Going Rates For Operators Around The Country?

Dozer Junky

I am curious to know what the going hourly rates are for effective operators around the country (not necessarily highly skilled or Certified- just average). Specifically for a:

Motor Grader Operator
Dozer Operator
Loader Operator
Skid Steer Operator
Scraper Operator
Excavator Operator

What did you start the last operator you hired at for each piece of equipment? Please include your location.

What other (if any) incentives do you throw at them to attract them to your company?

We have a motor grader operator who holds us hostage because he knows his replacement is hard to find. I am curious to know if anyone else experiences the same problem around the country.

Looking forward to any thoughts!

jmic

Dozer,
Last operator hired was at 25.00/hr.
Laborer who's breaking in on operating when he get's the chance 18.00/hr. Fairfield County, Ct. All we have are Excavators, skid steer, and rental dozer when needed.

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Joe

tgeb

I'm payin' 22/hr. + a monthly bonus of $150 + mileage reimbursement for the use of his vehicle, for my guy that runs pretty much everything we have which is large Mini Ex., Backhoe, Skid loaders.

He also supervises labor on the jobs.

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Tom

www.gebcon.com

Dozer Junky

I guess we don't have it too bad...

Motorgrader = $20/hr plus vehicle and gas.
All others between $12-$15

We also do ~$500 bonus for each employee twice a year if we have the money.

I guess I should stop whining ...

rino1494

Operators around here range in pay from $15-25 depending on experience and the machine they operate.

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tgeb

Well, real-estate is a bit more costly here, (I am guessing).That I am sure is most of the difference. That and taxes, we have state income taxes. And local @ 60% on that.

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Tom

www.gebcon.com

denick

D J,

We would pay a new person with some experience $14 to $22 depending on there ability. Someone with the company could make it to $24. We have paid holidays, work clothes, health insurance, and an education allowance.

As tgeb alluded the cost of living is possibly higher here.

But what do you get for your equipment and what are your cost of burden ( workers comp and liability rates)

A 20 to 25 ton excavator we are getting 125 to 140 an hour. A rubber tired backhoe is 80 to 95 an hour. Tri-axle dumps are getting 75 to 95 an hour. There is not much motor grader use around us so I couldn't offer any ideas on that. D3 size dozer you can get 75 to 95 an hour.

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Nick

"Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving" Albert Einstein

rino1494

For a 150 size excavator, we get $95
200 size we get $110
Backhoes are $65
Tri-axles are $70
D3 size dozer is $70

__________________
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joasis

One of my major customers does their own oil field dirt construction, and equipment operators, which includes everything except skid steers, start at $12, and go up to around $20, with the catch being they must have a CDL, since in my area, it is expected if you operate it, you can also haul it...it also allows, as is standard practice in the oil patch, that you can double duty to hauling materials, salt water, oil...whatever....there is no idle time in the patch.

The only operators I hear that get fantastic money are the big excavator operators on the pipelines...the guys who can hold a perfect grade. And now, I see a local outfit has a new Komatsu with the computer grading system...wonder how long that thing will last...I am guessing it uses sensors mounted at the articulation joints of the machine, and a computer to calculate position?

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Dozer Junky

Cost of living maybe, but also... We work year round... isn't it too cold in alot of your regions to work everyday of winter? Thus it would drive up wage rates to compensate? We only shut down for rain days, and damn few of those. Here in south Texas, we haven't had a major freeze in a few years, at least that I can remember.

I think our labor burden is around 25%.

Dozer Junky

We have seriously been considering getting the grade control GPS systems on our motorgraders and D6 Dozers. We already have the base/rod combos for surveyors on the ground, and our salesman for the stuff says we will almost never have to put wood hubs or stakes in the ground when utilizing the machine control stuff. (Thus no equipment ever has to sit and wait on surveyors) Also, with the cpu controlling the moll board, we can get a less experienced, $12/hr guy to operate the motorgrader instead of a primadonna we have to pay $20+/hr. We have also been toying with the type of systems that can be moved from machine to machine, vs. being permanently attached. These systems will not automatically control the cutting edges, but they show the operator the exact position the cutting edge needs to be in to make grade. Thus, the the trade off is the flexibility. The GPS surveying systems are accurate enough to get to within a couple of hundreths of a foot. It's pretty amazing stuff!

jmic

Don't ya think within the next 10 yrs. they'd be able to have that grader run without an on board operator. Just program the site specifics into a computer , hit a button and watch the grader getting a parking lot to final grade. I think it's possible. Along with other types of equipment.

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Joe

joasis

I saw a demo of a laser guided screeding system for concrete...of course, we all know the best pour and level can be wrecked by bad trowelling, but I understand Allen is coming out with a laser controlled ride on trowel, garanteed finish level to 1/16"....wow!

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Dozer Junky

Maybe be like a video game that I play from the office...

I sure as hell hope not though. It'd totally kill the delightfully tacky culture of dirt movers!