Some people are a bit surprised when they see that Associated Training Services offers Class-A Commercial Drivers License training. Unless you are in the industry, one might think that truck drivers drive trucks and heavy equipment operators operate heavy equipment. So what is the reasons for an overlap?

1. The more things you can do on the job site, the more valuable you are on the job.
2. A lot of heavy equipment gets transported on flatbed trucks, so if you can transport your heavy equipment yourself, that’s a plus.
3. If all things are equal between two job applicants, the one with the CDL gets hired.

ATS started out training truck drivers 45 years ago, so we know what you need to learn in order to be ready for the job. For students who are learning to operate heavy equipment, adding the training for your Class-A Commercial Drivers License takes less than a month more to do. At the end of that training, you take the test and are equipped for employment with both operator and driver skills and paperwork.

That knowledge includes classroom and behind-the-wheel training. You’ll know the rules, regulations, safety and CDL equipment operations standards. You will be ready to take the CDL road test because you will have already been taught how to drive heavy equipment on roads, back it up, pre-trip inspections, coupling and uncoupling, and all the skills you need to pass the test and get your license.

Then you will be the one who is valuable on the job site, because you are prepared to operate heavy equipment and drive the big trucks that are part of the process.

The crane operator does spectacular things, hoisting heavy loads and accomplishing tasks like placing critical beams where the job requires it. But the crane operator doesn’t work alone because riggers and spotters are part of a team, making the whole unit successful. Without each member of that team, something bad could happen on the work site.

Riggers make sure the load is safely attached to the crane. The rigger’s job should be guiding the load, and keeping that load their priority.

Spotters make sure the crane is not going to hit any power lines or other hazards. They can’t guide the load, too, because they need to keep watch on the hazards. People have died when both rigging and spotting are done at once; all it takes is hitting a power line with the boom.

Crane operators need to be able to see both the rigger and the spotters at all times. Signals have to be clearly understood since the noise of the equipment messes up communicating by shouting. The operator uses the rigger and spotters as extra eyes to see what is going on and do the job safely.

All three positions on the team have to be filled by qualified people who were trained in all the safety procedures. Anything less than that is an accident waiting to happen. Associated Training Services provides that training and makes sure the certifications are earned. An ATS graduate has the knowledge and the training to be a part of the crane operation team and do it well. We schedule the NCCCO Certification regularly all through the year, so there’s no reason you can’t become part of this team of qualified professionals.

Were you the kid who loved to play in the dirt or the sandbox? If you were, you probably had a toy dump truck that you used to haul piles of stuff from one end of your space in the dump it in another spot. It was fun to fill up the truck and then watch the whole load tip and dump where you wanted it to. Would you like to drive a dump truck now?

That childhood activity is the reason some people decide they want to be a dump truck driver. And you know what? They still think it is fun to get the truck full and take the whole load over to where they can tip up the bed and dump it where it needs to go. There are some special skills to learn before you can be a dump truck driver, but being interested in the activity makes that training the fulfillment of a childhood dream.

Dump truck drivers need their CDL because the trucks usually go over public roads. They should know how to operate the big trucks accurately, and be acquainted with the safety measures involved. A good dump truck driver can generally be found on the job year-round because they are usually the last piece of machinery that comes to a stop.

When you get your Class A Commercial Drivers License (CDL) at ATS, you learn how to transport heavy equipment and drive tankers as well as becoming proficient in dump truck operations. You will get trained on safely hauling many materials and be able to work in any industry.

When you are looking at your options for career training, financial aid is a big part of it. Once you get all your information (including your driver’s license) into the financial aid office at Associated Training Services, it can be processed in about two days — that’s not too long for such a big result. You can use fax, regular mail, or submit your application process online.

Because ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School is accredited, many types of state and federal government programs recognize us as a legitimate recipient of educational grants and loans. Here are a few of the possible routes to help finance your training:

• veterans can use military benefits
• tribal education grants
• displaced workers and farmers
• various workforce development programs

ATS can even help high school students train for careers through high school achievement scholarships! And, did you know that a career loan can be used for housing and related expenses? As long as the money is used on living expenses incurred while training, it’s part of your career costs. The entire financial aid process is pretty confusing, and there are a lot of possible routes you can take to paying for the training you need to get started in your career as a heavy equipment operator.

