Most truck drivers work standard hours, Monday to Friday. Some are even required to work on Saturdays. Long distance truck drivers don’t have it so lucky. They can work long hours, amassing up to 82 hours over seven days. That is about to change with new federal regulations limiting the number of hours that a truck driver can work each week.

Truck drivers are no different to anyone else – they get tired after working long hours. One of the leading causes of truck accidents is driver fatigue, so to combat this, the U.S. Department of Transport is bringing in new rules. Drivers will be limited to 70 hours over seven days, with a maximum of eleven in one day. They will also need to take a break of at least 30 minutes after an eight hour driving stint.

If a truck driver does maximize their working hours (work the full 70 hours), they will be required to take at least 34 consecutive hours off, and that means out of the truck. The downside for some truck drivers will be the loss of income. Some drivers are paid according to the miles they drive each week – the loss of twelve hours represents a reduction of almost 15%; that’s 15% less mileage and 15% less in a pay packet.

On the positive side, it will increase the number of truck drivers required to complete the same amount of work as now. In theory, a 15% reduction in work hours should equate to a 15% increase in the number of new drivers required. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple – many trucking companies are already limiting their truck drivers to 70 hours each week.

For truck drivers, this change will have an important effect on their daily routine. They will need to keep very accurate log books that clearly show the number of hours they have spent behind the wheel, the length of any breaks, and the number of hours they have spent outside their vehicle. Failing to keep accurate logs is a serious offense, one that could result in a truck driver losing their job, their license, and their ability to work as a truck driver. In the long run, reduced hours are better for truck drivers, and perhaps other drivers on the roads as well. Tired truck drivers do cause accidents, so if this move helps to reduce that effect, then the roads will be safer for everyone.

You wouldn’t normally associate heavy equipment with the film and television industry, yet they do appear frequently on camera. What many people don’t realize is that cranes, particularly mobile cranes, are a common tool used behind the camera. For many directors, mobile cranes are used in preference to a wide range of specialist tools that are available.

Mobile cranes are a useful tool for quickly moving scenery, props and even whole buildings when required. Mobile cranes are also used to mount fixed cameras – the director is able to locate a camera exactly where required given the light and other factors present. A smaller version of a mobile crane is mounted on rails. This allows camera operators to smoothly follow the action, being raised and lowered as required.

The skills required to operate these cranes are no different to those required in general industry. It does take a well trained and experienced operator who has well developed skills to follow the precise directions of a film or TV director. The biggest difference is that, in general industry, a crane operator has all the time in the world to complete a task. In the film and television industry, a director expects a crane operator to act quickly, and to get it right first time, every time.

If you’re for a career with a difference, then perhaps a career as a crane operator in the film and television awaits. You will need to undertake mobile crane operator training first, and you will need to develop those skills through a general industry job. However, once you have honed your skills, you can apply for specialist positions within the film and TV industry – every operator has to start somewhere, they just need those fine skills.

As we are so close to Christmas and New Year, many employers reduce their recruitment efforts preferring to wait until the new year when there are less distractions. That doesn’t mean that all employers stop recruiting – many are still hard at work, even on Christmas Day, and they have a constant need for operators. Our Job Site will continue to list any vacancies over this holiday period, so if you’re looking for work in the heavy equipment, truck driving or crane operations, check by regularly to see what’s on offer. A recap of recent opportunities include positions for:

Heavy Equipment Operator – Temple, TX
Highly motivated and skilled heavy equipment operator required. Various sizes and weights in loading, hauling and unloading of equipment, materials and supplies.

Equipment Operator II – Alexandria, VA
Operates one or more types of heavy automotive equipment.

Heavy equipment Low-Boy Driver – Rochester, NY
Electric transmission right-of-way clearing, Commercial, D.O.T, Utility, Gas Pipeline, Clearing, Civil Work, Storm Response and Municipal Contracting and Vegetation Recycling.

Heavy Equipment Operators – Cogan Station, PA
Operate heavy equipment and perform laborer duties as required.

State Park Equipment Operator – Weott, CA
This position transports and operates heavy equipment including but not limited to, backhoes, graders, excavators, tractors, patch trucks, water trucks,

Heavy Equipment Operator – Church Hill, TN
This job could require pushing, compacting, grading, loading or hauling waste or dirt and could require working alone or teaming with other heavy equipment.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and safe Christmas. As we approach 2012, it may be time to consider career changes. If heavy equipment operations, truck driving or crane operations are high on your list of options, then check out our training options – we can help you enter a new career in next to no time.

Winter is a testing time for many heavy equipment operators. It’s hard enough trying to work through frozen ground; operators often having to turn to specialized attachments such as rippers. The presence of snow and ice also makes the ground quite slippery and this can be of real concern when it comes to heavy equipment safety.

Here’s a fact that many people don’t realize – snow, especially compacted snow, is actually a lot heavier than dirt, even waterlogged dirt. This extra weight needs to be taken into account when working in these conditions – a loader may easily handle a bucket of dirt, but may struggle with a bucket of compacted snow (depending on the size and power of the loader of course). While working in freezing conditions is hard, that is just one of the difficulties operators encounter.

