i've driven semis otr for almost 20 years and now i'm looking for something local. while waiting for a local driving job i hired on with a temp agency doing general labor. ironically, someone from a construction company called the temp agency to ask if they have anyone who can drive a water truck. i have a cdl and i've glanced at the tanker portion of the cdl manual. it seems pretty easy to get the tanker endorsement. and i think the basic driving part of the job wouldn't be too hard- take curves nice and easy, don't accelerate or brake too fast, etc. but i'm wondering what else is involved. can i walk into the job without any experience and kind of bs my way through or am i likely to make some pretty nasty mistakes? the pay is extremely good and i would hate to turn down the job if there was any chance i could do it. any tips from drivers with water truck experience would be greatly appreciated!

I can tell you this. There is a good chance of you going home the first time it rains. If your on a construction site and with the economy the way it is good luck. I have very little water truck experience, but I have been running a boom truck for almost ten years on job sites so I have been around it. Driving has little to do with running a water truck. You have to know dirt and how much water to put down for what ever they are doing. To much water is bad you can shut a job down by to much, it's better to put to little down than not enough you can always make another pass. Will you be on finish grade, or undrground construction? If your just keeping the dust down use your rear sprays (don't ask me why I just herd that from others) . Don't make a mess. If you have any comon scense you can probly figrue it out. It takes thick skin to be a water truck driver because most the time you have to put up with upity heavy equipment operators that will be testing you. Some are realy good people others are not. If you tell them your an old hand at a water truck they will know it before you get in the truck. The best thing to do is tell them the truth. That you have ooddlls of experiance just not on a water truck. Tell them that you want to learn, that you are not lazy and are willing to get out of the truck and work if need be, whatever it takes. A lot of it is if they like you and want to put up training you. Go for it it can't hurt. I hope this helps keep in touch and let us know how it goes.

low pay and you get to work holidays, and weekends