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Dozer to haul truck

Dozerman521

New Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2020
Messages
1
Location
North Carolina
So my boss had me go to a new jobsite to run a haul truck for a few day and then that turned into a week now it looks like I'm running it until further notice because they dont need anymore dozer ops on that site just wondering how long should I stay with the company if they aren't going to put me back in the seat of the dozer or how do I tell my boss either put me in a dozer or I'm leaving
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,257
Location
Canada
Do you have a contract that specifically says you'll only run dozers? When I used to work in shop the general rule was that nobody was over qualified to sweep the floor and clean up. Millions are out of work, be glad you still can work. I'm with Crane Op, if I was the boss I'd show you the door.
 

epirbalex

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2017
Messages
548
Location
Akitio
Occupation
peasant
So my boss had me go to a new jobsite to run a haul truck for a few day and then that turned into a week now it looks like I'm running it until further notice because they dont need anymore dozer ops on that site just wondering how long should I stay with the company if they aren't going to put me back in the seat of the dozer or how do I tell my boss either put me in a dozer or I'm leaving
you are lucky your employer was prepared to re-deploy you . I would be making myself very useful currently , in a couple of months it will be a very different world .
 

Mother Deuce

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2016
Messages
1,603
Location
New England
So my boss had me go to a new jobsite to run a haul truck for a few day and then that turned into a week now it looks like I'm running it until further notice because they dont need anymore dozer ops on that site just wondering how long should I stay with the company if they aren't going to put me back in the seat of the dozer or how do I tell my boss either put me in a dozer or I'm leaving
There is in the mining industry some sort of mindset (particularly in truck drivers) that being anything else except a haulage operator is better. It results in a clamor every time jobs come up for bid. Most of the haulage staff is killing themselves to get out of the trucks in to a support machine or shovel. A good haulage operator is few and far between. There are a lot of people that think they can do it and they can to a point. They can run the truck safely and get back to the berm and square up enough to dump it. I was blessed with 5 real live professional haul truck operators who loved the job and excelled at it. When I was not at the dump face I would wait until one of those people showed up on the dump and I could say "Aaron start me a new one and he would with out error start a new set in exactly the right spot with out benefit of chasing other peoples tracks. Then the rest could chase his tracks to the berm. Any of those 5 or 6 could blow out a spread that was the best you could expect out of a 793. Aaron passed away recently and hopefully the dump operator in that pit has the skilled bit of staff I had. They made my job easier by knowing what I was doing and learning how I did it.
Long live the professional haul truck driver!
 

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
9,342
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
I watched boss's for many years switch employees around on different machines for the simple reason he knew their capabilities.
If you were marginal at what you were running you were going to be the first one to get "demoted", after that came a layoff.
Be content that you still have a job dozerman, you may not be as good on a dozer as you think you are. Or you may be good on one but your attitude sucks.
I saw hundreds of operators go through what you are now.
The real measure of how good you are in the eyes of a boss is if you are the first or last to get called back to work after a layoff.
 

Tinkerer

Senior Member
Joined
May 21, 2009
Messages
9,342
Location
The shore of the illinois river USA
You're a more versatile employee when you can do what ever needs to be done. Someone gets sick you can fill in, something unexpected comes up and you can hop in a different machine to get it done.
Very true Dave,
Most idiots referred to employees that were top notch operators, company suck a##es. They just didn't understand why they were last to get hired and the first to get laid off.
 

Welder Dave

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2014
Messages
12,257
Location
Canada
Some places have rules that can be stupid. Simple Hyd. hose blows but instead of operator fixing it and getting back to work, a mechanic has to be called out to fix it and takes twice as long.
 

Ronsii

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
3,464
Location
Western Washington
Occupation
s/e Heavy equipment operator
Some places have rules that can be stupid. Simple Hyd. hose blows but instead of operator fixing it and getting back to work, a mechanic has to be called out to fix it and takes twice as long.
In the good ole days.... you know when people/operators actually knew something other than how to turn the key on the dozer ;) people had some common sense and knew how to change a line... maybe even properly... without injuring themselves or others or the equipment... but these days I don't think I'd trust an operator to change the lines to a steering cylinder let alone a boom or something like that:eek:
 

cuttin edge

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2014
Messages
2,692
Location
NB Canada
Occupation
Finish grader operator
I'm a fine grade grader operator, and I still rake and shovel asphalt. Summer before last, I luted 61 metric tonne by hand one hot day, while 6 guys with shovels slopped it around then stood and watched me. A few of them laughed at me sweating my arse off. I just said it's just a smaller grader, and I'm still making the same money. Work is work, and most companies can't or won't pay you to sit around if there is no work for your skillset.
 

highwayghost

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2019
Messages
315
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Occupation
Emissions Analyst
My boss knows I will do ANY job he gives me. I am often put in the worst positions because they count on me to do it without complaints. Makes their job easier because they can get down to business and not waste time with the 'whiners'. Things have been tight for our company for a while now. The present world is not making it any better. I was told I would get laid off last October, but was keep working. Others, not so lucky. Was told two weeks ago about a 'maybe' layoff, still working. I told the boss that if he needs to lay me off and keep the younger ones with family and payments working, I would be OK. Still working. If the management can put you in any job, you will be hard to replace. They know that, even if they may not say it. I'm there for the paycheck, not an ego trip.
 
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CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,248
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Welcome to the Forums Dozerman521!

I agree with the others - just be glad you are working. Two weeks ago my inbox was filled with bid invitations, today it's empty....:cool:

We are very, very fortunate to have landed a large public job that already has funding in place or I would be nervous as a whore in church right now.

Who knows what the next 6 months to 1 year will look like for the construction industry. Will private owners go forward with projects or table them? Will public entities see a funding cut due to a drastic drop in tax revenue due to CV19 and post pone projects?
 

BigWrench55

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2018
Messages
1,176
Location
Somewhere
It's simple. Who's name is on the paycheck. if it's your company then pick and choose the jobs that you want. Since it isn't your company then do what they ask. Put your ego aside and look at from their perspective. It took me most of my career to be a can do employee. Do I always like what is asked of me? The short answer is hell no. Do I complain? You bet I do. But I complain to myself and my God and get to work. If your employer knows that he can count on you when circumstances change then you will get the work and hours. If he can't depend on you then when the dozer breaks down or when there isn't any dozer work then you get sent home. With a attitude like that he is probably making you uncomfortable on purpose and trying to get you mad enough to quit. Don't be so arrogant and think that you can't be replaced because you are good at what you do. I have to keep that in check every day because I am good at what I do and I have been replaced because of my poor attitude. The ball is in your court do what you think is best for your family.
 
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