Justwannabeme

aren't we all? I am a gal and can go from dozer to grader to backhoe. experience is the key and listening and watching is how to start getting some experience. all the above comments are there to help you. schooling is the better start as any contractor will take you from school before you walk up and say you want to learn. He can't afford to teach you. everyone has a bottom line, you know that best.

please never show up to a site or job with the "i am just here for the paycheck" mentality. Waaaay too many out there that have ruined it for you just starting out. i fyou are coastal California (North of San fran- you can get
great on the job training and experience from the dock workers. any and all equipment and machinery to scare you. go for it!!! Only you can tell yourself 'no'!!!!!

ak302

union and proud!!! local 302 crain operater in alaska. 32.00 + a hr + bens. cant beat that deal.

pappyman

I have my own small contracting company that I started because I already had the equipment to do dirt work....all my equipment is paid for, and it may be older equipment but its ready to work every day because I also do any repairs myself....so the money I make is profit without overhead other then fuel and oil

I charge $75-100 per hour and only have one other employee that works with me

I also do storm cleanup work with my equipment ( Hurricane's, Tornado's ) I bid this type of work by the job and found its good money if your fair with the customer on your bid

I started out with no experience when I bought a Bob Cat to clear some land and the learning curve was costly until I learned to use and not abuse the equipment.....I have hired operators at times but heres my biggest beef about them......"They Break The Equipment" I had one hired operator tell me I need newer equipment so he could work it to the max without it breaking

A good operator knows how to work the equipment and not abuse it......granted some times equipment does break down but abuse will get y'all fired fast because job site break downs are costly

If you have no experience at operating equipment......enroll in a school.....or hire on at a small company as an apprentice and work your way up learn from other operators.....on the job learning is faster then a school and many time you'll learn some tricks of the trade

A slow and cautious operator is a safe operator.....remember you may injury a fellow employee or yourself if you hot-dog with equipment

"Pappy now steps down from the soap box and leaves the building"

catnfool

right on with the "have someone pay you to learn" thing, pappy!! I run a Cat 966f with a 11 yard bucket, and the company pays me for it!!!! lots of fun; I use it to feed bark into my boiler(also paid to learn/get 1st class license). Play with fire and Tonkas, and here, let us pay you too Make sure the company offers a 401k plan- the money you would have pizzed away will buy you a new snowcat when you get old

YZ3500F

just chiming in here local 548 millwright all i have to say is i respect the operators especily when ther flying 20 ton loads into a tank and there compleatly blind and they make more then 15 dollers a hour around here and they desever every penny they make

numba1

I am a operating engineers local union #3, make upwards of 30 dollars an hour,CONCRETE BOOM crane operator run everything 28m to 61m. and normal equipment backhoes,loaders,etc. good job and it pays the bills, and TOYS.

tn hillbilly

I agree. I have been a Seabee for 10 years now. Im a CE(construction electrician) by trade, but operate more equipment than anything. I also grew up operating, but the Seabee's have allowed me more stick time to master the art.

marshall

RickG

I knew some Seabees long ago . They go to Marine boot camp . Back then they already knew how to operate equipment when they enlisted . I know several people that joined an Army National Guard Engineer Battalion for training .

oldmikegraham

You can't go wrong with the Seabee's. An EO1 (DV) at my first command taught me something nobody in my first eighteen years had...you don't always have to like what you are doing, sometime you just have to SHUT THE **** AND DO IT. Maybe that is where "CAN DO" came from!

I wouldn't trade a day of my Seabee experience for anything. Good luck, playing in the dirt is fun!

CowboyDave

I have run the Trencor 1460, 1660, 1760 and the almighty 3000. Just get on and get going. I just started a couple weeks ago and they started me at $50K with no EXP

xtoyz17

Where's this at?

matthopp

I work with a construction company out of Houston that is very primarily does work for energy companies, primarily along the gulf coast. We are always looking for good operators; there is a major labor shortage (well good workers that can pass a drug screen) in the gulf coast region (Houston, Port Arthur, etc).

CowboyDave

Local here in SA, Chapman.

BLACKDODOGE

what company cowboyDave?

CowboyDave

Chapman. filler words