Cement Trucks

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by Mike2633, Mar 29, 2015.

  1. Mike2633

    Mike2633 Road Train Member

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    Hi guys,
    I'm a former beer truck driver who got into the world of broad line food service and while they have similarities they also have differences and I'm kind of getting worn out on the entire 2 wheeler delivery game in general I think it's ran it's course with me.

    I saw a local job for a cement truck driver and I'm wondering can any of you guys tell me about the concrete business, it interests me and I'm kind of looking forward to going back to a smaller company. I understand construction has ups and downs in work, this doesn't bother me though as I have a passenger bus endorsement so I can do something with that weather it be drive a limo or limo bus during the slow times or drive charter buses part time during the cement truck companies slow time. At any rate I know concrete is perishable and things like that, but usually concrete compared to other freight isn't really transported extremely far distances.
     
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  3. Lite bug

    Lite bug Road Train Member

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    I drove mixer truck in the early 90s. From the plant to the job site. Depending on your location it could be year- round. They put retardant in the summer and accelerant in the winter so it cures properly. I liked running the mixer truck, they are always ready when you get there.
     
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  4. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    Hi Mike, don't feel bad, we all burn out on the 2 wheel delivery thing. Driving a mixer isn't the worst job out there. Some lifting of the chutes and hosing the thing down or maybe go in the drum to chip out some material, but the guys you deliver to do all the hard work. Another plus, is cement is cool, not like asphalt on a 95 degree day. Like you said, most runs in a mixer are close by, so you are usually local. I'd go for it, you might like it.
     
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  5. Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    I've worked side by side with Redi-mix trucks (Redi-mix is the official name) Just knowing this might impress a potential manager ! Anyway, yes, it's local work, but be advised those mixers are hard on the kidneys and you may have to do night work at times. carry your lunch, because you ain't stopping at T. Bell when there's "Mud" in the barrel ! Access to job sites can be a little tricky too. But it is hourly as well as seasonal.
     
  6. Mike2633

    Mike2633 Road Train Member

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    You know it sucks I think I may have made a mistake leaving the beer truck company I was working for the whole thing I felt very neutral over delivering beer I didn't love it, but didn't hate it either it did nothing for me. I went over to what I thought was and does have a good reputation as far as companies go in the broad line food service world, but our yard is a totally different story and it's not all bad, but there's some aspects I don't like. I'll be brutally honest we have some stops that require you to back into a parking garage off of a busy city street down town and then ally dock to try and hit the dock and that's not easy even for drivers who are way better then me. I've had great trouble with that stop and it's not cool. Also I don't care for driving tractor trailers underneath buildings in the parking garages and wiggling around throwing the freezer section out of the side door then repositioning and backing back into the dock. Then once you get there all the invoices with this number go here and all the invoices with that number go there, I don't like that either.

    I never had that delivering beer and all of that is becoming a deal breaker for me. We make good money delivering food, but it's a pain and I'm not happy and to me being happy is more important, the cement truck company won't pay as much as what I made doing food I know this, but the money it pays probably is probably greater then or equal to what I made delivering beer and that I can live with. Plus it had benefits, so I'm kind of like why not?

    I haven't really worked in the construction industry, but the driving part wouldn't be as bad, I mean I can shift gears better now then I used to be able to ha-ha! (If the trucks were autos that would be even better, but I won't hold my breath ha-ha :biggrin_255: as long as it's a auto or 10 speed though were good ha-ha!)

    I don't know what cement trucks are transmission wise probably like every heavy truck it's everything under the sun considering the entire industry is in change over mode like or not my Class B is real rusty, but I welcome the change being out side and not having to worry about this product or a credit here or credit there or any other BS that comes along. Most of the time I've seen cement trucks usually just run back and fourth to the same job site all day. I bet there hours very as well probably long days one day and shorter days the next. We start early in the morning delivering food and probably the cement trucks start early too, but not as early as us I bet.

    I also wonder if you know cement trucks get to a job site and there's a delay or something and you're just sitting there chilling getting paid while the construction crew tries to figure out what they want to do.


    I did apply for a job working at Dayton Freight, I want a job that I can live with, I mean I could have stayed doing beer it was okay, but it was a grind and doing food god bless the people who do it for years on end, but it's even more of a grind and it pays good, but that being said it doesn't pay any better then like LTL linehaul jobs actually front load garbage truck drivers make as much as food service drivers so to me it's kind of why am I staying here?

    Don't get me wrong cleaning out the chute and lifting a heavy thing here or there, that's fine
     
  7. Mike2633

    Mike2633 Road Train Member

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    We don't stop doing food service either ha-ha!
     
  8. OldHasBeen

    OldHasBeen Road Train Member

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    My 1st driving job was a ready-mix truck, way back yonder. It was a pretty good job, paid by the hour, and year around got in lots of hours. We usually worked half-a-day on Saturdays, usually servicing the truck we drove so it would be ready for the next week.
     
  9. EHB

    EHB Medium Load Member

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    Ya just to remember a few things:

    The product is a hell of a lot heavy then food or beer put together, it's liquid rock.

    And very perishable(4 to 8 hours max)

    Keep the drum turning and the product slightly damp.

    Hose down any thing the cement touches on the truck after every delivery.

    Keep the water tank full.

    If the product gets hard... your going to have a very long and bad day.. or your going to get fired.

    Clean out the drum very well with lots of water,
    Any left over cement will go hard as a rock and is very impossible to remove unless your the one crawing in the drum a jackhammer

    Check your breaks multi times a day,
    Cement is very heavy and can a major problems if your parked on a hill and the are not adjusted correctly.

    A run-a-way cement mixer is not what you ever want on your hands, in any way or form.
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2015
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  10. FreightlinerGuy

    FreightlinerGuy Medium Load Member

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    Awe, man! I was enjoying reading your posts about the food service journey. It doesn't take long for it to run its course, especially when its been a rough winter. Stone cold stubbed fingers, beard with tiny icicles.. I know that game.. Former beverage driver.. Around here the beer guys had it easy compared to us pop guys.. The beer guys didn't have to stock coolers.. Just scoop it off in the cooler.. You would probably enjoy any other driving job versus food and beverage.. I still can feel my stubbed fingers and sore knees!
     
  11. Mike2633

    Mike2633 Road Train Member

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    Yeah I think I'm going to pass on cement truck. I'm not leaving the food business yet I may not have given it a fair shot, but that being said ehh it's not doing it for me. I'm about ready to apply for a linehaul job and do that. I was a beer truck driver first and I was very neutral about that whole job I mean it was okay, but it wasn't anything I wanted to do for 30 years, but it wasn't that bad and I could have stuck it out longer. I don't know I'm so confused right now, I got into this because I wanted to be out in the world and out on the road. I know line haul generally runs at night and I guess that's alright. Probably what I should be applying for. It's probably what fits me best.
     
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