Obtaining finance for heavy equipment training has never really been difficult for those who have reasonable credit histories. For people who are out of work or disadvantaged in other ways, there have been government-funded programs to pay for training. There are even training benefits available for the service personnel and their families. As with every society, there are probably individuals who have fallen between the cracks, not eligible for government-funded programs, and not having a sound credit history.

Credit is becoming a little easier and financial institutions are again realizing the worth of career loans, especially those that lead to viable employment relatively quickly. That is one of the benefits of training in areas like truck driving, heavy equipment, and crane operations – the training can be completed in as little as three weeks and graduates ready for entry level employment almost immediately. For lenders, the sooner the lender is in the workplace earning, the sooner the loan is repaid.

If you may be worried that your credit history could make a loan difficult, you have a number of options. The first is to request a copy of your credit history – with that in hand you can verify its accuracy and perhaps determine whether or not there are negative reports. Your second option is to fill in our application for credit – we will have an answer back to you within 48 hours (perhaps a little longer over the holiday period).

Financing heavy equipment training is not that difficult. We at ATS endeavor to do as much as possible to make your funding options easier so talk to us if you have any concerns.

There have been interesting images from around the world this week. In the UK and Europe, heavy snow has closed roads, airports, and even main highways. In Australia, heavy rain has flooded thousands of acres closing highways and railways. In recent months there have been images from China of highways blocked with traffic traveling at speeds measured in feet per hour. The one image that stands out from those three regions has been the rows of trucks all brought to a standstill. We are fortunate here. In most states, the highways remain open and the traffic flows smoothly, especially the trucks.

What the world has in common is that their economies are very much based on their ability to transport goods from one area to another. We are no different in that regard so that makes the role of a truck driver fairly important. In our modern society, if the trucks didn’t get the food through, we would all starve since most of us have no idea how to grow our own food. In the major cities, there’s hardly a square foot of ground suitable for growing food as it is.

Truck drivers can be undervalued by society, however, truck drivers do know how important their roles are so they endeavor to do everything possible to get their loads delivered. It takes a lot of skill to handle a large truck when roads are icy or wet, skill that starts with good quality truck driver training followed up by hours of in-the-drivers seat experience. ATS are one of the nation’s leaders when it comes to truck driver training. We highly respected within the trucking community. Our graduates, once they obtain their commercial drivers licenses, are well considered when applying for truck driving vacancies.

If truck driving is a career that appeals to you, then contact us here at ATS. We can discuss your truck driver training options, including where you can undertake your training, and when the next training courses commence. It doesn’t matter the weather, ATS truck drivers keep on moving.

What are some of the most common reasons for a person to choose a particular profession? Interest is normally the starting point; that’s why you study in particular areas as you go through high school and college. Other factors include stability, income, community standing and family expectations. The latter is one of the most common reasons, and one that have so many people making career changes in their mid to late twenties – they finally break away from those family expectations. Here are eight good reasons to consider training for a Class A commercial drivers license (CDL):

• Well paid – truck drivers are well paid in comparison to many other jobs.
• In Demand – trucks are the life blood of our economy. For this reason, good drivers are always in demand.
• Stable employment – because good drivers are in demand, employers are not going to let you go.
• There are drivers around that have spent 30-40 years working for one employer.
• Work location – you can elect to just drive locally or you can elect to drive the big interstate rigs. The choice is up to you.
• Flexibility – one of the forgotten components to holding a CDL is that you’re not restricted to driving trucks. The CDL may make you employable as a heavy equipment operator, for example, (if you’re trained) simply because your license means you can cart the equipment out to a job yourself.
• Training – it only takes three weeks to learn to drive a truck. Pass your test and you’re ready to start.
• Variety – you never know what you’re going to cart from one day to the next. You may also find you are driving to different locations every day.
• Freedom – the biggest bonus of them all when it comes to truck driving. There’s nothing like the freedom of the open road.

A commercial drivers license opens a door to a career that’s busy and never boring. There are few careers that offer as many options as truck driving does so if you’re interested, contact ATS, the nation’s most experienced truck driver training organization in the country.

Something must be afoot because every where I look I see dump trucks. They must be the busiest trucks in work as they scurry around taking their loads to wherever needed. There is so much in the way of road building and general construction going on at present that dump trucks don’t get a moments break. I know in some areas they are being worked 24 hours a day every day of the week (except perhaps Sundays).

