I got a call from a place i put in a application in at asking if i was interested in driving the off road dump trucks, obcourse i said yes. My question is that how hard are they to drive?? Do u need a cdl for them?
I've never driven one, but I understand they're pretty basic. As for the CDL. if you're going to be "off road", I don't see that you'd need any sort of license at all...
Very Basic, no CDL, and becomes very boring. At the end of the day running a haul truck, Im glad the day is over.
It is boring I know a few people that run them 10 hours a day going from the excavator to the crusher and back. They are using 40 ton Komatsu trucks the guys have Sirrus sat radio to make the day go by quicker. You have to watch out the articulated trucks do tip over like a regular dump truck.
I have been running a Volvo 25 Ton and a 35 Ton off and on for the past month and will agree, easy to run and very quick to get bored in. Makes for a long day.
Of course Ice Cold AC, Satelite Radio and maybe some tinted glass sure wouldnt hurt.......
I only messed with Cat's...725 and 735 models. Really basic, dummy-proof to drive. You sit in the middle,(kinda weird,) and all the simple controls are right there. These I deal with have 3 stage engine brakes just like a normal truck, and fully automatic tranny. Dump is air operated by one stick. Like I said...dummy-proof. If the money's good,and you can have a/c, XM radio,(better than Sirius,:naughty ) and no, you shouldn't need a CDL for off road work, then by all means go for it, if you are the type of individual that can stand repetative type of work without committing suicide after a week of the same thing, but I would non-shalantly check to see if you would be required to possess a "hydraulic operator's license" in your area. Up around here in New England, some states make you get a license for a fork lift, backhoe, etc., but these are machines that lift, not bend in the middle hydraulically. Wouldn't hurt to check on that though...
Boring - yes, if you have a set haul route, CDL - no. But on a construction site an artic is used for many different things - at least I do. I have 2 725 Cats and have used them to haul brush, topsoil, dirt (of course), shot rock, gravel, RCP, manholes and storm structures and pretty much anything else you can think of. They are very useful machines. They may not require the same abilities as running grade with a dozer or trenching with a hoe - but I think you guys may be oversimplifying what it takes to be a good, productive and safe artic operator. If you are using artics in a mass grade job the cycle time of the truck plays a very important role in the overall production goals of the day. I have one artic operator that can make at least 1-3 trips more per day than any other operator in the other truck. He is as valuable to me as the operator running the dozer at the fill line. On the topic of the fill line, a good artic operator knows where dump the fill for the least amount of pushing time for the dozer and be aware of rocks, etc that may damage an expensive tire. I have the 2 artics and a 325DL that run 10 hours shifts that have achieved over 2K CY's per day and this is a 70 acre site with at times a 1/4 mile round trip, hills and shot rock. Usual production rate is 1500-1800 CY per day with this set up. I know this may not be alot of CY for some folks but for our conditions I consider this to be within production goals. Safety is also an issue, which was stated before and I agree whole-heartedly, these trucks can be very dangerous. They can tip over while dumping as well as being in control of a 70K+ LB vehicle on the jobsite with multiple machines, laborers and the occasional inspector or management types that may be oblivious to the haul roads. With A/C, air ride seat and a CD player (well the '06 model) it's not a bad job (just watch Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe) and sure beats the heck out of a shovel.
Well said, CM1995, and with that it goes to show that no matter what your position in the workplace, if you are competent and consciencious, willing to give 110%, and have a "do what it takes" attitude no matter what your particular job is, you most likely are an important player on your team. As CM mentioned, his "artic" operators (I hope he's meaning haul truck...) are as important as his dozer man. When you have a man that is aware of keeping piles dumped closely, or strategically placed to keep dozer as productive as possible without excess work for that man, knows how to keep cycle times consistant and is observant of site hazards despite his production goals, you find that it's much more involved than just "driving a rock truck"...
