WOW!

Did you have a ride a long friend take those pics way to far away for U being the op arent they?

Nope I took em from the bridge deck wish I had someone with me tho!

Classic example of what's wrong with the industry. If that job didn't rate a second full-blown operator for the pump and 2 way radios for communication, what job does? Good job on your part - above and beyond the call of duty. A thumbs down for your bosses, though.

what would you need a second operator for? maybe if you had an operator whose job for the day cancelled...the companies I worked for would maybe send a helper with you, or a trainee. but another operator, for what to back trucks in? if there is a problem on the ground you might have to make your way down there but that's how it goes...two ways would be helpful though.

A helper would be nice. Especially concidering how far you have to travel if you blew a hose. Jobs like this one, you cant go check your engine temp, or look for hyd leaks. As for what kind of helper you need, id say a mechanic over another operator.

OK, the pump itself may only be 50 meters away, but it's 2 1/2 miles to get there.

A proximity switch goes, an E-stop shorts out, a u-joint on the driveshaft gives out....will a flunky oiler be up to the task?  That oiler may be OK, if you can walk those 50 meters to help, but in this situation you need somebody with more competance than just the kid that sweeps the shop floor.   CAPICE?

If a high-dollar pour like this one is going on, there should be a second pump there on standby anyways.  Maybe I'm wrong....a billion dollar bridge is good for a couple unengineered cold joints right? 

Right on, Step Brother....2 pumps, therefore, 2 operators, a mechanic and his service truck.

It's the kind of insurance a job like that needs.  The second pump should be there at standby rate.

well I must admit if it is 2 and a half miles to get to pump...there might be a need for another operator...but pictures don't indicate that to me...pumped alot of bridge decks and never have been that far from pump, so what if all pumps are booked? cancel pour? and what about the pump at the shop that the mechanic needs to fix an electrical problem on so that pump can make money tomorrow...rather mechanic sitting around here all day and then work on that all night...this is all speculation, as is if it was 2 and a half miles to pump. would have been nice to have backup pump on every big pour though...just not practical.

UR ABOUT RIGHT IT WAS A GOOD 1-2 MILE DRIVE TO GET BACK TO THE PUMP. I BOUGHT MY OWN 2-WAYS, AND IM ALSO A MECHANIC!! IM A ONE MAN BAND!! BUT IT IS NERVE RACKING TO ME TO NOT B ABLE TO HEAR MY PUMP STROKING AND SUCH! ONCE I HIT THE ENGINE KILL SWITCH ON ACCIDENT AND HAD 2 GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO START THE TRUCK, BIG BRAIN FART!!! ANOTHER TIME I FORGOT 2 THROTTLE UP AFTER A SHORT WAIT WENT 2 PUMP AND KILLED THE MOTOR, DDDDUUUUUHHH.

OH AND I WAS BOUT 7-8 HOURS AWAY FROM OUR CLOSEST SERVICE MANAGER, AND ABOUT 3 HOURS AWAY FROM ANYBODY ELSE. BUT ALL WENT WELL NO SERIOUS PROBS THE WHOLE JOB, AND I CAN HANDLE MOST MYSELF. BIGGEST PROBS WERE ON THE DRIVE TO-FROM JOB!!!  AIR-BAGS, BLOWOUTS, AIR GOV. SHITTIN THE BED ON ME! 12 HR ROUND TRIP 6 HR POURS, 2-3TIMES A WEEK.

blow a hose then tell me you dont need a helper

PRETTY SURE I CAN HANDLE FIXN A BLOWN HOSE!! AND IM NOT SAYIN I DIDNT NEED A HELPER, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE, BUT IT WAS NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!!!

LUCK has a lot to do with a job set up like that going well.

Shoulda set up a zip line between the bridge and the pump.  Maybe bring a small motorcycle with ya next time you got a job like that.

WHAT IF a hydraulic pump woulda taken a crap on ya?  Then how warm and fuzzy would the contractor feel about not having to pay for a standby pump?  A mixer truck goes down and nobody really notices, but the pump?

quite sure most will agree with this statement...as operators we make our own luck.

famous last words

Beautiful Set Up!!!!   what river is that and where?         Pour It Out!!!!!!

GREENVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.  MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THANKS IT WAS ALOT OF FUN ASK WILDMON ABOUT IT!!

HELL YA ZIP LINE THAT WOULD BEEN AWSOME! LMAO!

Was on a big highway project last summer were the contractor demanded an extra pump as standby.
Nicest job I've had, eating icecream in the sun and sleep all day long for full pay, but got a bit boring after I while when I ran out of bits to polish on my pump...

for full pay? not sure about that one...but yes it's good for all company, contractor and Operator when it can happen...just seems like you usually have that on jobs that also require big booms...usually tough to have 2 there...guess it would depend on how agreement was structured...if you were going to paid the same for the machine sitting there as you would having it out doing a 400 yard deck...but I don't think that's how it works...I think you are getting less for the standby.

We got the same hourly rate, but the one on standby obviously didn't get any for the m3.
And why shouldn't we, when we, as you say, could have used it on another job.

WE'VE ONLY GOT THE 1 61M AROUND HERE AND NOTHING ELSE WOULD HAVE REACHED BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE AN EXTRA GUY WITH ME!!