Andy sits at his desk at Hanson’s Kansas City office.
Andy Rucker, P.E., has focused on civil engineering for more than 15 years. After earning his bachelor's degree in the discipline in 2006 from the University of Missouri – Rolla, he joined Hanson’s Kansas City, Missouri, office, where he has worked as a civil/railway engineer on projects for several rail companies.
Andy, who is a licensed professional engineer in Arkansas, Missouri and Nebraska, has applied his design skills to rail projects in over a quarter of U.S. states and in Mexico.
How I became interested in engineering: Growing up, I always took things apart to see how they worked, even though I may have not always put them back together. I enjoyed my math and science classes and was always good at problem-solving, so engineering seemed like a good choice.
What I do on a typical day on the job: A typical day ranges from conceptual layout to advancing design for projects. I also help mentor co-workers on engineering design and project decisions.
My favorite part of my job: I enjoy the problem-solving as well as interacting with my team.
The biggest challenge I have faced on the job: The biggest challenge I have on jobs is keeping rail yards operational at an acceptable capacity while building new components to increase capacity.
Andy visits the Union Pacific Railroad Co. East Los Angeles intermodal facility in Commerce, California, on June 22, 2021, as part of a parking expansion project. Hanson is providing geotechnical services, hydrological and hydraulic assessments, permitting and design for this addition.
Interesting projects I have worked on: I have worked on a variety of projects, ranging from capacity improvements, yard modernization and improvements and roadway projects. Intermodal yards have always been interesting, because you are planning movements for trains, trucks and cranes or side loaders along with the maintenance needs for the equipment.
What I like to do when I’m not working: I enjoy cycling, off-roading in my Jeep and visiting national parks.