Mixer Drivers

I think I may have to agree with you.I applied last yr for Ready Mix but after thinken about it glad they didn't hire me.This time of yr you guys work some long hrs.Then after speaking with an ex cement driver,he said I would'nt have liked the job.He's now a security guard for Tyson.Some such as yourself can handle it,but for me its far too much work.

 

Last week I was told I'd be back in the training truck with another driver, turned out to be their #1 company driver with 27 years with the company, this was the guy that held my career with the company in his hands. I was sick with a cold and had a major headache all day but managed to keep a positive attitude and treated it like any other day. Well I must have done well enough because I was told the next day that he had signed off on me and that was the only reason I was continuing with the company. I feel fortunate because this company typically doesn't hire people with zero mixer experience, partially because our area covers mountains and surrounding foothills.

I've found that driving a mixer in the hills to be a quite challenging compared to my OTR experience. The company runs early to mid 2000's Petes with 350 horsepower motors, getting them up some of these hills requires a bit more downshifting speed and lower gears than I ever experienced in my 2013 Frieghtliner with a 500hp Detroit motor. Later in the week I did get a taste of what driving a mixer in a city was about as I got rented out to a company in the valley. It was fast paced and demanding in it's own way, just different, didn't get the feeling of fear I usually get going down a steep grade with a 1000 foot drop off and no guardrail. I felt more comfortable on highways and rolling through city streets than I am in hills but that should change with time. It's nice being home every night and making decent living, pulling it twice what I made OTR. The physical aspect of the job doesn't bother me and I've only run into one hot headed contractor so far but it wasn't nothing I couldn't deal with.

All in all I'm feeling really good about this job and I look forward to going to work everyday.

 

And that is exactly what I did.

He was acting out so poorly that the home owner felt obligated to come over and apologize for his behavior, as well as one of the guys on his crew. Speaking about this to a few of our drivers, this is actually a common occurrence with the guy. I was told that when he's away from finish work he's the nicest guy you could meet but as soon as mud starts pouring he kinda loses it. All in all I did my best as would for anyone else and from my perspective I'm in the customer service business, so I'm expected to put up with whatever they throw at me.

 

Back in the early 90's when I was learning flat work we used a small ( 4-4.5 yards )mixer company. They had a driver we knick named SPLASH because when he got down to the last yard or so he would add a few gal of water and let her rip. Always splashed every where and ran over our forms.

 

I had 22 years for same company made it up to #50 out of 450 drivers. I know what you mean. I drive a dump now and when I got some waiting time I can shut the truck off and enjoy some silence. when in the mixer you could never shut the truck off.

 

Ha ha ha....the other guys ask me why I never shut the truck off and I Tell them I drove some real heaps in the past and if you shut them off with concrete on, you always had to worry they wouldn't restart. Another old habit that showed itself was when I first got in the tri-axle after 15 years in the office, I kept looking in the left mirror to make sure the barrel was turning then the right mirror to make sure the chutes didn't fall off the catwalk. The worst part was that my company is all front discharge now and we haven't run rears in years. It did make me laugh though every time it happened.

 

If you read my earlier replies you'll see I drove a mixer for 20years, then dispatched for 15 years then went to a tri-axle. I have gone to several of our concrete customers and it's been interesting each time. None of them have put 2 & 2 together as far as my past and it's interesting to see some are as miserable as ever even after not seeing them for 15 years. Someone else posted about a guy who is as cool as a cucumber till a mixer appears then he temporarily loses his sanity, it took me years when I was younger to understand this.