Dump Trucks – More Than Just A Truck Driving Job

What do you think a dump truck driver’s job entails? Most people consider dump truck driving to be a simple fill up at A and dump at B type job. In other words, fairly boring! There are times when this view is fairly accurate, however, dump truck drivers are often called on to do fairly complex tasks.

Dumping in itself can be fairly easy, if you are only going to dump a load in the one spot. When it comes to road building, for example, dump truck drivers are often required to dump their load, not in the one spot, but spread evenly along the new road’s surface. This takes some skill in both the operation of the dumping mechanism, the operation of the hopper door, and the speed of the dump truck itself. When all three come together well, an experienced dump truck driver can quickly empty his load evenly over 100-200 yards.

This skill takes quite a bit of practice, however, once mastered, becomes a valuable tool in any dump truck driver’s skill base. Dumping in the one place can also take a good deal of skill as well. Dump truck drivers don’t just dump a load on a flat or level surface. Dump truck drivers may be required to dump their loads into pits, large holes, or even over the edges of cliff-like areas. This takes skilled driving, especially in reverse, to place their vehicle in the right place to enable a safe discharge of their load. There are many stories of dump truck drivers who misjudged the edge, and either ended up in the pit, or dumping the load on the edge of the pit rather than in it.

Dump truck driving takes a lot of skill and patience. Learning to drive a dump truck is not the challenge, learning the fine skills is the real challenge, and that comes on the job with a lot of practice. We can deliver your dump truck driver training, and we can help you find your first job. From there, it’s a matter of getting as much experience as possible.