Dump truck trainees monitor dump truck loading to ensure loads are evenly distributed.
A dump truck trainee walks alongside an expert dump truck driver and learns the proper method of driving and operating a dump truck. When loading, the dump truck trainee watches to make sure the load is placed on the truck evenly. Tare the dump truck once loaded is also often left to the apprentice. Once the truck arrives at the landfill, there are a number of things that need to be done, such as checking for obstructions, hazards, and power lines. A dump truck apprentice typically needs to complete classroom training as well as many hours walking with a qualified instructor/trainer before being allowed to drive a dump truck alone.
Many dump truck interns must pass a written exam, even if they have already taken classes on the job.
One of the first things a dump truck trainee usually does is read a company policy manual on dump truck drivers. Some companies require the driver to take an exam, regardless of whether the intern has graduated from a driving school or course. Once satisfied with the trainee’s abilities, a qualified training driver is assigned. Learning the preoperative check is the first of several tasks that the dump truck trainee will learn. From the first meeting with the training driver, the trainee is usually responsible for the maintenance and control of the dump truck.
It is common for the driver-in-training to plan all deliveries, making sure to avoid low overpasses, weight-restricted roads, and other hazards that may exist along the route. While going somewhere, the trainer often asks the trainee questions about how things should be done. Much of the training is based on repetitive actions that become second nature to the student. Much of the critical training takes place when the dump truck arrives at the landfill.
Some of the most important training for any dump truck intern has to do with getting into a busy dump site. There are several potential hazards in any location and the dump truck learner should always check for each one at all times. Power lines are of great importance due to the height of the dump truck and the increase in height as the dump truck goes up to unload product. Many drivers, as well as people on the ground, were killed when a dump truck became entangled in power transmission lines. Obstacles on the ground are another danger the dump truck apprentice faces, with drain fields, sidewalks, and other breakable objects being obstacles to be avoided.