Fortunately, our Financial Assistance department is staffed by experienced people who work with this stuff all the time, and know how to navigate the confusing possibilities correctly. We can help you through the application process and get you started with an understanding of what your costs will be and what financial assistance you can qualify for, and it can happen in just a few days.

Do you know how a lot of the work used to be done in this country? By teams of men with shovels, spending their lives digging tunnels and trenches. Many of the roads and railroad tracks still in use today were first established by a lot of shovels working hard to do the job. The guy using the shovel had to learn the best technique so he could move a lot of dirt without hurting himself or others. It took muscle, intelligence, and skill to keep moving that shovel every long day and get the job done.

Today, an excavator can do the work so quickly and efficiently you’d think the ghosts of those guys with shovels would be standing around in awe. Some machines are small enough to be towed by a car, and other excavators are able to scoop several tons in one big bucket, but they all are operated by someone who learned the same basics in training.

Every excavator operator learns how to operate the equipment safely, how to read the soil and understand site plans, and how to identify problems during maintenance so little issues don’t turn into big ones. It’s a lot different than working a shovel although those guys had to learn safety skills and techniques, too. Today’s excavator operators still need intelligence and skill to get the job done. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School can get you ready to run an excavator in an entry level job within a few weeks, and you can develop the experience and skills you need to further your career. Having the basic training and certification gives a solid foundation to build on, just like those shovel-wielding men in the past built the foundations of the roads we use today.

When you see a huge crane safely performing a tricky job, one of the people responsible for that job’s success is the rigger. Here’s a short list of what the rigger does:

• has been OSHA certified or qualified according to the job needed
• figures out the weight and center of gravity of the load
• chooses the proper sling and makes sure it is in good shape
• checks fittings, clips and other hardware for adequacy
• keeps track of the distance from any possible overhead hazards, like power lines
• understands the weather conditions and when to call the job off for unsafe conditions
• acts as outside eyes and ears for the crane operator

Riggers and signalpersons are essential people on the job site. Their training and qualifications need to be top-notch, and their responsibility to do their job needs to be taken very seriously. Each thing on this short list of what a rigger does is an important thing, one that can make the difference between a good day at work or a trip to the emergency room, or worse. Even if nobody gets hurt, a slipped load means complications for getting the job done by deadline.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School is one of the best places in the world to get OSHA-compliant rigger/signalperson training. We have over 45 years of experience in training heavy equipment and mobile crane operators and work hard to provide comprehensive safety training for this job, as well. You’ll get expert instruction from the best rigger and signal training instructors in the industry as you prepare for your written and practical certification tests.

Safety while operating a bulldozer is very important because it is such a powerful machine that serious injury and death are real probabilities when something goes wrong.

1. only qualified operators should be on a bulldozer
2. seatbelts should always be used
3. operators must follow proper lockout, blockout, and tagout procedures
4. flaggers must be assigned where signs and barricades cannot control traffic
5. bulldozers should be kept away from overhead power lines and water mains
6. warning devices must be heard through the entire worksite
7. shut off engine when refueling
8. bulldozer must have rollover protection structures
9. if there isn’t a specified hand or foot hold, don’t climb there
10. know what will be potentially hazardous, like structures that are taller than the machine and can collapse 
11. use proper systems and procedures to secure unattended bulldozers from movement
12. never use a bulldozer that has not been inspected pre-shift — fluid levels, brakes, signals, etc.
13. be aware of changes on the work site that will affect safety, excavations, etc.
14. no passengers. Period
15. always park on level ground

Just about every accident on a bulldozer is the result of someone ignoring safety precautions. Sometimes they do it because nothing happened the last time, or they think they can control a situation. You’ll run into some operators who refuse to wear safety belts, for instance, because they think they can jump off if the machine tips — those are the guys who go flying wildly off the seat instead. The result is not good.

When you become certified at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School, you are taught the reasons behind the rules, and understand what you are doing when you get into the seat of a bulldozer or any other machinery we train you on. That’s why our graduates are sought out by employers who want qualified operators on the job.

