Hybrid technology has been in the automotive industry for some time now, but it gas been slow to catch on in Truck Driving. The main reason why hybrids have not taken off in truck driving as they have in other areas of transportation has traditionally been the upfront cost of getting hybrid technology into the trucks. Hybrids need a specialized engine and a bank of batteries. Engine prices have never been the problem, it has always been the batteries that have made hybrid prices high in comparison to their conventionally fueled vehicles. Now two things are happening that are switching the balance. Battery prices are coming down and fuel prices are going up. In addition, the green sector of the economy is becoming a more powerful force and people are prepared to pay a little extra for greener products and transportation.

Kenworth-Eaton has entered the hybrid trucking sector. What does this mean for truck driving? We are not sure exactly, but with some heavy hitters getting behind hybrid technology, we believe that it is something that you are going to be seeing more of. The benefits are there, stated fuel savings are about 35% and with fuel prices where they are at today, this can translate into thousands of dollars per year. Spread that over a fleet and hybrid technology can have some real bottom line impact and it is better for the environment too.

Some of the new range from Kenworth-Eaton includes (ConstructionEquipment.com):

The Class 7 T300 hybrid is a pre-production vehicle. Kenworth has split its midrange T series into several weight-based models, including a Class 6 T270 and Class 7 T370, which will have hybrid drive as an option. They will use Eaton Corp.’s electric propulsion system, which includes a 6-speed Fuller UltraShift AMT linked to a 60-horsepower electric motor-generator and two lithium-ion batteries operating at 340 volts.

These are just a few models out of many that we are going to start seeing soon, if the cost of fuel continues to rise.

If you are interested in truck driving for a career, or would like to provide us with any comments or suggestions, please contact us at Associated Training Services. Our training centers throughout the country are dedicated to helping people get into new careers in truck driving, carpentry and of course, heavy equipment.

Laser grade control is something that is great news for grading, but not necessarily good news for graders. Laser grade control can be applied to graders as easily as it can be applied to other types of heavy equipment. It is technology that makes use of lasers to provide two-dimensional grade control. It effectively means that you do not need graders to do all of your grading. While other types of heavy equipment have been able to pass as graders in the past, they lacked the level of control that dedicated graders achieve. Now it is impossible to achieve some impressive results in tight spaces that large graders simply cannot fit into. According to Equipment Today:

Laser-based systems are extremely simple and easy to use,” says Rich Calvird, program manager for machine control. “All the operator has to do is put the system in ‘automatic’ mode. Laser beacon references are easy to set up and are common on today’s construction and landscaping sites, so users are ready to go in minutes.”

Laser grade control brings grading into back and front gardens around the United States. It makes grading with smaller heavy equipment a very real possibility. The technology is quite cheap as well. A two-dimensional laser grading system typically sells in the $10,000 for a fully automatic system. What does all this technology mean for dedicated graders?

We are not going to be able to fully do away with graders. They remain the most efficient option for grading large spaces. What this does mean is that for small construction applications and landscaping, there are now other options. 3D laser grade control systems will make those other options increasingly more powerful, but at a much higher price.

If you are interested in learning more about laser grade control or graders, please contact us at Associated Training Services.

Our heavy equipment training programs here at Associated Training Services are not exactly easy work. This is a tough industry and it is our aim to prepare people for real work as best we can.

Training Schedules at ATS

Our students are made up of two types of people, those that work and those that do not. If you are currently employed and wish to continue working while you undertake our training program, it is possible. We offer two types of training schedules: a full time schedule for those that are not working and a part time schedule for those who wish to complete their various course modules after work hours.

Our full time course is intensive; the idea behind it is to get you through the course as quickly as possible, so that you can get out and find a better job. The part time schedule is designed to work around your lifestyle so that you can go through your training and continue earning a wage.

Equipment Training at ATS

Our educational goal here at ATS is to prepare our students for life in a real workplace. We do that by creating a simulated work environment. You will get to put heavy equipment to use in conditions that are similar to those on a real job site. Our training is not all practical; there is some theory involved. Both our practical and theoretical training components are taught by our experienced professional instructors.

Are you interested in training with us here at Associated Training Services? To learn more about our training programs, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We offer job placement here at Associated Training Services because we stand by our training and want our graduates to be able to put it to use as quickly as possible. We have the utmost faith that our graduates will be able to take the lessons that they have learned in our training schools and put them to work in a real workplace. We realize that it can be hard for a new graduate to know where to look for work and that the longer it takes for a graduate to find work, the more they will have forgotten. It is for these reasons that we offer job placement.

