My journey to become a heavy haul driver

Time for an update on my new job. I am use to moving smaller equipment like 210 excavators so making the jump to hauling a 450 excavator on my first day was a little daunting. Especially considering I never side loaded before either. Factor in that my trainer is hispanic and struggled with explaining things in english. So after two weeks, I wasn't where I felt I should be. I asked to go with another driver and I learnt more in that one day with someone who could explain things in english.

I was use to unhooking and driving machines on so I had to get use to using my feet to control the forward / reverse levers while using my hands to control the stick. Well the dispatcher decided to move the rollback driver into a truck and put me into the rollback.

PATIENCE YOUNG GRASSHOPPER

I was disappointed but didn't complain because the pay was the same and I liked not having to commute to work. A bonus was that if we don't have a load, we are on standby and can do whatever we want. So because I was in the rollback, I'd get to go home and spend time with the kids and get paid.

Well two weeks ago, a driver left because he didn't renew his work visa and he lost his cdl. Well our remote in the rollback is broke so I asked if I could use a truck and trailer to do my moves. My boss agreed. So I started off hauling the equipment that I use to haul on the rollback and now they have me hauling pretty much everything.

I'm glad I stuck it out and didn't complain.

 

Some pics

 

No, we didn't side load that machine but we side load 90% of our dozers / excavators.

 

One thing I have to say is Thank You. I would have never made it in this industry if it wasn't for other drivers. So many of you have taken me under your wing and helped me learn the business. From the 76 year old that first helped me get the job by going to bat for me. And the others that seen I was green and didn't know what I was doing but seen that I was willing to watch them and learn, every progression I have made was because another driver helped me get there.

They knew I didn't know better but that I wanted to be better. To this day, I am still learning and everyday another driver is teaching me something new.

I completely subscribe to the there is no stupid question except a question you don't ask mentality.

 

I had a couple of firsts last week. I was picking up a 290 excavator at a job site where there was no crew. It was a 4 lane road with 2 closed for construction. So I had to load in one lane and close all lanes while I side load it.

When I had it almost all the way pivoted, I was off balance and so one track fell off. So here I am blocking both of the lanes and I'm in a jam. Prior, I haven't been that good at pushing down with the shovel and raising it, then twisting it.

Well there is a busy fire station about a 1/4 mile away. Luckily, under pressure, it all clicked for me, I seen that I had to drive a little more off the trailer to give myself room to twist at the right angle. I lift the one side up and twist, VOILA! I'm back on the trailer and then I go and do the same thing at the other corner and get it straightened out within a couple of minutes and traffic was flowing again.

I felt proud that I was able to fix my mistake quickly before traffic got pissed off.

The other drivers side load the 544's, so last week I hauled a 444, so I figured that would be easier to learn on. I got it no problem. The next day I hauled a Volvo 980 loader and when I was going to drop it off, I thought I'd try side unload it. Nope, too tight of a squeeze for my comfort level. Figured I better practice on the 544's first.

Also they welded a steel plate at the front of my trailer covering up the middle so I can haul the rumblestrip machine. They use to haul it on the rollback because its a 3 wheeler and too heavy for hardwood planks on an rgn on the middle tire. So now I will be the person responsible for moving that machine. Another driver helped me move it yesterday but now that I've moved it twice, I can do it on my own.

I feel like I'm learning everyday and constantly getting new experiences.