Charlotte Haye 20th June 2018

Types of Dumper Truck and What You Need to Know

There are a lot of different types of HGV on the road, aside from your typical delivery lorry. In fact, there are over 50 different kinds of HGV, each with their own specific purposes and licence categories. We usually end up focussing on forklifts or delivery lorries, so today we wanted to move away and look at one of the most commonly used HGV’s in the construction and public service sectors – the dumper truck. Whether they’re emptying rubbish bins or delivering materials to build new homes, if you can learn how to drive a dumper truck you’ll never be out of a job. You’ll also have the chance to work on important and constructive jobs that help keep society running smoothly and have a real impact on the lives of people around you. It’s the ultimate in job satisfaction. So here’s what you need to know about dumper trucks.

The Types Of Dumper Truck

The phrase ‘dumper truck’ covers a few different vehicles, all of which are commonly used in the kind of jobs you see advertised on this site and others. These include:

Rigid Dumper Trucks: These trucks are used for larger loads and are particularly good for construction projects because they’re durable and yet fast. This makes getting between construction sites and materials yards a breeze. However, they usually only operate on the open roads, since they aren’t that manoeuvrable in confined spaces.

Articulated Dumper Trucks: Articulated dumper trucks come in once the materials arrive on site. These tough trucks are great for difficult terrain, but they can’t cope with the same heavy loads as rigid dumper trucks. These kinds of trucks need highly skilled operatives, so you’re very unlikely to be hired to drive these without some professional training.

Tracked Dumper Trucks: Tracked dumper trucks are the ideal for rough terrain and difficult weather conditions, so you will see them on construction sites in any scenario. These kinds of trucks can create a safer environment for other vehicles in the area, as they use their huge tracks to flatten the ground as they go. They’re pretty heavily favoured in early stages of construction because of this.

Mini Dumper Trucks: Mini dumper trucks are basically smaller versions of all of the above vehicles, and anyone can hire them as long as they have a category B licence. They’re simple to use and are usually deployed for home and garden projects.

There are other dumper trucks weighing different amounts, and depending on the jobs they do they may need additional licences to operate. But these are the 4 most common types of dumper truck found out and about in the world.

The Licence You Need

Dumper trucks usually only need a CAT B licence to drive – which is a standard part of your driving licence if you passed your test on or after the 1^st of January 1997. But that doesn’t mean you should just hop on one and drive into the sunset. You will still need a CPCS (Construction Plant Competence Scheme) licence to be able to apply for work driving one of these vehicles, ensuring you are safe to drive one. Larger dumper trucks that weigh over 3500kg will need a CAT C licence. This is in line with any other large vehicle, where the licence is dictated by weight. These larger vehicles, needing a CAT C licence as the ones most likely to be needed on a large scale construction site.

What You Could Earn

Driving a dumper truck is an incredibly rewarding experience, especially when you see homes being built or neighbourhoods being cleared up. But it’s a good earner too. A quick look at job listings will show you the range of salaries you can expect to earn as a dumper truck driver, and the demand for them as either as part or as a larger role or their sole responsibility. Drivers who are qualified and ready for the workplace can earn between £23,000 and £35,000 per year for operating a dumper truck.

At Easy as HGV, we love helping new drivers take their first, or even maybe their third or fifth step on the ladder to their dream HGV driving job. Our experts run a wide range of training courses and workshops to help you gain the licence, qualifications and experience you need to start your career as a dumper truck driver. For more information, just get in touch with us today.

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