Being a dump truck driver can be quite challenging since the job itself involves more than just driving. There are many that consider dump truck driving to be easy, and it can be at times. If you are simply transporting material from A to B and dumping it in one spot, it’s just a truck driving job.

Dump truck drivers generally do far more than that. On construction sites, and more so on road building projects, dump truck drivers don’t just dump their load. Their role is to spread the material in their dumper, and they do this by opening the hopper slightly – the size of opening depending very much on the material being spread and how much is required. The dumper is then slowly raised as the driver moves across the area when the material is required. This becomes a real test of skill for dump truck drivers since the construction team are relying on his/her accuracy in spreading that material.

It takes a lot of practice to learn how different materials react to this spreading process. Sand will obviously move out a lot faster than gravel. The driver will also need to ensure the dump tray is being raised at the right speed. Too slow and the material won’t flow as required, and too fast will see too much of the material being laid.

Our truck driver training program gives you the opportunity to learn all about dump trucks and how to operate them effectively. You’ll get plenty of time behind the wheel to practice your truck driving skills, and you’ll get plenty of time to practice operating the dumping mechanism. If you’re looking for a truck driving job that involves more than just driving, consider a career as a dump truck driver.

Truck drivers and heavy equipment operators are still in high demand, even as winter sets in. Winter storms won’t stop the trucks getting through, and for heavy equipment operators, storms often mean more work. Many heavy equipment operators spend their winter months clearing snow so there’s plenty of work available. This month’s job vacancies include:

Heavy Equipment Operators
United States
Job applications are being accepted for Heavy Equipment Operators.

Heavy Equipment Operators
LA, KS and TX
Employer is hiring Heavy Equipment Operators for work in several states.

Truck Drivers
WI, MN and NY
CDL-A drivers, Tanker and Hazmat, required. Want to be home at night? Start pay in WI .51, MN .43, and NY .49

Truck Drivers
Madison, WI
Local delivery drivers required for building products. Local driving means you’re home each night.

Heavy Equipment Operators
Decorah, IA
Applications are being accepted from heavy equipment operators for IA and MN projects

Truck Drivers
WI, MN, IA, IN
Employer is hiring CDL-A driver with mileage pay in the .40?s

Truck Drivers
Decorah, IA
Applications being accepted from truck drivers for IA and MN projects.

You can find more information on current job vacancies on our jobs website. If you’re looking for an interesting career, then you’ll be hard pressed to find one that is as varied as that of a truck driver or heavy equipment operator. You can find more information on how to start a career as a heavy equipment operator on our training website.

No pun intended here when I say a commercial drivers license can take you a long way. Obviously, behind the wheel of a truck, you can go a ‘long way’. However, that’s not my meaning in today’s post. Rather, a commercial drivers license can be the start of a long career that has a wide range of opportunities. There are many truck drivers who are still in the industry, yet they are no longer ‘truck drivers’.

Almost every trucking company in the country was started by a truck driver. These are drivers who saw opportunities to buy their own trucks, and over time add more trucks to their fleet. Eventually they have so many trucks that, rather than driving for a living, they need to spend their time managing the fleet – and the work contracts that keeps the cash flowing in.

Owning your own business is not everyone’s dream of course, and there are other opportunities to be found in the industry. Large trucking companies rely on a team of individuals who plan loads and routes and who then allocate these loads to drivers. Logistics requires a lot of skill, and former truck drivers often excel in this area of transportation. Truck driving can also open the door to further training in fields such as mechanics and engineering.

It only takes a few weeks of truck driver training to gain the skills necessary to gain a commercial drivers license (CDL). With a CDL in hand, you can commence work as a truck driver gaining experience, perhaps seeing the country, and certainly gaining new friends – not to mention the skills and lucrative income. From there, you can control your future using your experience and skills to gain entry to many other transport-related careers. A CDL will take you a long way – both on the highway and in life.

In an era where job uncertainty remains a big factor, having a skill that is still in demand is like pure gold. Truck driving, crane operations and heavy equipment operations are three skill areas that remain strong despite the economy. Whilst legislators around the nation are looking to cut expenditure wherever possible, services such as schools, hospitals, roads and bridges still remain as priorities. More importantly, there are some sectors of the economy, particularly mining, that are growing, and their need for these skilled workers is growing – sometimes outstripping supply. The jobs that have come into our jobs website this month include:

Equipment Operator Fuels
Pardeeville, WI
Alliant Energy is currently recruiting for an Equipment Operator. We are a publicly traded energy holding company with over 4,000 employees. Alliant Energy is committed to providing an inclusive work environment for all our employees and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. In this challenging role you will operate fuel-handling equipment and performs related coal yard and plant tasks at a steam generating station.

