Dump truck life

A dump truck is a large-wheeled truck, although they do vary in size, designed to transport and unload loose material in the volume. While they are capable of carrying a variety of substances, on-site, they mostly transport sand, gravel, soil, and waste, such as the rubble resulting from demolition.

The dump truck is easily identified through its unique feature, an open box rear bed that has a hydraulic system that allows the front of the bed to be raised, causing the load to slide out of the rear, dumping it at the desired location, and that is where the name comes from.

Operators of dump trucks can have varied jobs, enough that every day is different, and dump trucks are used in so many situations, from site work to disaster clearance, mining transport to demolition removals and so many more. In each of these situations, the dump truck is performing similar tasks, but environments and approaches can be different, with new challenges for drivers in each.

Dump Truck Drivers

For drivers, it’s all about the rules and processes on-site, because safety is the most important aspect of any operation, but especially for trucks that are operating on sites where other contractors or workers are nearby and a potential hazard. This is important in all situations, but on construction sites where there are workers also on foot, then safe operating procedures become even more important than ever.

From routes taken to speed, everything matters when it comes to safety on site, and any training for dump truck work is always focused on the safety aspects of the job. However, safety rules aside, the usual task for a dump truck, whether on a construction site, at a mine, or anywhere else, is to pick up material, transport it to a new location, and deposit it. This often requires precision driving, as sites often have restricted space, and dump trucks are generally large vehicles.

Some dump trucks are designed for one specific situation, and a good example of this would be the Haul Truck, used in the mining industry. These massive trucks are some of the largest rigid framed trucks ever made and are built to drive the flat, wide gradients of modern mines, removing material in huge volumes.

Driving these vehicles places you in charge of hundreds of tons of machine and material, and the experience is one many drivers fall in love with. While the repetition of load/unloading journeys may seem like a dull job, nothing could be farther from the truth with dump truck drivers. The skill, concentration, and dedication required to make it a rewarding, enjoyable career, one that pays well and is in much demand all over the country.

Dump trucks are the driving force behind any site, moving material to provide the environment that allows the project to be completed. It may not be the most glamorous machine you see on a site, but it’s arguably the most important.