Dump trucks are fairly versatile – think of any loose material such as sand, gravel, sawdust and rock and they can transport. The term dump truck is apt since, on arrival at their destination, they simply need to raise their dumper to empty the contents. However, don’t think of a dump truck driver’s job as lacking in skills; it’s far from it. While driving from point A to point B is a fairly straightforward truck driving job, dumping the load at the other end can be quite tricky.

Drivers may be required to back up close to the edge of a pit, or to drive their vehicle while slowly tipping the contents across a desired stretch of ground – think a stretch of road that needs gravel spread evenly along its length. To operate a dump truck you require a commercial drivers license. You will need to complete testing by your local truck licensing authority – this includes a driving test to assess your skills. The best way to achieve a successful driving test is to undertake truck driver training through a recognized truck driver training organization.

ATS Truck Driver Training Schools have almost fifty years experience training the nation’s truck drivers. Whether it’s a big rig or a humble water truck, we have the experience and the expertise to produce quality drivers not only ready to pass their driving tests, but ready to tackle the world as professional truck drivers.

No matter the season, no matter the weather, the trucks always find a way to get through. They have to since these trucks are often carrying the staples we need to survive. A commercial drivers license can open the door to a wide range of truck driving jobs, even in the middle of winter. In today’s society, we expect vehicles to get through, especially trucks. So, transport companies don’t hang up their keys just because it’s winter; they keep going.

There’s no doubt that some truck driving jobs can be more interesting than others. Interstate truck driving can be the most challenging of them all. You are driving over different road conditions and often away from home for days at a time. Because of the need to move freight quickly, the hours can also be long. However, once behind the wheel, you are your own boss and the open highways are yours to conquer. And the pay can be great too.

Interstate truck driving isn’t for everyone, but once you get a taste of the open road, it can be hard to walk away. Learning to drive a truck is not as difficult as many people imagine. Three weeks of intensive behind-the-wheel and in-the-classroom training and you’re ready to undertake your commercial drivers license assessment. Pass that test and you’re ready to claim the highways. Interested? Contact the oldest truck driver training organization in the country for details on our next commercial drivers license training program.

Obtaining a commercial drivers license (CDL) opens the door to a wide variety of truck driving careers. That one license covers drivers for many different types of trucks ranging from the humble dump truck to the large interstate rigs you see on the highways. Truck driving careers range from local deliveries to working on long haul interstate trucks, even cross country trucks. You can also find truck drivers crossing borders between the US and Canada and the US and Mexico.

Truck driving work includes driving:

• tankers filled with anything from milk to fuel oil
• mining trucks filled with mineral bearing ore
• flatbeds loaded with heavy equipment
• dump trucks filled with sand or gravel
• trucks transporting general freight

Of course, that list only touches the surface. Every single product, including water, gets delivered by truck at some point in its journey to your home – you could also add the building materials that went into building your home. The only food items that aren’t affected by a truck in some way is what you grow yourself.

There is more to learning to drive a truck than just sitting in the driver’s seat. To complete the CDL test requirements you will need knowledge of Department of Transportation rules, safety and safe operation of equipment, and CDL regulations. You will also need more than just basic driving skills. You will need to demonstrate your ability to drive safely in public, reverse (not an easy task when driving articulated vehicles), and couple and uncouple your vehicle.

Training is important and should be undertaken by competent and qualified truck driving instructors. It also helps if you undertake your training through an organization that has a history of great performance and is well respected in the industry. ATS Truck Driver Training Schools fulfills all of those attributes – and you can complete your training is as little as three weeks. Truck driver training – it opens up a world full of opportunities.

If there is one career that will continue on for decades it is that of the garbage truck driver. These drivers operate what is essentially a modern day version of a dump truck. The major differences being that it is a semi-sealed unit, can compact the contents, and has special arms to raise and lower trash bins. What they do have in common with a standard dump truck is the need for a commercial drivers license (CDL).

Now here’s a question. Do you know how long it takes to train to become a truck driver? To gain your commercial drivers license you need to pass both a theoretical and practical test. When it comes to the theoretical side, that is learning the road rules associated with truck driving. Do you have a good memory? The practical test is a piece of cake if you have had the right training. ATS Truck Driver Schools can have you trained, with road experience, and ready for your CDL test in as little as three weeks.