Backhoes are one of the most versatile pieces of heavy equipment you can learn to operate at ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training Schools. On the job, the backhoe does the work of a loader and the work of an excavator along with a versatility that comes from a variety of attachments and the skill of the operator to maneuver accurately in tight situations.

Good backhoe operators are in demand because of that versatility. One piece of equipment can dig trenches, fill them in again, move heavy building materials around, and even do light bulldozing work. Attachments can include breakers, augers, grapples, and shank rippers; each designed to do a specific job effectively. It all depends on the ability of the operator to use the machine intelligently.

Our training includes backhoes, as well as loaders, scrapers, excavators, bulldozers, graders, and more. We know that training on a number of types of equipment gives a student exposure to the different techniques needed and that only comes from real experience at the controls. The classroom sessions give a good overall understanding of the use of the many types of machinery and the training gives the foundation for the skills to develop with experience. Choosing to be trained at an accredited facility like ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School allows you qualify for a lot of types of financial aid, too, which is a huge relief for many who are looking for options in their future career.

Being a backhoe operator will put you in a job with constantly changing challenges that you will be able to meet successfully by applying your training to the problem. It is definitely not a boring job.

Some folks have been playing video games where they “operate” heavy equipment to build their own house or create a town. Others point to actual high-tech simulators built by manufacturers of heavy equipment for training purposes and wonder if it’s the same thing as the video game, only more expensive. Then there’s the old-fashioned guys saying, “ya gotta learn it by the seat of yer pants or it ain’t gonna work.”

The truth about simulators?

Well, a video game is going to be like a video game. You will get some head knowledge if it is created to be educational, and it has a value in that way. It’s also fun. If you like big machinery of course a game where you use it will be fun. But it won’t give you a sense of what you are actually doing when you get in the seat of that grader or backhoe.

Simulators built by the manufacturer are designed for training to use a specific type of equipment. You will be sitting at controls like the crane or whatever and be looking at a screen that shows you the effects of what you are doing with those controls. Some even will have a few effects like seat tilting. They are not designed to be entertainment; they are designed to be a safe and effective way to begin the training process so your mistakes don’t have real-life consequences.

In-the-seat training is best done after you have a good idea of what you are doing, just like it’s a good idea to know a lot about driving before you get on the road. And, like driving a car, you develop reactions that become automatic as you spend time in real life doing it. It takes time and experience out in the weather, in the seat, to really get the hang of operating heavy equipment.

At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training School, we make sure you are ready to be in the seat before you are expected to operate big machinery. Then you get that in-the-seat experience which only comes from operating many kinds of machinery in real life, and that gets you trained and certified to be a valuable employee worth hiring.

Did you know that Associated Training Services can travel and bring our top-rated Rigging/Signalperson Qualification and Certification Programs to the job site? It’s true, and it works very well for the specialized training your work crews might require for that site. ATS will train your work personnel using classroom and written curricula, including testing and practical instruction. Our training standards include:

Rigging/Signalperson Qualification Program

• Designed to meet all OSHA qualification standards
• Written curriculum and testing
• Practical training and exam
• A minimum of 8 hours of rigging/signalperson instruction
• Up to 12 hours of rigging/signalperson instruction
• Every student is issued a qualification compliance card by ATS after completing the course

Rigging/Signalperson Certification Program

• We exceed the OSHA qualification standard for rigging/signalperson training
• Students receive written tests to match in-class curriculum
• Students are administered practical training followed by practical examinations
• 4 days of training includes 32-36 hours of training
• Students receive NCCCO Rigging Level One as well as NCCCO Signalperson Certifications after successfully completing the training

This is a great way to ensure that your worksite meets the requirements of OSHA. It’s also a great way to get everybody on the same page for procedures and standards. With the spring construction season, the demands for rigging and signalpersons who are able to meet NCCCO standards will just keep growing faster than the grass sprouting everywhere.

Associated Training Services has been providing heavy equipment operator training for a long time, and our Rigging/Signalperson Qualification and Certification Programs are part of our tradition. Nobody should be operating heavy equipment without the appropriate safety standards, and the person doing the rigging and signaling is an essential part of those safety standards. Keep your crews safe by providing the training they need and make it happen by letting ATS travel to your site for custom training.