How hard is it to get to know tipper lorries? I’ve been thinking of getting into it, a couple of old school chums who I bumped into do it and recommended it, usual lark, home everynight, easy work etc…
I’m used to pulling fridge trailers, done a bit of flat bed and curtainsiders, and doing 3 or 4 day trips in the uk and europe, and a bit of local work to fill a week, tipper work can’t be that hard looking at the typical driver round here. I’m just fed up at my place being used and abused as one of the few that actually pull their own weight and don’t take the ■■■■, so myself and the couple others likewise have to make up for the ones who flat out refuse to work weekends or do anything taxing.
Whats the typical tipper equipment like, sheeting, hydraulics etc?
Don’t forget that all world and all drivers will hate you, and talk “bad things” about you all the time…
If before you were discriminated as not being human by general public and warehouse staff, now you will be discriminated as not being human and not being driver by other drivers, publicly, on driver forum.
If you thought you were hated by all world, now you will really feel how it is being hated by everyone… even your own kind…
If you want to go into tipper driving especially quarry work you will need a driver skills card (epic card) as it used to be called.
Most quarries do courses the one i do counts as one of your DCPC
tango boy:
If you want to go into tipper driving especially quarry work you will need a driver skills card (epic card) as it used to be called.
Most quarries do courses the one i do counts as one of your DCPC
whats involved in getting one, assume it’s usual common sense routine, wear hi-vis, hard hat, dont reverse certain places without banksman etc and basic practical skills?
tango boy:
If you want to go into tipper driving especially quarry work you will need a driver skills card (epic card) as it used to be called.
Most quarries do courses the one i do counts as one of your DCPC
Daft thing is, is that you don’t need any skills to get the qualification (term used loosely). Just sit in the classroom, text away and when it comes to the multiple choice “test” (as hard as poking a needle through a wet bog roll tube) just discuss it/listen in to other drivers giving you the answers. I’ve had this “valuable” qualification since it first was dreamt up and I’ve never ever been asked for it. Think of it as FORS for drivers, a useless money maker.
Come to think of it, treat it as the DCPC and just nod when appropriate and don’t join in with discussions. The day goes much quicker.
tango boy:
If you want to go into tipper driving especially quarry work you will need a driver skills card (epic card) as it used to be called.
Most quarries do courses the one i do counts as one of your DCPC
whats involved in getting one, assume it’s usual common sense routine, wear hi-vis, hard hat, dont reverse certain places without banksman etc and basic practical skills?
Yep classroom jobbie, 9 hours of bull ■■■■■ all H&S do’s n Dont’s etc etc oh and if the company you join go to London and decide to do FORS There is a chance you might have to do the course we did morning out on push bikes afternoon classroom.
Nurglets. I have provided a brief skills list for your consideration.
1; Ability to drive in a similar fashion to Ken Block.
2; Owner of either string vest, or wife beater vest.(Preferably with egg yolk stain).
3; Ability to roll a ■■■ whilst on your mobile, whilst swigging a bottle of pop.(Whilst driving).
4; Right ear must be able to support a pen/pencil/half smoked roll up ■■■.
5; Owner of petrol station sunglasses.
I am sure there are many other traits to the ’ tipper driver '.
eagerbeaver:
Nurglets. I have provided a brief skills list for your consideration.
1; Ability to drive in a similar fashion to Ken Block.
2; Owner of either string vest, or wife beater vest.(Preferably with egg yolk stain).
3; Ability to roll a ■■■ whilst on your mobile, whilst swigging a bottle of pop.(Whilst driving).
4; Right ear must be able to support a pen/pencil/half smoked roll up ■■■.
5; Owner of petrol station sunglasses.
I am sure there are many other traits to the ’ tipper driver '.
tango boy:
There is a chance you might have to do the course we did morning out on push bikes afternoon classroom.
Much as I love tippers I draw the line at being made to do that. What next? Will we have to take up riding to empathise with horse owners or ride a mobility scooter to Wetherspoons to understand what it’s like to be long term unemployed?
If working for Hansons, believe the bs that you will die or seriously injure yourself if you don’t wear a hard hat, safety glasses and gloves when walking to the weighbridge.
I like to wear my greasy muddy gloves and leave some nice handprints on the office door.
I have done some tipper work,my gaffertold me "its not a race"dont know why some of them fly around like Hell Drivers.I found that there was a lot of down time waiting for things to happen .The quarry never had the batch ready or the paver machine was on its way and would be another hour.Take a book with you.
Don’t mind other drivers taking the ■■■■, if I’m getting a better deal out of it I can live with that rather than an employer taking the ■■■■.
Appearance wise I’d probably fit in, my hi-vis never stays hi for long, more 5th wheel grease and grub than material, haven’t shaved in over a year and not happy unless I’ve racked up a minimum of 5 overspeeds a day.
alamcculloch:
I have done some tipper work,my gaffertold me "its not a race"dont know why some of them fly around like Hell Drivers.I found that there was a lot of down time waiting for things to happen .The quarry never had the batch ready or the paver machine was on its way and would be another hour.Take a book with you.
^^^^^+1. No matter how hard you want to go something will put the brake on your day wether you want it or not! Jobs not ready, ground workers hanging the job out for overtime etc. Some days you have more break time than driving time, all nice and steady. A good book, chill out and get prepared for a late finish and a cold dinner.
Since going back onto quarry work 3 years ago i couldn’t be happier, so what if the tautliner brigade don’t like me. I can’t remember the last time i had to sit in a drivers waiting room listening to the know it all’s sprouting rubbish about made up EU directives and comparing how many hours they have driven that week. Find a good company and you won’t be chasing around all day just to get the extra load in.
eagerbeaver:
6; Nickname on a number plate. (Visible through windscreen).
drive around in day-glo orange or bright yellow trousers
They’re a lifesaver. Someone from the MPQC said so to a packed room of sleeping tipper drivers, shortly before showing them a video featuring cyclists.
qualification since it first was dreamt up and I’ve never ever been asked for it. Think of it as FORS for drivers, a useless money maker.
