The number of technicians you need is weekly demand in hours divided by the productive hours one technician really delivers in a week. The trap is using paid hours instead of productive ones. Drive, idle time and overhead come out first. Nothing here is saved or sent.
The formula
- Demand hours = jobs per week × (time on site + drive per job)
- Usable hours per tech = paid hours × (1 − overhead share)
- Technicians needed = ⌈ demand hours × (1 + buffer) ÷ usable hours ⌉
Drive time is part of demand. A job doesn't cost you only its time on site; it costs the drive to reach it too. That's why the same demand can need more or fewer technicians depending on how it's booked. Shorter drives between jobs mean fewer hours per job, which means fewer technicians for the same work. The jobs-per-day calculator shows the same effect from the other side.
Reading the gap
- Negative gap: you're short. Before hiring, check whether drive per job is inflated by phone-order booking. Fixing that is cheaper than a hire. See travel-time scheduling.
- Positive gap: you have slack, or your demand number is low. Check whether it's seasonal; the capacity planning guide covers planning for peaks.
What to take away
- Size the team on usable hours, not paid hours.
- Count drive time as part of each job's demand.
- Cutting drive per job is often cheaper than adding a technician.
Common questions
How many technicians do I need for my service business?
Divide weekly demand hours (on-site plus drive) by the usable hours one technician delivers, then add a buffer for absences and surges. The calculator above does exactly that.
What overhead share should I use?
Use your own: shop time, paperwork, training, meetings and paid breaks as a share of the paid week. If you don't track it, estimate it from one typical week and refine it.
Does this save my inputs?
No. It runs in your browser only.