Experienced Class A CDL Driver / Heavy Equipment Hauler – Lowboy, Hydraulic Tail & Dump Trucks
Vaca Valley Excavating & Trucking – Vacaville, CA
Full-Time | Primarily Local / Short-Haul | Home Daily
Experienced Equipment Haulers Only
This is not an entry-level CDL position.
Vaca Valley Excavating & Trucking is seeking an experienced Class A CDL Driver / Heavy Equipment Hauler who is already capable of safely loading, securing, transporting, and unloading heavy construction equipment.
The primary need for this position is a driver who can independently and safely move construction equipment using our equipment-hauling trailers:
- Trail King TKHT hydraulic-tail trailer
- Cozad 35-ton / 70,000-lb, 8-tire, 46-foot lowboy trailer
Applicants do not need prior experience with these exact trailer models, but practical heavy-equipment hauling experience with hydraulic-tail, lowboy, or comparable equipment trailers is required.
Applicants must have a minimum of two years of Class A commercial driving experience.
If you hold a Class A CDL but have not previously loaded, secured, transported, and unloaded heavy construction equipment, please do not apply.
We will familiarize the successful candidate with our specific trucks, trailers, equipment, and company procedures. However, we are looking for an experienced equipment hauler and do not intend to provide basic training in heavy-equipment loading, securement, or transportation.
Position Overview
The primary responsibility of this position is safely moving heavy construction equipment between our yard, active construction projects, plants, staging areas, and other locations.
The driver must have the experience and judgment necessary to handle the complete equipment move, including:
- Evaluating the equipment and trailer combination
- Positioning the truck and trailer for loading
- Loading equipment safely
- Determining proper equipment placement and weight distribution
- Properly securing the equipment
- Checking dimensions and clearances
- Transporting the equipment safely
- Maneuvering into active construction sites
- Safely unloading at the destination
This driver will also operate other trucks within our fleet when equipment moves are not required.
Heavy Equipment Hauling Responsibilities
Responsibilities include:
- Safely operate tractors pulling our Trail King TKHT hydraulic-tail trailer
- Safely operate our Cozad 35-ton / 70,000-lb lowboy
- Load and unload heavy construction equipment
- Properly position equipment based on weight, dimensions, axle loading, trailer configuration, and safe weight distribution
- Select appropriate equipment tie-down and securement points
- Properly install and tension chains, binders, and other approved securement devices
- Inspect and recheck equipment securement before and during transportation as required
- Understand and comply with applicable cargo-securement requirements
- Recognize equipment height, width, length, weight, and clearance considerations
- Recognize when equipment dimensions or weight may require additional routing, permitting, or transportation requirements
- Safely maneuver equipment trailers in construction yards, jobsites, plants, pits, and other confined or unimproved locations
- Evaluate loading and unloading areas for ground conditions, clearance, traffic, and other hazards
- Coordinate equipment moves with operators, foremen, dispatch, project personnel, and other drivers
- Identify unsafe loading, securement, equipment, trailer, or transportation conditions before proceeding
- Perform required pre-trip, post-trip, trailer, and load inspections
- Promptly report mechanical defects, damage, and safety concerns
Equipment We Transport
Applicants should have experience transporting heavy construction equipment such as:
- Excavators
- Loaders
- Dozers
- Scrapers
- Motor graders
- Crushers
- Compactors
- Skid steers
- Other heavy construction and excavation equipment
Experience with oversize or overweight equipment moves, specialized securement, permitting, and routing is a strong plus.
Dump Truck & Material Hauling
This is not exclusively an equipment-hauling position.
When equipment moves are not required, the driver will work with the rest of our trucking operation and may operate:
- Transfer trucks
- End dumps
- Super dumps
Material-hauling duties may include transporting:
- Aggregate
- Rock
- Sand
- Soil
- Asphalt
- Demolition material
- Other construction materials
Most material hauling is between local jobsites, plants, pits, staging areas, and disposal facilities.
Previous experience with transfer trucks, end dumps, super dumps, aggregate hauling, or construction-material hauling is strongly preferred.
Minimum Qualifications
Applicants must have:
- Valid Class A Commercial Driver's License
- Minimum two years of Class A commercial driving experience
- Previous heavy-equipment hauling experience
- Practical experience using lowboy, hydraulic-tail, or comparable heavy-equipment trailers
- Demonstrated ability to safely load and unload heavy construction equipment
- Working knowledge of equipment positioning and weight distribution
- Working knowledge of chains, binders, tie-down points, and proper cargo securement
- Experience maneuvering tractor-trailer combinations in confined construction environments
- Ability and experience operating manual-transmission Class A commercial vehicles, including 13-speed transmissions
- Ability to meet applicable DOT/FMCSA driver qualification and medical certification requirements
- A driving record that meets applicable regulatory, company, and insurance requirements
- Ability to perform thorough truck, trailer, and load inspections
- Strong communication skills
- Dependable attendance and punctuality
- Ability to work independently when necessary
- Ability to work effectively as part of a construction team
- Ability, with or without reasonable accommodation, to perform the essential functions of the position
Preferred Experience
Strong preference will be given to applicants with experience in several of the following:
- Lowboy equipment hauling
- Hydraulic-tail equipment trailers
- Trail King or similar hydraulic-tail trailers
- Cozad or similar heavy-equipment trailers
- Oversize or overweight equipment moves
- Transfer trucks
- End dumps
- Super dumps
- Manual-transmission heavy trucks
- Aggregate hauling
- Construction-material hauling
- Excavation or heavy-civil construction
Previous experience working around excavation, underground utilities, grading, paving, site development, or heavy construction operations is highly desirable.
