Saw an advert yesterday for a class 1 driver on heavy plant haulage, which seemed very well paid. Wondered what the job is actually like and if any of you have done it?
Any comments, warmly welcomed.
Ta!
Plant haulage is plant haulage whether it’s an artic load or rigid.Loading and often unloading involves a lot of chaining up sometimes crawling under dirty plant in all weathers dripping with oil and water and mud and even more aggro if it involves broken down plant.But still probably better than many other types of job.On that note lots of short haul movements in a shift,which is what I did on the council,is obviously more hard work than longer haul moves. 
I used to prefer the new clean stuff from JCB when on for Richard Long and all over Europe to boot. PS Thats anywhere past Calais CF 
Could be this job .Don’t think this driver will have his/hes now 
Another day, another bridge strike.
Maybe we should just accept as drivers that whilst we have these knobheads amongst us, we will NEVER be treated like professionals.
TrackTrucker:
Saw an advert yesterday for a class 1 driver on heavy plant haulage, which seemed very well paid. Wondered what the job is actually like and if any of you have done it?Any comments, warmly welcomed.
Ta!
It’s not in North Kent by any chance is it
raymundo:
I used to prefer the new clean stuff from JCB when on for Richard Long and all over Europe to boot. PS Thats anywhere past Calais CF
Do you remember Richard Burnett who used to work for Richard Long?
Have you got any farm or construction back ground as you are often expected to get in an drive/load any piece of kit often with nobody else around, other than that it’s a case of assessing each piece of kit to see where is suitable and safe to chain down, the first load you do you will spend the whole time in the mirrors convinced it’s going to or has moved . Take your time strapping /chaining down, hopefully if you apply to a good company they will give you some training but unfortunately with this job they can’t tell you how to strap every bit of kit as it’s different. It’s a whole different ball game if you are talking real heavey haulage and going wide then you need a whole other skill set. The good thing is most people want the piece of kit you have on so are pleased to see you and no sitting in grotty RDC waiting rooms the bad bit is something won’t start and your on your own and it’s dark and raining.
Thanks for the advice everyone.
Appreciated.
A chap on here called " 8wheels" has done a definitive blog on loading and securing all types of plant. It’s a really good read and will give you a good idea of what’s needed.
As has been said if your talking heavy as in STGO your moving into a different league altogether , start small then graduate.
Type " 8wheels plant loading " into search box .
Jim
lilac lady:
Have you got any farm or construction back ground as you are often expected to get in an drive/load any piece of kit often with nobody else around, other than that it’s a case of assessing each piece of kit to see where is suitable and safe to chain down, the first load you do you will spend the whole time in the mirrors convinced it’s going to or has moved . Take your time strapping /chaining down, hopefully if you apply to a good company they will give you some training but unfortunately with this job they can’t tell you how to strap every bit of kit as it’s different. It’s a whole different ball game if you are talking real heavey haulage and going wide then you need a whole other skill set. The good thing is most people want the piece of kit you have on so are pleased to see you and no sitting in grotty RDC waiting rooms the bad bit is something won’t start and your on your own and it’s dark and raining.
I can certainly relate to having to drive plant with no experience! I took a couple of mini JCB’s in a groupage load from Malaga to Lisbon a few months back, reversed the tilt onto a loading dock and had to drive both on, forward/ reverse no problem but with four levers each with four ways and it was pure guess work trying to move the arm and bucket in the best position for loading/ strapping /travel. Would most likely take a few hours practice to actually use it…
AndrewG:
raymundo:
I used to prefer the new clean stuff from JCB when on for Richard Long and all over Europe to boot. PS Thats anywhere past Calais CFDo you remember Richard Burnett who used to work for Richard Long?
Dont recall the name as I tried to keep away from the yard as much as possible cos that place was more depressing than hell …
Remember the first time putting a tracked machine on without useing the ramps was pretty scary but once I got used to the way it were better and quicker.
Plant??
Think ‘big boys toys’… 
Learned myself by basically ‘playing with them’…
OK, I did had the advantage of having farm land to play on / in (nothing to hit).
raymundo:
AndrewG:
raymundo:
I used to prefer the new clean stuff from JCB when on for Richard Long and all over Europe to boot. PS Thats anywhere past Calais CFDo you remember Richard Burnett who used to work for Richard Long?
Dont recall the name as I tried to keep away from the yard as much as possible cos that place was more depressing than hell …
Remember the first time putting a tracked machine on without useing the ramps was pretty scary but once I got used to the way it were better and quicker.
Richard was my brother in law, we married a couple of lunatic sisters…ex wife now. I havent seen Richard for a while now…
Play with the equipment before driving up the ramps. You can’t fall over on the ground.
8wheel
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