I ran rock, coal, and lime for a short after I got married for the hometime. It probably depends on the company, but at that job I worked far longer for much less and most of the time was home only long enough to grab some sleep and head back to the yard. Some days were 15 hours long if something tripped you up. Being paid by the load, I usually opted to stay the extra time and not take a hit in the check.

So, yes, it can be grueling, but a lot of it has to be up to the company and how they run things. I've heard of other end dumps in my area, with hourly pay and usually 8 hour shifts with excellent equipment and a top-notch shop. And oh yes, a seemingly endless waiting list of applications!!

Bill