Become a Dump Truck Driver

Maybe it’s the shorter hours, or the ability to work close to home. Maybe it’s the surety of working with a few reliable contracts rather than taking what comes your way day by day. Either way, becoming a dump truck driver is a step toward a good life behind the wheel.

Dump truck drivers have the same credentialing required in most cases as over the road truckers, with a few added certifications thrown in for good measure, including hazmat and construction related trainings. There are schools available for dump truck drivers; though many outfits will hire to train if the need is immediate.

Dump truck driver jobs vary based on the materials being hauled, but the scope of the position remains the same – dump trucks are design to move most gravel and related items, though sometimes trash and construction waste, over short distances. There’s rarely any pretty, load balancing stacking in a dump truck driver’s responsibilities, but usually a ‘pull up over here and hold still while we load you up’ type of contract.

Dump truck jobs entail a clean driving record, as well as passing a drug screen as companies will need to insure the driver and truck when doing business on a job site. A CDL is often required as well, though as a green horn it could be something to be worked toward.

Dump Truck Driver

The benefits many drivers find in driving a dump truck is a nine to five aspect of the job – you’re up and to work, then home at night for the wife and the game. Drivers can for construction firms, municipal public works departments, sewage treatment facilities, or run their own contracting business. This last option is a strong possibility with a good truck, decent insurance, and a list of contacts to draw upon when jobs are tight.

The down side to dump truck driving is the business s tied heavily to construction, and the construction business moves in cycles. Drivers may see a lot of work in warmer months, but when snow and ice hit, the work may well dry up. Those working in regional climates will have less of a concern in this area.

The life is good, and the pay is comparable to a long haul driver’s salary without the hours and miles attached to the job. All one needs is the desire and drive to go out and make it happen.