Dump Truck Question?

[bigtruck70]

If i want to get into dump truck driving how would i go about getting a job? I have a class A but don't have experience. Now someone told me not to go to school if all i want to do is drive dump truck. Is this true?

[meanbone79]

If i want to get into dump truck driving how would i go about getting a job? I have a class A but don't have experience. Now someone told me not to go to school if all i want to do is drive dump truck. Is this true?

I'm not sure about school vs no experience. I do know that new cdl holders in my area that are just out of school, are getting dump truck jobs.

[Mr. Ford95]

Watch your local newspaper for classified ads looking for Dump Truck Drivers. When you find'em, get the phone number and call them up. Don't sell yourself short on driving a dump truck, they are very easy, just like bobtailing in a Semi except you weigh a whole lot more.

[Mackman]

Don't sell yourself short on driving a dump truck, they are very easy, just like bobtailing in a Semi except you weigh a whole lot more.

If you say so....

[BIGDave]

If you already have a class A license than going to school would be a waste of money. Just keep looking in the classifieds for something. I got a job driving a dump truck with no experience with a ready mixed concrete company and now i'm driving a tractor trailer hauling concrete block. I like this job a whole lot better. Can be pretty good though if the trucks are nice and the pay is good.

[RollOver]

Watch your local newspaper for classified ads looking for Dump Truck Drivers. When you find'em, get the phone number and call them up. Don't sell yourself short on driving a dump truck, they are very easy, just like bobtailing in a Semi except you weigh a whole lot more.

Sounds like someone has never operated a dumper before. Alright, curious future dumptruck driver, go into it with the idea it's "easy", you'll soon have someone picking your truck up off it's side.

I drive tractor trailer dump trucks. I have enough seniority in my company that I could drive either/or. I chose tractor trailer over tri-axle for a reason. Some poeople really don't know what the hell they are talking about.

Tri-axles are definitely not "easy". Most of the time these trucks are put to the maximum test -working in mud, dumping on unfirm ground, dragging hellacious loads up super steep, slick, and sometimes rutted inclines. Not to mention they take one helluva toll on the body -most ride rather rough.

I mean sure, it's nothing like traveling 1,29083289838938983989832 miles down a smooth interstate, in a large car, that's real hard work there. Yea... bring on the "Try swingin a 53' trailer in _________ (fill in the blank) city". I have, hush.

Done both, run up and down these interstates, and operated dump. Dumpers around here pay a helluva lot more, so I stuck with it -only up side to it other than the pay -I'm home every night. I give those OTR guys that -they are gone alot more than I am. Eh, somebody has to do it, not me anymore.

Not really trying to start anything, but a statement like the quoted is just ridiculous.

[floyd]

Hey! im actually on the other end now! giving a fellow newbie some advise! ok so here its.....i drive a dump truck with a pup trailer, some times bobtail during the week, and i yank a fuel tanker on the weekends. I myself rather drive a tractor trailer than a dump, but thats just where im at in my 6 months now of trucking. If all you want to do is be a good dump driver, i still recomend you go to school if you have the time and can afford it, many places you will work driving a dump my ask you to jump in a belly dump or some other combination truck/trailer. so widen your porfolio so to speek. One other poster was correct about some of the situations you will find yourself in....muddy roads/ DAMN HEAVY LOADS!/ (lets just say...100,000 lbs is not uncommen with a pup trailer. if working on a road crew...backing up to mills collecting millings is fun and a chalange....dumping while moving, and getting the desired depth of material layed down is a challange/ but in a short while you will be shifting, working the PTO, (lift/dump) and watching the road like a pro. Its kinda fun,,and as for me..its been a GREAT way to get more practice a driving in ALL conditions, i can see my dump experiance really helping me now driving fuel. but now the bad news......sorry,,,but its hard to find much pay in dump truck driving, around here ( southern NM) 9.00 an hour is the norm. good luck brother, don't let anyone here make up your mind...do lots of research, and ask other dump drivers in your area some questions.

[Mackman]

Sounds like someone has never operated a dumper before. Alright, curious future dumptruck driver, go into it with the idea it's "easy", you'll soon have someone picking your truck up off it's side.

I drive tractor trailer dump trucks. I have enough seniority in my company that I could drive either/or. I chose tractor trailer over tri-axle for a reason. Some poeople really don't know what the hell they are talking about.

Tri-axles are definitely not "easy". Most of the time these trucks are put to the maximum test -working in mud, dumping on unfirm ground, dragging hellacious loads up super steep, slick, and sometimes rutted inclines. Not to mention they take one helluva toll on the body -most ride rather rough.

I mean sure, it's nothing like traveling 1,29083289838938983989832 miles down a smooth interstate, in a large car, that's real hard work there. Yea... bring on the "Try swingin a 53' trailer in _________ (fill in the blank) city". I have, hush.

Done both, run up and down these interstates, and operated dump. Dumpers around here pay a helluva lot more, so I stuck with it -only up side to it other than the pay -I'm home every night. I give those OTR guys that -they are gone alot more than I am. Eh, somebody has to do it, not me anymore.

Not really trying to start anything, but a statement like the quoted is just ridiculous.

I agree 100% i think SOME(not all) of these OTR drivers have no idea about dumps and what type of work they do and where they go.

[CaliTrucker]

If you are trying to get a dump truck job... probably the best thing you can do is go to construction company offices and talk to the office personnel or even the owners. They can be full of information and may know of someone who does need a driver.

