Which is a tougher job: OTR driver or heavy-equipment operator?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by TomCougar, Feb 29, 2020.

  1. 201

    201 Road Train Member

    11,168
    22,654
    Apr 16, 2014
    high plains colorado
    0
    Running heavy equipment is one of the most boring jobs. The only plus about it, is at 3:30, you get to go home, and do the exact same thing the next day. Now grades are all laser guides, so all you do, basically, is forward and reverse. I stayed with a truck.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. TomCougar

    TomCougar Light Load Member

    180
    146
    Sep 4, 2019
    Lawton, OK
    0
    Didn't they used to use a surveying instrument on a tripod for grades?
     
    homeskillet Thanks this.
  4. Michael 247

    Michael 247 Heavy Load Member

    767
    3,509
    Nov 20, 2017
    Dublin Va
    0
    Yes..Now you have an up arrow and a down arrow..Just raise or lower the blade..Even I could could cut grade now.LOL
     
  5. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

    19,660
    130,552
    Apr 26, 2013
    Gettin' down westbound
    0
    Well u work for swift how hard could it be :rolleyes:
     
    Brettj3876, FerrissWheel and G13Tomcat Thank this.
  6. D.Tibbitt

    D.Tibbitt Road Train Member

    19,660
    130,552
    Apr 26, 2013
    Gettin' down westbound
    0
    Yes u have a boss in ur face dogging u while in the truck. Fall off a flatbed or on top of the freight u are seriously injured if not dead. All the morons on the road create a dangerous situation . Equipment operation is in a controlled predictable enviroment. Otr is one of the dangerous jobs u can do , we risk our lives everyday with all the dumb####s around us wanting a payout. This is one of the least physically intense job i have ever worked , but to say it is a cush job is just ignorant , there is more stress and frustration than any job i ever worked , and more mental challenge than most jobs. Well some of u guys that just do drop and hook for mega carrriers and sleep for 15 hours everyday yeah its pretty easy but some of us actually have to work for a livin
     
  7. TomCougar

    TomCougar Light Load Member

    180
    146
    Sep 4, 2019
    Lawton, OK
    0
    When I say "cush" I mean strictly physical. It's like the air force vs the army to make an analogy of truck driving vs heavy junk, dozers, loaders, graders and stuff. Would you like to be a pilot in a C5 cargo plane or a soldier with a rifle in a freezing and wet foxhole? My brain, having a college associates degree already, can take a pounding much better than my body can. I would not drive flatbed anyhow: only those dry-vans and reefers. I'm age 55 now. I'm prone to heat injuries and cold injuries from exposure to extreme weather. I have entry in to OTR driving in mind with megas. Flatbed is for those strong and bold young soldiers. I'm ex-army myself. I'm not the bold strong young troop I was 30 years ago. Father time and mother nature has gotten the better half of my body.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2020
    Coffey, Doealex and Flat Earth Trucker Thank this.
  8. 201

    201 Road Train Member

    11,168
    22,654
    Apr 16, 2014
    high plains colorado
    0
    There are some equipment jobs that are ok, like the roller dude on an asphalt crew( if you can handle the vibration all day), or a backhoe or trencher does different jobs, but I tried dozer, those "clopping" tracks all day, front end loader, feeding a belt or loading dump trucks, excavator too, diggin' a hole, or earth movers, around and around, it's not much better than a factory job, except you're outside, and days off when it rains, and laid off in the winter, and home to watch the kids baseball game, are all big pluses.
     
    FerrissWheel, G13Tomcat and D.Tibbitt Thank this.
  9. REO6205

    REO6205 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    12,586
    56,871
    Feb 15, 2014
    California.
    0
  10. MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

    45,836
    200,275
    Sep 19, 2005
    Baltimore, MD
    0
    Nobody from the white Volvo crowd will be driving a dozer or a track loader with one foot on the dash and a cell phone in one hand in front of his face. That requires the use of all your appendages.
     
  11. AModelCat

    AModelCat Road Train Member

    27,627
    144,553
    Jul 7, 2015
    Canuckistan
    0
    I'd run a D11 or 24M over a truck any day. Grader and dozer are way more fun the trucks.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.