reflects our commitment to building a highly skilled workforce, expanding access to meaningful career pathways, and delivering reliable service to our customers.”
WeGo CEO Steve Bland emphasized the strategic importance of the new mechanics. “Along with our bus operators, mechanics are an important part of expanding public transit in Nashville,” Bland said. “They are the foundation of what we do. This new group of mechanics will help us grow and meet the vision of Mayor O’Connell’s Choose How You Move program.”
The apprenticeship is a joint effort involving the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1235, Davidson Transit Organization/WeGo Public Transit, and follows guidelines from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Representatives from the state labor department attended the ceremony alongside WeGo leadership. According to the Transit Workforce Center in Washington, D.C., the program is one of only 34 recognized transit agency apprenticeships nationwide.
No independent assessment of WeGo Public Transit’s claims was available.