Associated Training Services has been training skilled operators of heavy equipment for many years. Our courses are nationally accredited and just as importantly, companies around the country recognize that our graduates are employable. We have a large list of employers that are part of our job placement program. We help many of our graduates by arranging job placement with companies within our extensive network of contacts.

Job placement is good for you and it is good for us. Keeping in touch with companies that make use of heavy equipment keeps our finger on the pulse. It makes it all the easier for us to prepare our students for exciting and challenging careers in heavy equipment.

If you are interested in learning more about our job placement program here at Associated Training Services, please do not hesitate to contact us.

This is part two in our Truck Driving Tips to Save you Money series. Today we are going to look at some more truck driving tips that will make better use of your horsepower. Conservative Truck Driving might not feel like a whole lot of fun, but if you are an owner-operator, it can reward you with a little bit extra at the end of each month.

Truck Design, Gear Ratios, Weight and Aerodynamics

If you already own a truck there is not a whole lot that you can do about aerodynamics. If, however, you are getting started in truck driving or planning on buying a new truck it is well worth considering the following tips from an article in Equipment Today. Some of the other tips are more general and can be incorporated regardless of the truck that you are driving.

“The gear ratio is another significant point,” says Matsil. “If you can get away with a numerically lower gear ratio, rear axle ratio – which means your accelerations will not be as brisk – that will help with fuel economy.” The trade-offs would be startability and gradeability.

Lower ratios will make it harder to ascend steep grades. If you are driving trucks in mountainous regions, then you ought to choose very carefully. You need enough from your gear ratio to be able to get up a steep incline, but you do not need more than that.

Weight is another issue. A light truck makes it possible to haul a larger payload. But remember that many trucks, such as dump trucks, spend half of their life travelling around empty.

I could not have put it better myself. Any truck that you are driving is going to be empty on the return trip. I think that this passage plays down the importance of weight a little. A heavier truck tends to require more fuel to do the same amount of work.

In addition, consider aerodynamic efficiency if your trucks spend much time travelling down the road. “As you improve the coefficient of drag – the aerodynamic efficiency – you squeeze more miles out of the same gallon of fuel,” says Matsil.

While it might not seem like you can do a whole lot about aerodynamic efficiency, something as simple as correct load placement can reduce drag. If the truck you are driving has a covered trailer it is obviously going to have greater aerodynamic efficiency than an uncovered load on a flat bed. Think about aerodynamics and you might be able to get a few gallons out here or there. Truck driving typically involves much longer journeys than most people make, for this reason, little things can make a big difference to yearly fuel costs.

If you have any questions about truck driving or are interested in obtaining your truck driving certification, please contact us at Associated Training Services.

If your career is truck driving, in particular if you are driving your own trucks, you will be all too aware that fuel price fluctuations can impact upon your bottom line. I came across a great article in Equipment Today that I thought was worth a second read. The author outlines truck driving fuel economy tips from different vehicle manufacturers.

Vehicle Specs

On vehicle specs, it is suggested that you pick a truck engine that is appropriately sized for the tasks that you are going to perform. Excess horsepower only means wasted fuel. Aim for what you need and perhaps a little bit extra, but don’t go overboard. Conservative truck driving is a great way to cut fuel costs.

Engine size ranks among the most important factors. “A good match between the engine and the payload is significant,” says Steve Matsil, global vehicle chief engineer, General Motors.

Likewise if the engine of the truck that you are driving is too small, you will require more fuel to squeeze out the extra horsepower that is required. An underpowered engine will have to work harder and thus burn more fuel.

“If you are constantly in an underpower condition – meaning you are putting out the maximum horsepower of the engine to accelerate to cruising speed to move into traffic – you are always in a two-pedal position either off or on the throttle,” says Matsil. “I suspect that you will not get the optimum fuel economy.”

If you are interested in learning more about truck driving, please feel free to contact us at Associated Training Services.

Have you ever thought about truck driving for a living; in particular, have you ever thought about driving dump trucks. Getting your certification to drive dump trucks is a smart career move. It not only gives you a job that you can do anywhere, rain or shine, it gives you a job that is easier to do. If you have been in construction for a while, you might be carrying a few injuries. It gets harder to do a lot of the more physically demanding tasks as you get older and if you are unskilled, that can make it harder to find work.

The great thing about dump trucks is that they do not place any undue stress on your body. Sitting inside a dump truck you are out of the elements and not doing any heavy lifting, what more could you ask for? Many people think that the only place for dump trucks is in the construction industry, they could not be more wrong. Today, dump trucks are used in construction, agriculture, mining, landscaping and for many other functions. This is great when it comes time to look for work. If you get tired of working in one industry, you can always change to another. That is the beauty of versatile certifications like dump trucks.

