Fancied a change and was always interested in the aggregates side of things (mixers, tippers, etc), so I’ve accepted a job working for a local small/medium sized company who are construction consultants alongside having a separate aggregates division, also bulk waste, grab hire, etc. Seem to do a lot of work on new builds and have contracts with some of the big cement/tarmac companies as well as doing things like paving for several local city councils. Got eight years worth of projects lined up so seem fairly healthy. Only have about six drivers currently and the idea is to have everything in house eventually. Said they’re expanding so fast they’re having to be careful not to bite off more than they can chew.
Thought I’d give it a shot as previous employer said they’d happily have me back and I’ve no doubt this is true as they’re really struggling to find drivers atm.
Salary is £700 a week fixed and usual day about 9.5/10 hours, but they were straight up and told me I’d sometimes be doing 12 hour shifts, but this is balanced out by only working 5-7 hours in the winter, often towards the lower end. Reckon the typical day is two loads which each serve three sites (so six in total). They’re pretty big on compliance, DVSA verified etc, and can’t see them wanting me over my 48 hour average. I’m normally put off by day rates but I’ve got a few mates who deliver bricks/work on HIAB etc and they only do a few jobs a day in the winter so I’m inclined to believe this may genuinely be the case with this job, which balances out the potential for ■■■■ taking in the busy months.
I’m currently only working 9.5 hours but I’m on the trade waste (DMR) so I’m usually out the cab every few mins. I don’t work as hard as a general waste drivers but I do about 50-60 jobs a day currently (less than the AM shift drivers as I work 14:00-23:30 and hit both the school and rush hour traffic).
Looking forward to having my evenings back but not sure what to expect. I’ve been told by an ex mixer driver I work with that’s it’s a doddle but others have told me they have mates who do it and it’s pretty hard work. Perhaps it depends on the company in question.
Dry hands…
The cement powder will dry your hands out. Get a good quality hand lotion and slather it on after your shift.
When it’s busy, you’ll be run ragged because builders want it yesterday.
You’ll be expected to make the lorry fit into places it won’t fit into, don’t get pushed into anything that might get you stuck. If that happens, the crowd that said it’ll be ok will vanish.
If the site is really muddy, look around to see if there’s a machine there that can pull you out.
Carry a sturdy shackle and chain.
In my day, the drum held 76 wheelbarrow loads. There’s a reason I know that.
yourhavingalarf:
Dry hands…
The cement powder will dry your hands out. Get a good quality hand lotion and slather it on after your shift.
When it’s busy, you’ll be run ragged because builders want it yesterday.
You’ll be expected to make the lorry fit into places it won’t fit into, don’t get pushed into anything that might get you stuck. If that happens, the crowd that said it’ll be ok will vanish.
If the site is really muddy, look around to see if there’s a machine there that can pull you out.
Carry a sturdy shackle and chain.
In my day, the drum held 76 wheelbarrow loads. There’s a reason I know that.
sorry i got to ask who was manning the wheel barrow
cooper1203:
sorry i got to ask who was manning the wheel barrow
A lovely…
Newly retired couple who had a gorgeous rose covered cottage in the middle of Sussex.
Somehow they managed to blindside RMC Horsham’s despatch department into thinking it was a straight tip. It wasn’t. It involved a tight as buggery reverse down a steep slope. I pulled a load of branches off trees on the top of the drum and scraped the steep banks with my drive wheels. They were ever so nice. Offering tea, home made Parkin and a fiver cash. The two of them stoically wheeled 76 barrow loads between them around the back of ‘Honeysuckle Cottage’ to a building project I never saw. I never saw it because I was too naffed off to bother.
Done up like a kipper I was.
Well, I’m certainly used to tight reverses on the dustcarts, having to back into 20-30 jobs a day in the dark without a banksman. It seems it will largely be new build projects I’ll be working on.
I’ve done mixer work and I’d say it’s the worst job I’ve done. Pure acid to wash the trucks off which burns your skin. Constantly ■■■■ wet through with the water and constantly washing out. Idiot builders who tell you how.much water put in then moan when it flies out out chute. I’ve done trade waste too and that’s much better work IMO. Now on.skips and it’s easiest job I’ve done. Nice and steady no rushing. Yes it’s tight reverses sometimes but with being a ex binman I’m used to the tight streets.
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Don’t charge up your wash out water tank till needed ! Unless you want to be hauling a load of soup as taps can fail … leads to a very unhappy dispatch and the walk of shame, try to keep your drum/ chutes clean. And if hauling dry don’t corner fast as the ■■■■ stuff can stick to the sides and you end up on three wheels .
Cheers Jimbo. Some solid advice there.
On a different note, I’ve not for a second regretted my career change, now a little over 3.5 years ago. I see so many people moaning on here but I’d never go back to an office job. Being bossed around by a fat bird in a suit and having endless stupid meetings where everyone plays buzzword bingo and tries to impress the director. No thanks.
Seem to be some real differing opinions.
When I was doing my mod 2, there was a 69yo bloke there who was working on the mixers and he told me it was the easiest job he’d ever had. I guess it’s all relative. If you’re used to driving up the motorway and reversing onto a bay it probably seems like a real graft, but no driving job I’ve had has stressed me out as much as office work. I’d be sitting there the night before having to do a presentation and I’d be so ■■■■ anxious even though they always went ok.
Aside from pallet work around central Brum as a new pass, no driving job I’ve had has stressed me out as much as office/sales jobs.
Don’t know about uk but in Canada you can sit your concrete operative exam once you have enough hrs in iirc three seasons , it’s worth $3 hr extra well worth two days in class (paid I may add). Ohh another tip do not and I say not add extra water on site unless it’s marked on bol and signed , some crews would have it self level , and the main contractor comes back a yr later after your firm as floor is flaking etc, and neverpour of the chutes doing footings if you haven’t sorted out who is your banksman
hope you don’t get a dinosaur like I drove lol
JIMBO47:
0hope you don’t get a dinosaur like I drove lol
Got to be honest, I would love to drive that!!! Looks really cool
Twin stick , 6x8 , separate steering pumps on front two axles , air suspension on front axles when loaded , you had to switch air of while empty twas a 1970, I couldn’t reach door handle from the ground…lol was a real handful but glad I drove it
drove this one 2013-16. 11speed fuller with low low
Yorkshire tramper it was 10yr old and the spare as I only used it if they had a big pump job (one truck one driver),as I was on a b train hauling product in from quarry majority of time
I’ve always quite liked the Mack FELs and dustcarts.
Wow, just seen the new Mack electric whilst googling these. I thought the above were just products of their time, but the new trucks also keep the industrial aesthetic.