Schedule
This is a full-time, five-day-per-week position.
Our work follows a routine weekly schedule, but daily start and finish times vary based on equipment moves and project requirements.
Drivers must be available for:
- Start times as early as approximately 4:00–5:00 AM
- Occasional workdays extending until approximately 5:00–6:00 PM
- Schedule adjustments based on project and equipment-move requirements
All driving and work schedules are subject to applicable DOT/FMCSA hours-of-service requirements.
Our trucking operations are primarily local and short-haul, and drivers are typically home daily.
The Driver We're Looking For
We are looking for more than someone who simply holds a Class A CDL.
The right candidate is an experienced construction driver and equipment hauler who can be assigned an equipment move and has the practical knowledge and judgment to safely carry it out.
We want someone who can evaluate the equipment and trailer combination, determine how the equipment should be loaded, position it correctly, properly secure it, recognize potential transportation issues, safely deliver it, and unload it at the destination.
When equipment moves are not required, this driver must also be willing and able to operate a transfer truck, end dump, or super dump as part of our regular trucking operation.
The successful candidate should:
- Take ownership of the truck, trailer, equipment, and load
- Never take shortcuts with equipment securement or safety
- Take care of company trucks, trailers, and equipment
- Communicate effectively with operators, foremen, supervisors, dispatch, and other drivers
- Understand how to safely work around active construction operations
- Exercise good judgment without requiring constant supervision
- Be dependable and punctual
- Work well as part of a team
Pre-Employment Requirements
Employment in this safety-sensitive commercial driving position is contingent upon meeting all applicable DOT, FMCSA, licensing, driver-qualification, and company requirements.
Where applicable, this may include required pre-employment drug testing and the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse process.
How to Apply
Please submit a current resume that clearly identifies your Class A commercial driving and heavy-equipment hauling experience.
Qualified applicants should be prepared to discuss:
- The types of equipment trailers you have operated
- Your experience operating hydraulic-tail trailers
- Your experience operating lowboy trailers
- The types and sizes of construction equipment you have personally loaded, secured, transported, and unloaded
- Your experience with oversize or overweight equipment moves
- Your experience using chains, binders, and other equipment-securement systems
- Your experience operating transfer trucks, end dumps, or super dumps
- Your experience operating manual-transmission Class A trucks
Prior heavy-equipment hauling experience is a minimum qualification for this position. Applicants without this experience should not apply.
Vaca Valley Excavating & Trucking is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without discrimination based on any characteristic protected by applicable federal, California, or local law.
Pay: $34.00 - $42.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Cell phone reimbursement
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid orientation
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Are you currently capable of independently loading, positioning, securing, transporting, and unloading heavy construction equipment without requiring basic equipment-hauling training?
- Do you have practical experience selecting proper tie-down points and using chains and binders to secure heavy construction equipment for highway transport?
- Which of the following types of equipment have you personally loaded, secured, and transported? List all that apply.
Excavators
Loaders
Dozers
Scrapers
Motor graders
Crushers
Compactors
Skid steers
Other heavy construction equipment
I have not personally transported construction equipment
- Which equipment-hauling trailers have you personally operated? List all that apply.
Lowboy
Hydraulic-tail trailer
Hydraulic detachable/gooseneck or RGN
Mechanical detachable/gooseneck
Dovetail/equipment trailer
Flatbed
Other heavy-equipment trailer
None of the above
- Are you experienced and comfortable operating Class A commercial trucks with manual transmissions, including 10 and 13-speed transmissions?
- Which of the following have you operated professionally? List all that apply.
Transfer truck
End dump
Super dump
Bottom dump
Dump truck
Aggregate/material-hauling truck
None of the above
- Briefly describe the largest or most challenging piece of construction equipment you have personally loaded, secured, transported, and unloaded. Include the type of equipment, approximate weight or size if known, and the type of trailer you used.
- Have you personally transported equipment that required oversize/overweight permits, special routing, or additional consideration for overall height, width, length, or weight?
- What additional endorsements do you have with your CDL-A?
Experience:
- Class A commercial driving: 2 years (Required)
- using a lowboy, hydraulic-tail, or similar equipment trailer : 2 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
