It’s one of the most critical roles within the GS&G team - our dump truck drivers! Each of our experienced and highly skilled drivers play a part in our efficient and convenient product delivery. Being able to properly place a Greely Gardening Bag or dump a full load of soil, stone, or mulch right where you need it takes a lot of practice and can save each of our customers a lot of time and effort as you complete your landscaping project. Today we want to showcase our amazing team of drivers and the training, effort, and care they put into their work everyday.
Driving a dump truck is not the same as driving a minivan or pick-up truck. The sheer size of the vehicle, as well as its job-specific functions such as operating the dumpbox, take training to master and operate safely. In Ontario, you must be at least 18 years old and have a DZ or AZ license to drive a dump truck or a tractor trailer (the specific type of license required depends on the exact type of vehicle you will be operating). In order to obtain one of these specialized licenses, a driver must take a training course, as well as pass both knowledge and road tests.
At Greely Sand & Gravel, we ensure that all our drivers have current and applicable qualifications to allow them to safely operate the equipment needed to deliver our products. Each morning, the drivers do a full inspection of the truck they will be driving that day, making sure that everything is in good, working order. At the end of the day, another inspection takes place, and any issues are reported to management, as well as our team of on-site mechanics. Our mechanics work with our drivers and other equipment operators daily to keep the entire Greely Sand & Gravel fleet in excellent shape.
Throughout a typical work day, our drivers will make up to 20 different deliveries from our landscape depots to our customers’ properties. This requires a thorough knowledge of the Ottawa area and the ability to safely operate their vehicle on many types of roadways and alongside different types of traffic including pedestrians, cyclists, and other motor vehicles.
Particularly at this time of year when school is back in session, our drivers are especially vigilant when delivering in highly populated areas or areas that require driving through a school zone. At Greely Sand & Gravel, safety is our top priority, and this extends not only to our team, but to everyone in our community and service area!
There are many different factors at play when our products are delivered to your property. A driver must take into consideration the size of the space where the product will be dumped, any overhanging branches or overhead wires, the amount of space available to complete the delivery, and anything else that might affect the delivery such as a sloped driveway, inclement weather, etc. Our drivers are specially trained to complete deliveries quickly and cleanly in a variety of environments, making the process easy and convenient for our customers. As our drivers gain more experience, they become skilled in tricky deliveries such as delivery to compact urban areas or delivering two products on a split load truck.
Do you have a unique property that might pose some challenges for product delivery? Give our office a call at 613-821-3003 - chances are that some of our drivers have delivered in a similar situation and have expertise that they would be happy to use to help make your project a success! We have been in this business for more than four decades and are honored to use our experience to provide a top notch customer experience.
Here's a great Video of Dave showing us the Dos and Don'ts when you see a truck on the road.
Interested in some of the challenges our delivery drivers face in their day to day work? Watch the video below to learn more about a day in the life of a Greely Sand & Gravel dump truck driver!