I have questions that I hope all of you can answer, I am 17 years I have wanted to operate Heavy Equipment since I was 3. What are some of the things that I could do to help me get a job when I turn 18 (in 3 months)? Now I know that I can't start out operating right away, that is something I have to work up to. Is there anything that I could do to help me obtain that postion faster? Is a CDL something to look into, and would it be worth having? Or anyone have any general info that would be helpful. Thanks a Ton!! - Colby
runnnnnnnnnnnn . just kidding you may have to labor and just keep asking for seat time
A CDL is nearly a must , it just makes you that much more valuable , Like Hoeman said start out as a laborer, you gotta pay your dues , we all have , pay attention to the operator, ask questions as to why they are doing something the way they are, and ask for seat time
I know that I will have to start out as a laborer. What is most likely the first machine they will put me on? I want to run excavators and know that they won't put me on one of those first. What are some of the things that I can expect working my way up to that?
I'd say study for your CDL in the spare time of working and chasing girls then ask for seat time and before you know it you'll be on the stick all the time.
at first probly rollers , backhoes, mabye haul trucks, skid loaders .for some reason some co's seem to think excavators and dozers can only be run by god . and can take longer. just ask at lunch time to play most co's will encurage practice. dont just set your sights on hoes you may find you like dozers or even a grader. you want to learn as much as you can to make yourself more valuble in the long run:usa
Thanks for the tips I would like to learn how to run everything and run it well. Hoeman, when you say "haul trucks" you meen like ADT's or just normal dump trucks?
:drinkup Usually...it goes either way, depending on whatever the company has. But a CDL would be good so that you can run over-the-road trucks and that would be a big plus to the company, because if they don't run over-the-road dump trucks, then they gotta get their ADT's from one site to another. Meaning you'd be driving a lowboy if the driver calls in sick or no one else is around to do it. And it'd probably look good on your application. Eventually, you will probably get around to operating most of the equipment, especially if it's a smaller company. But keep your mind open to all machines, and not just the excavators, as mentioned before.
adt's rock trucks haul trucks depends where you are. but yes adt's is what i ment
Pay attention to how operators operate to pick up tricks. Stay late on your time to read manuals and "Play" with the equipment if the foremen will let you, and ask a lot of questions.
What are some of the things that I can hope to pick up from the manuals? Basic care, stuff like that or is there more to it? I have never seen a manual for heavy equipment so..........
A lot of manuals will give you operating tips on how to approach certain jobs. As well as safety dos and don'ts. Where abouts in Utah are you? I worked all over Utah in the Oilfield in the Eighties.
Lashlander, I live in a small town called Payson about 15 minutes away from Orem. Okay well maybe not small anymore we got a Wal-Mart about two years ago. Most of the Oilfields here are up in the North-East area around Vernal, about 4-5 hour drive from me. The thing about the manuals is good to know, in my mind I was thinking more like a car manual of some sort. Man I can't tell you how much I envy you guys that do this for a living :notworthy
Hey, Thanks for the reply. I spent a couple years in Ogden. Lived in Park City and Roosevelt. Used to tear up the dunes on dirt bikes over at the Knolls on the south end of the Bonneville Salt Flats. My mom lives in St. George. The area is still booming as far as I know. There should be some contractors around the area that needs a guy willing to learn. Good Luck.
dont be afraid of working weekends, you might be able to get some stick time on weekends alot of the "older" guys tend not to work. get your CDL ,got my six months after starting in construction, got me off a shovel alot of days when we were really busy good luck:drinkup
Seeing as everyone is bent on me getting my CDL, what are some of the things that I can expect on the written and the driving test? The only problem is the only person that I know that has a Semi is my uncle and it's a company truck so getting practice time might be a problem. I would just go and take a class to get it but I have no money and no job at the moment so that is out of the question. Dang this might be harder than I thought! And working weekends is a great idea I never would have tought of that, thanks for that tip jimmyjack.