I’ve just been offered a Job with a Plant Operator firm. Driving a Road Sweeper, not the little ones, the Truck mounted short wheel base ones. The money sounds ok, which first appealed, 7.50 driving to the job and 8.50 on the job and 14.50 nights and weekends.
On the very relaxed Interview, where I was overdressed and the depot manager was smoking taking me round the yard. He said some of his lads are taking home anything from £700 to £1300 a week? Really? Any of you guys got that sort of money?
Of course I got in the wrong side of the cab straight away No tacho in them and empty tab packets on the window well, you also have the option to opt out of the working time regulations of 48 Hrs in a seven day week.
I just wondered if anyone else has worked on these Sweepers, what your normal daily routine and working hours be to achieve such money as claimed by the depot manager
Be prepared to get dirty and wet. If you wash the back out properly you will get a soaking. A sturdy garden hoe is good for getting the compacted crud off the bottom when cleaning out.
Enjoy topping up the tan on your left arm. I enjoyed my time driving a sweeper.
Replacing the belly brush can be a bit of a ■■■■■■■■
Did they have decent new brushes? It saves soo much time and makes the job 10 times easier. I saw a guy in Manchester the other week and his kerb brush was knackered, I’ve seen longer bristles on a toothbrush.
Ive done this type of work and have lots of experience.
Yes its very dirty if your on building site work. When tipping it gets even dirtier because most of the time you will get a slab of dirt that just wont budge so you have to start to price it out with rods and other garden tools.
It can be very long hours and drivers have been known to work all day then do a night shift aswell for roadwork gangs.
I was on £8 p/h for 40 then 11.00 p/h and i use to clock up around 80 to 90 hours in the winter and around 60 it the summer as its quieter. that does includes double shifting.
Most companies expect you to change the brushes yourself and do a fair bit of maintenance.
Can also be a really boring job to if your on the same site all day so take a tablet so you can watch a film or to.
Its not for everyone because as i said its a very ■■■■■■ job.
I enjoyed it but the long hours and sometimes 7 days a week catches up with you. living on 4/5 hours sleep.
I do remember falling a sleep when i stopped for dinner then woke up 4 hours later to have the site foreman going mental. because the 8 wheel tippers have made the road a mud bath and i sould of been there to follow them out lol
Some food for thought there fallas The depot manager didn’t sugar coat the job and kept repeating its a S–T wagon to drive and the job sounds a peach. “Where there’s Muck there’s Money” I guess Cant be any worse than the dust carts.
I kind of figured there must be a lot of Double shifts to be banking the wages he was quoting.
No tacho in them and empty tab packets on the window well, you also have the option to opt out of the working time regulations of 48 Hrs in a seven day week.
