concrete truck driver

Hi Allen, I'm not sure about Tenn. but in Wis. it seems to pay more than a dump truck driver, which is high teens/ hr. as it is more of a skilled job. Be prepared to get messy, as cleanup on a mixer is a lot more than a dump truck, and I've heard of drivers climbing into the drum to chip dried concrete out and those chute extensions aren't light either. And driving a mixer can be pretty tense too, as they are very unstable.

 

I drove a mixer in Denver for a few years. I think my first year I made over $55K. It can be fun but long hours as well. A lot of Ready Mix companies have great benefits too. You can also grow and get into batching concrete running a loader etc. Most companies will hire someone to come in and chip out your drum. Its a confined space and there are a lot of regulations so I would not worry about that being part of your duties.

 

We make mid to high teens in Arkansas. Semi retired is right, be ready to get dirty every day. Add on chutes can be up to 50 lbs, but your company may have aluminum chutes, which only weigh around 20. My company hires private contractors to come hammer out our drums about once per year so we don't have to worry about that.
The best advise I can give you is keep slow and steady. Your load has a high center of gravity, and is liquid enough to surge, but dry enough to shift your truck as the drum turns. Its almost like driving a giant, unbalanced washing machine. There have been 5 trucks turn over in our area in the last year, thankfully none of them ours. Not trying to scare you away, I love what I do. Just want you to get a good idea of what it's like.
PM me if I can help in any way.
Best of luck!

 

Things have sure changed, as I remember, climbing in the drum was the drivers deal. Another plus of concrete, is that it is cool, and cleans up with water, compared to working with asphalt, which is HOT,HOT,HOT!( and nothing cleans asphalt like fuel oil, which is a huge No-No nowadays)

 

Hi teens and 32 hrs guaranteed / week in Houston. I did it as a boy and did great in the summer.....like to starved in the winter. Guarantee was 40 back then.

I was always more concerned about a dry load flipping me than a wet one....and round here they are humping 10 and 11 yd loads with the fold up axle thing. That's a lot of mud!

Good luck.....

 

Hi fireman, yep, I was told driving a cement can is the hardest driving one can do. These front discharge units are better, but still tricky. Unbalanced washing machine, that's great!

 

Hi chalupa, what do you mean by a "dry load"?

 

[QUOTE="semi" retired;4034690]Hi chalupa, what do you mean by a "dry load"?[/QUOTE]

Mix designs for curb or manholes are very dry and chunky. They make the whole truck shift side to side as the drum turns

 

No guarantee here, but you get enough 65-70 hour weeks during the summer to save up for the winter