That means you could be working as a truck driver a month after starting your truck driver training course. That’s a good turn around, especially when compared to most other careers. Truck drivers are always in demand. Let’s face it, no matter how bad the economy is, we still need to eat and we still manage to dispose of a lot of trash. That means truck drivers are involved in both the supply and removal of our daily needs.

If you’re considering a career change and truck driving is one of your career options, contact ATS Truck Driver Training Schools for more information. We have several campuses around the nation with training programs commencing at regular intervals. You can also find more information on our website.

If you’re a heavy equipment operator then you may be starting to notice that employers are now preferring to employ operators that have their commercial drivers license. In today’s tight markets, employers are looking to cut costs and if they can have operators that can also take their equipment out to a work site then they have saved the cost of a dedicated truck driver. This is especially true of business owners that only have a handful of equipment in use at any one time. A dedicated truck driver would most likely sit idle for several hours a day, and that’s wasted money in today’s economic climate.

For heavy equipment operators, it makes sense. Armed with the right training and a CDL, you can truck your equipment to a work site, perform the tasks required, then truck your equipment onto the next job. There is no waiting around for a truck to arrive and transport your equipment – you are in complete control of your work space. For businesses, as we mentioned, the cost factor is of utmost importance.

If you are a heavy equipment operator looking to add a commercial drivers license to your range of skills, you only require three weeks of truck driver training and to then pass the necessary tests to be licensed. That three weeks is a sound investment in your future as it not only provides you with a skill and license that employers are looking for, it also opens the door for further employment options such as dump truck driving or general truck driving.

Employers are looking to employ individuals who can offer a range of skills. This makes those employees versatile and available for work where and when needed. Are you versatile? Do you have a range of skills that make you more valuable than the next operator? That could be the key to increasing your employment opportunities – and your value to employers.

Dump truck drivers often have the best of all worlds. The work is relatively easy, the paychecks are good and you normally get to go home at the end of each day. In most cases, dump truck drivers operate in their own area working on a wide variety of projects ranging from highway building to home constructions. Building a successful career as a dump truck driver can be a lot easier than trying to break into the long distance driving segment of the industry.

Like all careers, your success will depend to a large degree on how well trained you are. It is also important to receive training from a school that has a good reputation within the industry. Armed with these two, your chances of gaining a start are significantly improved. Demonstrating your abilities on the job will then determine how successful you career is going to be.

Associated Training Services has a network of truck driving schools all with well earned reputations for providing well trained drivers. It also helps that ATS is one of the nation’s oldest truck driver training schools – a factor that will soon be highlighted when we celebrate fifty years in the industry – there are not many truck driver training schools that can boast a fiftieth birthday.

We can provide the training, and our reputation may well help you open doors to gain a start. However, your career will still be based on how well you perform as an operator. Dedication, reliability and attention to details such as safety are all important. Most importantly is your commitment to wanting a career as a dump truck driver. If you are committed, and you can display dedication, reliability and attention to detail, then contact us for more information on how we can help you get started on the road to a successful career as a dump truck driver.

There are always two ways to get things done – the easy way and the hard way. When looking to obtain your commercial drivers license, the same is true. The hard way – try to teach yourself, or be trained by a driver who has bad driving habits and isn’t up to date with the road rules, or the easy way – through a truck driver training school with 40 years experience training drivers. I know what my preference is – what’s yours?

Being trained by skilled truck driver trainers ensures you don’t pick up bad habits right from day one. Bad habits are one of the biggest problems in any occupation because once developed they are extremely hard to break. They say that it takes five days to develop a habit, and five weeks of conscious effort to break them. If you start with good habits, you will have a lifetime of good driving skills. Learning to drive a truck and then acquiring your commercial drivers license goes well beyond habits, however. You need good skills, particularly in some of the trickier aspects like reversing a tractor and trailer – it’s not as easy as it looks.

Highway driving, particularly in traffic, is another skill that needs to be developed. Some of these bigger rigs require a lot of road space to stop, even in an emergency. Learning these skills is essential if you are to have a long and happy career as a truck driver. Your commercial drivers license is simply a test (perhaps simple is the wrong word) that a well trained driver should pass with ease. It does come back to that basic truck driver training.

ATS Truck Driver Training Schools have the experience, the skilled trainers and the industry respect when it comes to producing well trained truck drivers. If you’re driving down the highway and you meet a truck coming the other way, who do you want behind the wheel of that truck, a well trained driver or one that has learned a lot of bad habits? I hope its an ATS trained driver!