Septic Hauling!!!!

I'll describe my job... Fresh out of school last year this was the only job that would give me a chance as a newbie besides OTR. I took this so I could have a life. I get paid $16 an hour plus lots of OT so I usually take home about $800 a week. It's hard work friends. I live in a very dry region out west and lemme say digging 3 feet sometimes through granite or chockrock with a jackhammer to access a lid is pure hell especially when it's close to 100 degrees. Once I find the lids, I use water and my s*** stick to break up the floating mat to make it easier to pump out the solids on the inlet side of the tank. Once the solids are skimmed off the top you pump out all of the remaining water and sludge on the bottom from both sides. You must always check the tanks for corrosion(concrete), rotting(redwoods), collapsing(plastic and fiberglass) and make sure the drainfield(s) are functioning and other routine inspections. Like it was said risers make the digging much easier. Some weeks I never touch a shovel, some it seems like every job I do. I drive a 2006 Sterling 10 speed with a Mercedes engine and 4000 gallon tank. You should really see where we drive these trucks! Septic systems are most common in rural areas so you can only imagine the off the grid places you'll have to navigate. I take my truck to places cars have trouble negotiating. But I take pride in my company and each job I take seriously. I love rolling up to a job with a truck I polish everynight bc your typical septic truck looks as bad as what it's hauling! But all companies are different. I know a few here that require the customer to expose the tank and just pump and go. We also run a transfer dump truck rig for drainrock and sand etc and install tanks and drainfields. It's a huge construction business and a lot is going on underground. Like any job its difficult but at least I'm getting A LOT of exercise instead of driving 11 hours a day. I say go for it.

 

know how ya drive those septic suckers? Fast !!!

 

i got a question what brand trailer do you guys used?

 

Well here is the "liquid" side. We use pressurized tankers. You can see the vac line running down right side there. We dont have on board pumps some do. For the "cake" just any ol dump will work. Took photos of plaques so if you could get a idea of what they are all about.

 

Yep that's where I got my cdl a started off hauling port a potties on a f350 flatbed at age 18 then got my permit and they trained me on tractor trailer left two months later cause of all the crap lol

 

thanks man

 

Your welcome! But I am not a dude.

 

I know this is a slightly old thread but I been doin the whole honey wagon thing for around 4yrs now & no it isnt a lovely life nor anything ya wanna talk much about to most folks but its a job not many want and it pays well if I can say so myself. Now I dont do the whole truck & tanker trailer thing I drive a class B 98 mack triple axle w/ a drop axle holding around 5,000gls. We do ok so far as payday, we bring in around 560.00-1,500 depending on the week weve had, I also do drain cleaning when i'm not doin tanks, I clean main sewers, tanks, residential, commercial, sewer jetting & then some. We work off commission and hourly wages & they take care of us very well monetarily. But thats not to say im not always lookin for better opportunities as I would give anything to get out of Ohio, I cannot stand it here & wanna relocate out west or down south. So enuff of my lip for now, talk at ya soon, cheers friends.

 

I'm trying to get in driving a septic truck near Sonora, CA. I have my class A, but only non-cdl straight truck experience and driving lavatory service trucks in the Air Force. What endorsements would I need? Just tanker?

 

I am looking into driving a septic truck. I am 21 years old and live in NY: are my options good? I will have no experience driving before hand. How do you even become a septic truck driver?