Mixer Concrete Truck Driver
Topic 6834 | Page 1
Hey Christopher, I hope this gig works out for you. I understand why people will decide that OTR is not for them - I happen to love the lifestyle, but I also recognize the pitfalls of it and can completely understand why a person would decide against it.
I've a fair amount of experience with concrete work myself. In my sign business I had to calculate the concrete yardage, PSI, and slump for the various pier hole foundations we would put in. Sometimes we were required to have an engineer's stamp on the drawings we would submit for permits with soil load bearing calculations and wind loads so that we would know how large a diameter and how deep our pier holes needed to be for the particular area where we were installing.
I've never driven a mixer, but I have talked to a lot of the drivers that I came in contact with. Here's the one thing that I have always come away with: Dump trucks and Concrete trucks will give you a brand new appreciation for what is considered a safe following distance. Those trucks will often carry just as much or more weight than an eighteen wheeler, yet they have less brakes.
That's the only input I know to give. Watch your following distance with great care - those things do not stop on a dime, always allow some extra room ahead of you and keep your eyes on the lookout to what is going on around you. I wish you the best at your new job!
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
BMI:
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:
- Underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass
- Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit
It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Hey Christopher, I hope this gig works out for you. I understand why people will decide that OTR is not for them - I happen to love the lifestyle, but I also recognize the pitfalls of it and can completely understand why a person would decide against it.
I've a fair amount of experience with concrete work myself. In my sign business I had to calculate the concrete yardage, PSI, and slump for the various pier hole foundations we would put in. Sometimes we were required to have an engineer's stamp on the drawings we would submit for permits with soil load bearing calculations and wind loads so that we would know how large a diameter and how deep our pier holes needed to be for the particular area where we were installing.
I've never driven a mixer, but I have talked to a lot of the drivers that I came in contact with. Here's the one thing that I have always come away with: Dump trucks and Concrete trucks will give you a brand new appreciation for what is considered a safe following distance. Those trucks will often carry just as much or more weight than an eighteen wheeler, yet they have less brakes.
That's the only input I know to give. Watch your following distance with great care - those things do not stop on a dime, always allow some extra room ahead of you and keep your eyes on the lookout to what is going on around you. I wish you the best at your new job!
Thanks Old School great advice will do be safe out there
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
BMI:
Body mass index (BMI)
BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat. For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. The BMI's biggest weakness is that it doesn't consider individual factors such as bone or muscle mass. BMI may:
- Underestimate body fat for older adults or other people with low muscle mass
- Overestimate body fat for people who are very muscular and physically fit
It's quite common, especially for men, to fall into the "overweight" category if you happen to be stronger than average. If you're pretty strong but in good shape then pay no attention.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
That drum will turn slow while you are driving. If you turn it too fast then the concrete can stay higher on the drum and that is when you get the rocking motion. It looks high but your center of gravity is really very low compared to other trucks.
That drum will turn slow while you are driving. If you turn it too fast then the concrete can stay higher on the drum and that is when you get the rocking motion. It looks high but your center of gravity is really very low compared to other trucks.
Thanks Pat
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Hey T&T supporters just wondering if any of you have driven a mixer as I will be starting on Monday. I did the 3 months over the road and found out it was not for me and 6 years out of my life was as a tester for concrete cores and driving heavy equipment for a sand & gravel company here in AZ. I am looking forward to this opportunity and would like some feed back if any of you have done this before I already have an advantage as I know how to eyeball slumps just a little worried about the high center of gravity and the drum in charge while driving.
Over The Road:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.