Truck Driver
Madison, WI
Capitol Warehouse needs a tanker driver for mostly WI and surrounding state runs, home most nights.

Truck Drivers
Sun Prarie, WI
Schneider will be hiring CDL-A drivers at DDS on 01/15/2013 at 4PM

Truck Drivers
Marshfield, WI
Roehl at Marshfield hiring CDL-A drivers for Dairy Tankers runs, WI and MN

Heavy Equipment Operators and Laborers
Nationwide Contracting – Oklahoma
Heavy Equipment Operators and Laborers Experience required. Must have valid D.L., be able to work ex­tended hours.

If you are looking for a career that has strong demand despite the ills of the economy, consider heavy equipment operations, truck driving and/or crane operations. Our training website has details on training programs that will prepare you for the workplace – and a career that is well paid and always in demand.

The life of a crane operator can be a dangerous one. It becomes more so for those working at the top of new buildings in the city. Yesterday’s collision between a helicopter and crane in London is a good example – although thankfully not one that happens regularly. Mobile crane operators can be grateful for one thing – they have their feet firmly planted on the ground, and it would take a very low flying helicopter to cause them any problems. In fact, mobile crane operators are more at risk of colliding with overhead power lines than anything else.

Mobile crane operators lead a fairly interesting life. Because they are mobile, they are able to travel very quickly between jobs. A mobile crane is nothing more than a specially built truck that has a crane mounted at the rear. The truck is driven like any other truck following normal truck driving road rules. The crane has its own operating cab – in effect, an operator is skilled as both a truck driver and crane operator, and that often includes the requirement for a commercial drivers license.

There will be times when a mobile crane operator is required to work at the one site for days or weeks at a time. At other times, they may well find themselves at two or more different sites each day, with each site requiring completely different jobs. Variety is certainly a big factor in the life of a mobile crane operator.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools provides training in both mobile crane operations and truck driving. Our training will prepare you for certification as a crane operator and complete the requirements to be issued a commercial drivers license. If you’re interested in a job that has a lot of variety requiring multiple skills, then mobile crane operations not only provide those also a career that is well paid and always in demand.

Truck drivers are the theme of this week’s job vacancies. Large trucking companies often go on recruiting drives, a situation that is helpful for those looking for truck driving jobs. In the coming week Schneider will be at our truck driving school to recruit drivers, and this includes those who have recently graduated from truck driver training and received their commercial drivers license. Some of this week’s jobs include:

Truck Driver
Madison, WI
Capitol Warehouse needs a tanker driver for mostly WI and surrounding state runs, home most nights.

Truck Drivers
Sun Prarie, WI
Schneider will be hiring CDL-A drivers at DDS on 01/15/2013 at 4PM

Truck Drivers
Marshfield, WI
Roehl at Marshfield hiring CDL-A drivers for Dairy Tankers runs, WI and MN

Heavy Equipment Operators and Laborers
Nationwide Contracting – Oklahoma
Heavy Equipment Operators and Laborers Experience required. Must have valid D.L., be able to work ex­
tended hours.

You can find more information on these and other jobs on our dedicated jobs website.

Learning to become a truck driver is only a little harder than learning to drive a standard car. The rules and regulations are a lot broader, and a big rig can be tricky to maneuver. However, if you have ever reversed a car and trailer successfully, then you’ve probably got the basic skills set in place – if you haven’t, then you’re in for some fun.

You can go from complete novice to work ready as a truck driver in as little as five weeks through ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools. We will take you through all the rules and regulations in preparation for your theoretical tests that are required to attain a truck drivers permit. This permit allows students to drive trucks on open roads with a suitably licensed truck driver alongside them.

Once a student has completed their training, we will help them attain their commercial truck drivers license (CDL) and any endorsements required for their career path. With a CDL in hand, they are ready to commence work in their new profession. Although driving big rigs may appear daunting, once you have gained the skills and had some practice, you’ll be surprised at how easy they are drive. This is why women are increasingly turning to truck driving.

If you’re interested in a career as a truck driver, then contact us for more information on truck driver training programs, entry requirements, and course dates. Truck driving is a lucrative career once you have completed your training and gained a little experience.

When looking at heavy equipment job listings, it’s important to read the requirements that an employer has included. They are there for a reason – the employer is looking for someone with those skills, attributes, or experience. When reviewing job listings, pay particular attention to the type of heavy equipment and the type of work being done. Job listings this week are light on, although the last month has been quite busy. The job vacancies below are a good example of the types of jobs we receive and the skills, attributes, and experience that an employer is looking for.

Backhoe Operator
Jacksonville, FL
Load Adjusts and Transfer Company hiring heavy equipment operators with experience operating backhoes.