If you are looking for more information about dump trucks, please do not hesitate to contact us at Associated Training Services.

When it comes to heavy equipment, most people overlook tractors. There is a perception that tractors are primarily agricultural in use. While they have an enormous place in agriculture, you can also see tractors in use in construction and mining. Tractors, of various types, drive a great deal of heavy equipment. Learning to drive tractors can be an extremely good career move if you are looking to get into a heavy equipment job. The principals that you learn driving tractors applies to a great deal of different heavy equipment and gives you a great foundation of skills to build upon.

Learning to Drive Tractors

Most wheeled heavy equipment is based upon tractors of one type or another. If you can drive a tractor, you will be able to drive most wheeled equipment. The larger wheels of tractors give a different ride to that of a car, it takes a little getting used to, but is not very difficult. Note that operating the equipment and driving it are two very different skills. You will still need training in order to operate the heavy equipment, regardless of whether or not you have tractor certification.

Safety considerations with Tractors

There are a few things that you need to take care of when driving tractors of any type. It is quite common to hear of rollover accidents involving tractors. Take care on inclines and watch your speed at all times. You need to avoid wearing loose fitting clothing when operating a tractor, especially an open top tractor. Loose fitting clothing can become trapped in moving parts and has the potential to become fatal.

Training to Drive Tractors with Associated Training Services

Gaining a certification to drive tractors does not take a great deal of time. We offer a range of training programs here at Associated Training Services and if you are interested in learning to drive tractors, we are happy to help. Do take the time to look at some of our other programs as well. We have schools around the country that prepare people just like you for exciting careers in heavy equipment. If you would like to learn more about driving tractors or anything else, please do not hesitate to contact us at Associated Training Services.

Heavy equipment careers have allowed all kinds of people to make rewarding career changes. There are a number of reasons why people are drawn to heavy equipment careers, but money has a lot to do with the choice. If you are an unskilled worker, you probably find that you live from paycheck to paycheck. Life can be quite difficult if you do not have a stable, regular income. It is unfortunate but unskilled labor does not really provide that. If you are lucky you will find an employer that provides continual employment between jobs, but most companies will not. Unskilled laborers are easily replaced and it just does not make economic sense to keep an unskilled laborer on when there is no work to be done.

Things are different for those in heavy equipment careers, however, due mostly to the fact that skilled heavy equipment operators are not so easy to come by. Heavy equipment certification is an asset. It will see your status changed from unskilled laborer to skilled worker and you will enjoy all of the benefits that go along with that. Longterm employment is a possibility, you will earn more money and the working conditions are better. Injuries take their toll on unskilled workers and it can be hard work for someone as they start to get older.

The money in heavy equipment careers is a big draw card. There is one more thing that makes a lot of people consider heavy equipment careers and that is the training. There is no drawn out apprenticeship. Heavy equipment training takes place over a relatively short period of time. Depending on the scheduling options, you might find yourself operating heavy equipment within a few months. That certainly beats the years that need to be put into other skilled labor jobs.

If you are interested in learning more about what heavy equipment careers can offer to you, please do not hesitate to contact us at Associated Training Services

Training to use heavy equipment is one of the smartest career decisions that any construction worker can make. If you have been involved in the unskilled labor side of construction, you will know exactly how limiting a lack of skills and certification can be. Most people are put off training by the expense and the time that is involved in order to get the certification that you need. These are both poor reasons not to do something that will make your life more financially stable and make your work easier.

Training costs money, that much is true. Training in heavy equipment can be quite expensive as well. Heavy equipment costs a great deal of money to purchase, requires fuel and there are skilled instructors required to train a person professionally. It costs heavy equipment training schools like Associated Training Services a great deal of money to operate and provide services for the public. Finding the money for training can be hard, but it is worth it. Your salary increase will cover the expense in no time at all, by putting off heavy equipment training, you are essentially depriving yourself of a better standard of living. Even if you do not have the money up front, it is often possible to obtain financial aid.

There are people that will cite a lack of time as their reason for avoiding training. A full time job can make things difficult for a person that wants to take part in training, but it does not make it impossible. At Associated Training Services, we offer both a full time and a part time schedule. If you have the time, full time training will see you qualified as quickly as possible. If you are already working, our part time schedule is designed for people like you. Time is not a factor if you really want to improve your working conditions.

Training in heavy equipment takes time and costs money, but don’t let that be a reason for not doing what you want to do. If you are interested in training for a heavy equipment career, please contact us today.