Most modern heavy equipment includes climate controlled operator cabs. This means an operator can work in conditions that are quite comfortable, temperature-wise. This can cause its own problems since an operator will find it difficult to relate to the cold external conditions – and cold does affect machinery.

For heavy equipment operators, special attention has to be paid to their equipment before they start work. Extreme overnight conditions can wreak havoc on their equipment, freezing pipelines, especially hydraulic lines, and, in some cases, creating problems with metal stress. Bulldozer and grader blades can often develop hairline cracks while excavator and backhoe operators often find that teeth on their excavating buckets are damaged.

Heavy equipment safety is an important issue in winter. Pre-start-up checks need to be thorough, and maintenance issues need to be dealt with immediately. Ideally, heavy equipment would be stored in a covered and heated environment each night in winter – that’s not practical in today’s world, so operators need to be particularly vigilant. While heavy equipment training can prepare future operators for these conditions, it takes hands on experience to really understand how trying winter can be to both man and beast.

If you’re into winter sports, particularly those involving snow, then a career as a heavy equipment operator may allow you to work and play in the snow resorts. Snow is a curse in many areas across the country. Towns and cities employ heavy equipment operators to clear streets using snow plows, de-icing equipment, and salt spreaders. Away from the town and cities, snow is considered a blessing – it brings in income in the form of tourists.

Snow resorts have similar problems to towns and cities – the roads need to be cleared to allow tourists in, and that’s certainly a job for heavy equipment operators. Operators are often up at dawn to clear roads, but when the job is done their time is theirs, and if they are into snow sports they join the tourists to hit the snow fields.

Clearing roads is only one job. There are others. Grooming ski runs using specialized equipment is another job that is well suited to heavy equipment operators. The task is a mix of bulldozing and grading, the idea being to have fresh well groomed areas for skiers and other snow based activities. What resort owners are looking for are picture postcard trails since that is what they advertise, and they don’t want to let paying customers down.

If you enjoy winter sports and you have a leaning towards heavy equipment operations, then why not blend the two? While the work is considered seasonal, there are some areas where work is available for eight or nine months of the year. The pay is good, and well managed, you can take three or four months off to prepare for the following season – or you can take on summer tasks that include repairing roads damaged by snow and preparing construction sites for new resorts or resort upgrades. If you’re interested in a career that mixes work and play, then your first step is to undertake heavy equipment training.

The role of a heavy equipment operator is often more varied than many people realize. Their main job is to operate heavy equipment, often a range of different heavy equipment, depending on their experience and the employers requirements. However, it’s important to realize that operators are still part of an overall team, and sometimes that means getting out of the cab, rolling the sleeves up, and getting stuck into some good old-fashioned laboring work.

Operating heavy equipment is generally not for prima donnas. You can’t refuse to pitch in and help out ‘because you’re an operator’. You’re an employee, and your employer can and will ask you to do alternative work when required. That is not to say it happens every day – let’s face it, an employer doesn’t really want to pay a laborer heavy equipment operator wages. It makes more sense having laborers do the laboring work and operators operating their heavy equipment.

Often, an operator may need to switch off his machine for just ten minutes, for example, to help remove a stubborn tree stump or large boulder before continuing on with the bulldozing. It is a normal part of an operator’s job, and one which employers are utilizing more often. In fact, they are even advising potential job applicants of laborer expectations when listing job vacancies. Some employers are smarter – they are advertising laboring positions but adding heavy equipment experience as a preference.

The bottom line is straightforward for anyone considering a career as a heavy equipment operator. There are times when you will need to get out of your cab and pitch in with general laboring work. However, it’s also worth pointing out that this is one part of your working life that really does make you a part of the team, and that it’s one way to really earn the respect of your work colleagues.

This week’s jobs listing is an interesting mix of heavy equipment and truck driving with jobs related to civil works, state parks amongst others. Once again the requirement that many employers are looking for is the ability to operate a wide range of equipment and trucks. Employers are also looking for individuals who are prepared to get out of their equipment and join in with any general laboring duties when required. The bottom line, employers want versatility from their workers. If you need to add skills, consider a short heavy equipment training course. You can broaden the range of equipment you can operate in just a few weeks.

Heavy equipment Low-Boy Driver – Rochester, NY
Electric transmission right-of-way clearing, Commercial, D.O.T, Utility, Gas Pipeline, Clearing, Civil Work, Storm Response and Municipal Contracting and Vegetation Recycling.

Laborer with Heavy Equipment Experience – Cogan Station, PA
Heavy equipment operators needed for company specializing in mobile crushing operations. Required to operate heavy equipment and perform laborer duties as required. This is a year round operation that requires travel Monday thru Friday.

State Park Equipment Operator – Weott, CA
The incumbent will work throughout the district performing a full range of duties in the transportation and operation of all types of heavy equipment. This position transports and operates heavy equipment including but not limited to, backhoes, graders, excavators, tractors, patch trucks, water trucks,

Equipment Operator II – Alexandria, VA
An Equipment Operator II operates one or more types of heavy automotive equipment. This employee exercises considerable skill in manipulating heavy motor equipment while paying constant attention to safety of operation in order to prevent accidents.

