Meet The Auto Tech Who Makes House Calls

When Anton Prusakov graduated from Onondaga Community College's Automotive Technology program in 2018, he headed to the Albany-area for a full-time job as an auto technician. He worked at a car dealership for a year, then a family-owned garage, Tesman's Auto Service. "Thanks to their guidance I learned the proper way to run an automotive repair business, how to write invoices, and how to deal with customers. It's amazing how important good customer service is."

When the pandemic arrived in 2020 and people were working from home, he saw an opportunity to bring his car fixing skills to them. Prusakov created a mobile vehicle repair business, Rush N' Wrenches. "Rush N'" is a play on his Russian heritage, and "Wrenches" is one of his most frequently used tools. "Taking a car to a repair shop can be a hassle on many levels. We figured out a way to bring an elevated level of convenience to customers, and I enjoy working a remote locations. It's been a win-win."

Prusakov's wife, Emily, handles the scheduling and finances for Rush N' Wrenches, and he takes care of the repairs. The business began as a part-time venture and blossomed into a full-time one.

Earlier this month the Prusakov's visited students in OCC's Automotive Technology program, shared their story, and answered student's questions. Like so many Auto Tech students, Anton Prusakov grew up taking things apart and putting them back together. He loved working on RC Nitro Cars and Trucks.

But when he enrolled at OCC he chose a health-related program so he could follow in his mother's career footsteps. "Eventually I realized I wasn't passionate about it. I came across the Auto tech program and realized I could turn my hobby into my profession." He found math helped him better understand repairing air conditioning, and the emphasis on electronics was instrumental in making him a better mechanic.

Since Prusakov was a student here, OCC's Automotive Technology program has undergone a renaissance under the leadership of Department Chair and Professor Ryan Beckley. Enrollment is way up, as is interest from prospective students. "I was so happy to see how the program has evolved," said Prusakov. "With the education students receive here they can pick and choose where they go after they graduate."