Who Drive Trucks Make More

Much of the heavy equipment out there is transported on the back of a flatbed truck — and if the operator of the heavy equipment is able to load the machinery, drive it where it needs to go, and unload it to do the job, then that operator, who can drive trucks, is worth a lot more to an employer.

ATS Offers Short-term Truck Driver Training

The Class-A CDL Truck Driving Program can be added to the heavy equipment operator training program a student is taking without disrupting the schedule by more than a month. That means in addition to getting trained to operate heavy equipment safely, you also can be trained to transport that equipment safely. There are strict guidelines to the transport of big machinery because it has to be securely strapped down to the trailer before taking it on the road. If it’s just sitting on the flatbed, it’s dangerous.

Because of that danger, there are regulations concerning securing cargo, including heavy equipment. Not just anybody can do it because not everyone knows how to stabilize and secure the load so it won’t shift when the truck goes around curves, for instance. And driving that truck is something not everyone can do safely. The Class-A CDL Truck Driving Program teaches all the procedures. It also allows students to ask questions and understand why those procedures are a good idea.

Insurance companies often require that the operators and drivers meet high standards of training or companies pay a penalty. That is one reason the boss likes ATS training. But having an employee who can both operate and transport the equipment has another benefit to the company: There doesn’t have to be an additional hire to drive the truck from one site to another. That’s a big reason for the higher wages you can get when you add the Class-A CDL Truck Driving Program to your heavy equipment classes.