I suspect when most people think of a cement truck the typical rear-discharge trucks come to mind. The fact is there are several different types of cement trucks specific to the needs of the job. These types of cement transport trucks include the standard mobile rear-discharge, rough terrain trucks, volumetric concrete truck, volumetric concrete clustering plant, front-discharge mixers and pump trucks. Driving a cement truck will require not only a particular driver license but also experience in mixing the cement and pouring the cement at the job site. These are all skills that can be learned and more experience will come with on the job learning.
To begin you must be at least 18 years of age and 21 under certain circumstances. A high school diploma or the equivalent may be required. You will also need a Class B commercial driver license (CDL). If you don't already have one, a local truck driving school can be the solution to earning one. Some employers may even provide a training program in which you can gain the experience to obtain you license. Your future employer may have additional requirements that you will need to meet but armed with your resume of work history you should be ready to apply.
Once on the job you can expect to be transporting a lot of concrete. Duties may include loading the mixture to get the perfect concrete substance and operating the mixing drum on job sites. In addition, most drivers of cement trucks will be responsible for the general cleaning of the truck and its operating equipment. The job does require manual labor so be prepared.
Some of the advantages of driving a cement truck include being able to go home every night. Most cement truck driver jobs will not be over the road (OTR) positions allowing you to be close to home. While you may spend more time at larger jobs you also visit multiple sites during your normal day adding a little variety. When not behind the wheel you will be able to enjoy working outside. In sprawling urban areas jobs should not be too difficult to find. There is also gratification in knowing you poured the foundation of the buildings or homes you pass by every day.