No such animal here in PA.
im gona take it i figure its a step in the right direction to getting on a escavator, dozer ect. I worked at a place that sold escavators, skidsteers and baskhoes so i can just add this one to the list of thing i wana do. What should i ask pay wise? i never operatedthi before. i was think 15ish, or is that to high. anyways its a way i can build experience right? that is i get the job im crossing my fingers
Cat, You're from Western PA, right? If that's true, then I think $15/hr is probably a little high if you don't have a lot of experience. You can certainly ask for whatever you want, but I would expect something closer to $10/hr just starting out. I'll also echo the comments of CM1995 and Lowboy. Go into it with the right attitude, focus on safety and productivity (in that order), keep your mouth closed, and your eyes and ears open, and you'll be running a dozer or excavator in no time...:thumbsup. Run the truck for a while. Establish yourself as a good operator and a hard worker. Then go to your boss/supervisor/foreman and express your desire to move into a dozer or excavator. If you've been doing a good job, there should be no problem. Mind sharing the name of the company? If not, send me a PM...just curious. Good luck, and let us know how it works out!!! Joe
Allegheny Escavating
I don't know what it is, but wimmen love Artic's, and they usually do a good job with them. (and with rigid frame models as well) But when the smelly stuff hits the fan and the dump bed hits the ground sideways, be prepared for a few loud shrieks and lots of tears. On hard ground, these, like any other truck, become boring as hell. In muck, things are a whole lot more interesting. When they tip over, things become exceptionally more interesting. When they break in half -- well, you get the idea.
I don't know what they're like these days, but way back when, the boss was known to spend Sunday washing and waxing his highlift. :cool2
im a lil slow care to explain. They cant be that hard to drive, if they would then wouldnt u have 2 have a license to drive them? i have yet to meet he guy all i know is his name is jim
If you can run a lawnmower, you can run a haul truck.
Aggread I ran a haul truck for a while few different times. I worked in a quarry hauling overburden with a JD 6x6, cab, no a/c, and no radio. Loud hot and didn't have much air moving around. Working around a 100 foot High wall dumping off the edge was not much fun in an articulated truck, And I had a hard time dumping on slopes I'll go just about anywhere on tracks but with rubber tires I'm to cautious anyway needless to say I was glad to get back in a dozer. The other time I worked for a construction company and had to fill in for a guy that left for a week I ran a Terex 35 ton across an open 12 foot cut. That was fun it was a nice break from the TD 25 I was running. So I would say some good common sense and a solid focus on what your doing you shouldn't have any problems On another note Jim I want to work were ever your working that you get A/C and sat radio or even Cab equipment I think Missouri Has laws against A/c or something most of our cab equipment doesn't have air it gets really hot most of the time . any way my :my2c
It doesn't have anything to do with whether they're hard to drive or not. You don't need a license because the requirement for a driver's license has to do with driving on public roads. You could have lost your license for speeding, and you'd still be allowed to drive around all day on the site, because that's not a public road, but you couldn't get in your car and drive home. That would be illegal.
Well my names Jim. if that helps....
Is that good or bad... Joe
Well I have had the pleasure..........(sigh) of running a hitachi 400 loading out 30 ton trucks. As far as getting the trucks from point A-B anyone can do it after about 10 min of training. HOWEVER it takes someone with a fair amount of skill to not have the loadermen want to kill them after a few shifts. A good operator drives with his eyes/ears open and remembers what the loadermen said the trip before. just my frustrated $.02
Chances are he's gonna want to see some type of enthusiasm out of you as well....
It's not my nature to be judgemental...
Welcome to the forums Born_operator!:drinkup You bring up a very good point of an artic operator knowing what to do on the loading end - slipped my mind when I was explaining the other part. The loading end is just as important as the fill end as far as the artic operator knowing how to pull/back into the loading area (although with a good production layout and the site permitting, the trucks should never have to back up). I understand your frustations with truck drivers both on and off-road not following instructions on the loading end. A key component to production time depends on the truck being in the most efficient place for the hoe to load them. Some drivers just can't seem to understand this - usually rented on highway triaxles.:Banghead