A heavy equipment operator can be many things, and their workday is very different, depending on what kind of machine it is they are working with. One such machine is the road grader, which is also known as a motor grader, and its job is to create a smooth, flat surface. It does this using a centrally mounted blade that sits behind a single front axle and in front of the double rear axles.

It is the elongated appearance of road graders that makes them so easy to recognize though, with the cab and rear axles sitting with the rear-mounted motor, and the front wheels held a long way in front on an arched chassis that allows room for the blade itself. One of the more unusual-looking machines you will find on-site, they have been refined to the point that they are perfectly designed for the job they do.

Graders are mostly used for road building and road maintenance, where they create the flat, even surface that asphalt is laid on top of. As you can imagine, this is precision work, requiring a careful operation to obtain the perfect grade required for the project. Following precise location and height measurements to deliver the foundation for the best possible road surface. That means creating a crown and slope, the gentle curve of the road from the high point centrally down to either side, that enables proper drainage. That slope needs to be around a half inch per foot, so you can see the kind of skill required to be able to do that right.

To do that effectively means experience, and the experience required to do that comes over time. However, for many road grader operators, gaining that experience comes from using the machines in more general work.

That includes earthmoving and spreading, fine grading on site, clearing debris, and even snow removal. For new operators, these aspects of road graders provide valuable experience while building confidence in their own skills, requiring a little less precision than road grading itself. This means that the road grader operator has varied work experience, with various tasks that all present different challenges.

While different tasks that road graders can be used for present different challenges for the operator, in every case, the ability to balance all aspects of the machine, including the blade angle, moldboard position, front wheel angle, and speed of the machine, to get the right outcome to require a skillful touch and a real understanding of the machine itself. Getting the best out of a road grader is certainly a challenge, but with a variety of jobs and the satisfaction that comes with a job well done when you see a beautifully finished roadway, it is a rewarding machine to operate as well.

Ever wonder how a road is made flat when cruising through a hilly area? Or, ask yourself why we do not generally see large puddles on the highway? The answer to both of these questions is the road or motor grader and a well trained road grader operator. This piece of equipment can be used in the maintenance of unpaved roads, but its main purpose is roadwork and flattening a path. It smoothes the roadway prior to asphalt being poured, and it can be used to put a slight slope on highways to ensure the water runs off the road eliminating puddles that can result in cars hydroplaning.

Although not as well known as the bulldozer and dump truck, the road grader is an essential piece of the roadwork operations. As a result, being trained to operate one in a hands-on training environment is crucial to maneuvering these huge pieces of machinery effectively and safely. A good heavy equipment operator course will include training on road / motor graders to ensure capable operators are heading out to the worksites.

Ensuring the heavy equipment training program that is chosen includes many different pieces of equipment of the utmost importance. This is true because employers will not only look at the equipment that has been trained on, but also, they will look at the quality of the school that did the training. Employers want only the best trained workers who will be the most effective and safety conscious people on their site. Road graders may not be the most glamorous of the heavy equipment machines, but they are a very important one for road crews. Quality trained road grader operators are always in high demand, as roads are constantly being built and or maintained.

The one thing you can guarantee with all heavy equipment is that technology is constantly on the move and operating graders is no different. Every year manufacturers release their latest offerings and they always include technological changes of some sort.

Some of the latest technology includes computerization of some systems and GPS technology. Of course these are not ‘new’, however, the way they are being used is often new. GPS was fairly basic several years ago, it has now developed to the point that vehicles can have special devices fitted that help with loss prevention of heavy equipment.

The latest graders are now operated using joysticks rather than levers, pedals or a steering wheel. I am sure that many of our younger generation who have grown up with Xbox’s and the like would handle these with ease. For some of us older folk, a joystick is for flying, not grading – still, we have to move with the times or we will get left behind.

That philosophy is a must in heavy equipment operations now. Operating graders along with many of the other machines used has become one non-stop learning curve. You no sooner think you have your machine mastered when along comes a new piece of technology. At least you don’t have to learn it until it is either fitted, or a new machine us purchased.

Training to operate road graders has come along way in recent years. As technology has improved so too has the training methods used. It is no longer a case of jumping in and teaching yourself, the job is too complex for that now. To be competitive in the employment market you need quality training from a organization that has a long reputation for providing well trained operators of road graders. Just remember, your learning doesn’t end with the completion of your course – it ongoing for the rest of your working career.