Driving your dump truck is one of the greatest pleasures of the construction work site. These guys carry heavy loads short distances, and without them, the work site’s efficiency would plummet through the ground.

If you’ve ever driven a standard transmission vehicle, then you already understand one of the most important things about dump trucks.

You have a clutch.

Something else that is important to remember about dump trucks is that you need to keep the bed lowered while driving – even if you aren’t carrying a load. The bed has a lip that hangs over the cab. When it is raised, the lip could get caught on low hanging wires or short clearances. The last thing in the world you want while driving a dump truck is an accident.

In the cab, there is a lever next to the gear shift that locks the bed. A button on the dash raises and lowers the bed. You’ll have to get well practiced in using it. Excellent dump truck drivers can move the vehicle and dump a load at the same time to keep the load smooth and even, relatively speaking.

Driving a dump truck isn’t difficult, but you do need to be trained by a safety-conscious guide with experience.