Heavy Equipment Operator – Temple, TX
Federal contractor with multi-state construction operations is seeking a highly motivated and skilled heavy equipment operator. This position will operate a variety of contractor construction equipment. The equipment is of various sizes and weights in loading, hauling and unloading of equipment, materials and supplies.

Heavy Equipment Operator – Church Hill, TN
The purpose of the job is to operate heavy equipment safely, productively and efficiently. This job could require pushing, compacting, grading, loading or hauling waste or dirt and could require working alone or teaming with other heavy equipment. This job could also require operating around customer trucks and customers at the working area.

UPS DRIVERS WANTED!
Did you know @UPSjobs Driver picks up Driver Helper near where he/she lives? No driving required.

If you require more information on these jobs, or to keep up-to-date with the latest job vacancies, visit our dedicated job site. Jobs are posted regularly by employers – a tip, read the job requirements carefully, employers are often looking for more than one operator or driver, so check for hints such as plurals, for example, ‘drivers wanted’, generally means more than one.

Construction sites rely on people working together in teams. Crane operators rely on those on the ground around them to provide directions, however, the only way a crane operator can understand those directions is if everyone is talking the same language. On a construction site, verbal communication can be difficult, so a special set of signals has been created that operators and those designed as signal persons learn. In today’s workplace, riggers and signal-persons need to trained and they must be able to prove they are competent before they can work in those areas. To be OSHA compliant, riggers and signal-persons need to be certified as competent, this may include training followed by an assessment of a person’s skills and knowledge.

Employers are responsible for ensuring their workers are all OSHA compliant. This includes arranging training and assessments of employees to achieve certification. ATS has developed OSHA Certified Crane Rigging training that is both affordable and accessible. Most importantly, it’s not taxing when it comes to time away from the workplace.

Our Rigger and Signal-Person Certification program:

• Exceeds OSHA qualification standard for rigging and signal persons.
• Includes written and practical training and testing.
• 32 to 36 hours (4 days) depending on number of candidates.
• Certification issued by National Commission for Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).
• NCCCO Rigging Level One and NCCCO Signal Person Certifications.

If your employees are experienced, then they may only require assessment and certification, which makes the process even quicker. If you’re an employer who employs people in the positions of rigger and/or signal-person, and you need to have them certified, then contact one of our enrollment officers. They will be able to advise you on the best training options available, and provide you with a competitive quote.

When considering a new career, it’s important to thoroughly investigate the one group of people who will have the most influence on that career’s success. That group of people are those you entrust with your training. Get that first component wrong and your career is going to struggle to get off the ground. Get it right and your career is going to be off to a flying start. When it comes to truck driving, it’s not just your career that’s at stake, you are carrying cargo that is valuable to someone, and you are driving a vehicle that can cause a great deal of damage if mistakes are made.

Choosing a truck driver training school is not that difficult. Price is never a comparison tool when it comes to quality; it’s the people and the training programs that count. The easiest way to assess training schools is by asking former students. When it comes to truck driving, that can be difficult; they don’t exactly have an office you can visit.

There are several key areas that do indicate a quality truck driver training school. Longevity is one of the best guides – bad training schools just don’t stay in business for too long. You can also look at whether or not employers are willing to hire graduate drivers from a particular training school. Employers know which training schools are reliable, and they generally look at those schools when looking for new recruits to the industry. Finally, their recognition by third parties, for example, being endorsed to deliver training for government programs and being accredited by state education bodies.

Put all of that together and you have a good training school. A good truck driver training school will deliver training that has been designed according to industry, employer and legislative standards. This ensures graduate drivers are ready for entry level employment – employers know their new recruits are coming into the workplace trained to a set standards.

ATS Truck School can tick those boxes. ATS has been training truck drivers for almost fifty years – that’s a long time to be in the training business. ATS also has a job site where employers frequently post job vacancies. We also have a career services department that frequently works with employers to find the right recruits. We are also accredited to deliver training for a variety of government programs and have been registered as a training provider for many years.

Recent weeks have shown that demand for certified crane operators is still strong, and predictions are that demand will continue to grow. The industry is beginning to feel the effect of the ‘baby boom’ as these operators age and start to consider retirement. The predictions are that more operators will leave the workforce than enter over the next five years, a worrying sign for some employers as natural demand increases.

For those considering a career change, becoming a certified crane operator has a lot to offer. The work is stable and well paid, there are a wide range of crane options for new graduates work in, and training is not a long drawn out process. For most people, you can be trained and certified and ready for work in as little as a month, and with demand for operators increasing, employed fairly quickly after certification.

There are two components to a successful career as a crane operator. The first is your basic training, the second your certification, and that comes back to your training. Certification comes with an added benefit – your qualification is a national one so it is valid in every state. It’s also worth pointing out that certification is now compulsory for all crane operators.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools has several crane operator training programs available. Upon completion of your training, we also provide the assessments for certification as a crane operator. Once certified, our career services personnel can help you find that first job where you can start to build your experience, and a successful career. If you’re looking for a well paid career that’s in demand, then consider a career as a crane operator.