Excavation Equipment Operator
Jacksonville, FL
Heavy equipment operators required to operate excavation equipment

Heavy Equipment Operator
Allentown, PA
Full-time heavy equipment operator required. Must have Heavy Equipment Experience.

Heavy Equipment Operator & CDL
Fort Polk, LA
Seeking Heavy Equipment Operator to join our outstanding team at the Fort Polk Army Base in Louisiana.

Heavy Equipment Operator II
Hawaii
The Heavy Equipment Operator II will be responsible for the safe and efficient operation of material handling and processing equipment at the assigned Hawaiian Earth Products facility, as directed by the Operations Manager.

Heavy Equipment Operators
Southern States
Operators required for forestry projects in southern states.

Heavy Equipment Operator
Palo Alto, CA
Heavy Equipment Operator in the Public Works Maintenance Operations-Street Division. Operators may be required to operate one or more types of heavy equipment.

Heavy Equipment Operator
Mountain Pass, CA
Operates designated machine or equipment. Observes and follow all safety rules and procedures. Performs other duties and activities as directed. Typically requires 2-5 years of related experience and certification.

Equipment Operator
Mendota, CA
Operate and maintain front-end loaders and other material handling equipment such as conveyors, reclaimers, disc screens, and truck dumpers.

Heavy Equipment Operator
Cedar Rapids, IA
Operate motor grader, dump truck, and other equipment. May also be required to operate low-boy and heavy equipment such as a bulldozer, motor graders, front-end loaders, and excavators; plows snow; sanding equipment; drive trucks; and unskilled labor when not operating.

To see these and any new jobs that arrive firsthand, take regular visits to our dedicated job website. You’ll find vacancies listed for heavy equipment operators, crane operators, and truck drivers. For more information on training programs to prepare for a career in one of those fields, visit our heavy equipment training website.

In-the-seat training is essential for careers such as heavy equipment operations, truck driving and crane operations. In fact, the more time you can spend in-the-seat, the better. However, you should never underestimate the value of out-of the-seat training, often referred to as classroom training, or theoretical training. Classroom training is where quality operators and drivers are born since it delivers training in areas such as safety, working in a team, paperwork (and these careers certainly have paperwork), site layouts, and the legal requirements to operate heavy equipment, trucks or cranes.

When it comes to heavy equipment, operators also need an understanding of soils and soil types, and how those soils react when being worked by heavy equipment. This requires a combination of in-the-field and in-the-classroom training – and the field training is more like getting your hands into the soil to feel the differences. Out-of-the-seat training also involves observation – watching how heavy machinery reacts in different situations. Operators can better relate when they are then in the operator’s seat.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Training Schools have carefully developed a training program that uses a combination of in-the-seat and out-of-the-seat training. Our school is well respected within the industry for producing graduates who are well grounded in all aspects of heavy equipment operation. We even train our students in the fundamentals of laser levels and heavy equipment maintenance.

If you are looking for a career as a heavy equipment operator, be sure to choose a training school that does deliver a well rounded training program. You can spend hundreds of hours in the operator seat, however, if you don’t have an understanding of some of the theoretical aspects, then you won’t be a better operator, and you may just disappoint employers and find yourself without work. Get it right from day one and you’ll be ready for employment.

Want to learn how to drive a truck? Almost any truck driver can teach you how to drive. However, that won’t make you a truck driver, and it probably won’t help you to achieve a commercial drivers license. Commercial truck drivers need a range of skills that go beyond just driving. Some of these skills include:

• Reversing with one or more trailers,
• Pre-trip inspections,
• Coupling and uncoupling trailers,
• Securing loads,
• Maintaining log books,
• Operating GPS equipment,
• Truck maintenance and basic breakdown repairs,
• Truck safety, including truck stop security and breakdown safety procedures

That is just a small sample. If you include endorsements like a HazMat endorsement, you will need to learn the requirements for transporting hazardous materials. Whilst that list may look complex, in practice, they are actions which most drivers learn to do by habit.

These are all important skills. Take maintaining a log book – get it wrong and your career could very quickly come to an end.

The truck driver training program at ATS covers all of these skills in both classroom-based and hands-on training. Once you have completed your training, you will be ready to not only drive a truck, but also obtain your commercial drivers license and become a truck driver.

Whilst undertaking truck driver training through ATS, you can access our Career Services department. They will help you refine your job seeking skills and help you to find employers that best match your work requirements. You will also have access to our job site where you’ll find job vacancies that have been listed by employers. Our aim is to help you to become a professional truck driver – we are not in the business of just teaching people to drive trucks – and there is a big difference between the two.