One problem with alot of dump truck jobs is that they tend to not work too much or not at all in bad weather, and in the winter months work may slow down alot. This is the problem I have now, i drive a transfer truck for a paving company, and now i am trying to find something to do on weekends and when we are unable to pave.

[nrvsreck]

Sounds like someone has never operated a dumper before. Alright, curious future dumptruck driver, go into it with the idea it's "easy", you'll soon have someone picking your truck up off it's side.

I drive tractor trailer dump trucks. I have enough seniority in my company that I could drive either/or. I chose tractor trailer over tri-axle for a reason. Some poeople really don't know what the hell they are talking about.

Tri-axles are definitely not "easy". Most of the time these trucks are put to the maximum test -working in mud, dumping on unfirm ground, dragging hellacious loads up super steep, slick, and sometimes rutted inclines. Not to mention they take one helluva toll on the body -most ride rather rough.

I mean sure, it's nothing like traveling 1,29083289838938983989832 miles down a smooth interstate, in a large car, that's real hard work there. Yea... bring on the "Try swingin a 53' trailer in _________ (fill in the blank) city". I have, hush.

Done both, run up and down these interstates, and operated dump. Dumpers around here pay a helluva lot more, so I stuck with it -only up side to it other than the pay -I'm home every night. I give those OTR guys that -they are gone alot more than I am. Eh, somebody has to do it, not me anymore.

Not really trying to start anything, but a statement like the quoted is just ridiculous.

I agree 100% i think SOME(not all) of these OTR drivers have no idea about dumps and what type of work they do and where they go.

Exactly. It's tough work. I'm glad to be getting back to the easy OTR, smooth highway, large car stuff. I don't envy the dump drivers anymore now that I've had a taste of it. 8)

[Mr. Ford95]

Mackman, RollOver, I drive a dump truck, not a end dump or tractor trailer dump, think I know what I'm talking about just a wee bit, whaddaya think?? Once I got used to driving something that big, it became very easy. Not sure what ya mean by "picking the truck up off it's side" RollOver. I use my head when dumping a load on a slope, I don't dump it at that spot. I also don't go blasting down the crooked roads like some of these local guys here do.

Maybe it's easy for me because usually I'm pulling a 35 foot trailer behind me moving equipment from jobsite to jobsite. You are right though, running a tri-axle will beat you up when empty. Smooth as heck when loaded though.

[bigtruck70]

So ya all think if I have a cdl and I just get my name to the local companies and stuff that I want to learn and work for them with no experience, u think they will actually take me on? Thanks for the info guys I love this site.

[Jumbo]

You could also try local temp agencies. My brother found some job opportunities driving dump trucks just by looking there. And if you go to work somewhere and you don't like it you could go to work for another company and it wouldn't be that you quit. They might be temporary,and it may not be the job you want in the end but, it's a job, it's a start and you get some experience.

[RollOver]

Mackman, RollOver, I drive a dump truck, not a end dump or tractor trailer dump, think I know what I'm talking about just a wee bit, whaddaya think?? Once I got used to driving something that big, it became very easy. Not sure what ya mean by "picking the truck up off it's side" RollOver. I use my head when dumping a load on a slope, I don't dump it at that spot. I also don't go blasting down the crooked roads like some of these local guys here do.

Maybe it's easy for me because usually I'm pulling a 35 foot trailer behind me moving equipment from jobsite to jobsite. You are right though, running a tri-axle will beat you up when empty. Smooth as heck when loaded though.

Eh, simply put, MrFord -I stated THAT IF you go into this type of work with the mindset it's as easy as riding a bike, or even running bobtail, you'll find yourself in a heap of trouble. That's what I am talking about. I've been doing this type of work for years, had close calls, but never an incident -thankfully.

I too am the lowboy operater -I really enjoy it. In fact I enjoy it more than operating dumpers. I don't really think this is "easy" either. Dragging a lowboy loaded with a Cat 345 B Track Hoe isn't a walk in the park. Sure you become accustomed to it, but I don't think it ever get's "easy".

As I said, I wasn't trying to start anything, and I expected a reply much similar to the one you left. I guess different people have different opinions. *shrugs*

[Douglas]

I've had somewhat of a share of dumptruck driving for the City. ([b]Mind you, we have mainly the 6-wheeler trucks, the kind that'll turn sharp, almost as sharp as my little S10), and I can say it has it's ups and downs.

Ups:

-They turn sharp (of course, the 10-wheelers probably don't)

-When driving them, you don't have a loooooong as trailer behind you when making turns

-Easier to turn around in if you were to get lost

-They're fun (to me, anyways)

-They're girlie dumptrucks (A.K.A. dumptrucks with automatic transmissions) LOL

Downs:

-They do ride rough

-Ours don't have A/C or radios

-There is some rough, muddy terrain you have to go thru, including dumping at the landfill, where you can get stuck or even slide off a ledge if the dirt gives in

-Not much OTR driving, where you can just cruise and let the window down and let the cool wind blow in your face. A lot of times, it's stop and start, so you don't really have a chance to get up speed and get some wind in the cab.

-LOTS and lots of backing involved

[Mr. Ford95]

Your right Mackman, pulling a backhoe for me is nothing, always comfortable. Pulling a Curbmachine, I am never comfortable with it behind me. The thing is so top heavy that I literally drive scared. Even the company who hauls them from the manufactuer is the same way, their drivers pull'em just like me, slow and easy. I have yet to pull an Ex.