Old dogs and new tricks. We use that reference nonchalantly when it comes to folks stuck in their ways, and there are plenty of them out there in the roadbuilding world.
They’re the ones who tell you “I’ve done it this way for 30 years!” when a new method or technology is suggested. Sure, these folks are skilled and talented, using machinery with as much artistry as a woodcarver using a chisel, but technology advances and machinery improvements are nothing to scoff at.
And sometimes, guys are actually doing it wrong.
A few old dogs, and some new (including myself), last week took a chance at learning some new tricks at Volvo Construction Equipment’s Road Institute. This course, held near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, was the first of the 2015-2016 season and spanned four days covering paving and compactor operation and maintenance.
The Road Institute has been offering asphalt paving instruction since 1965 when it began under Blaw-Knox. Now there are 11 different courses available, ranging from the course I took, which I consider a broad overview, to very specific topics, such as courses dedicated to automatic grade and slope systems and hydraulic and electrical systems for specific machines. Classes are offered in two locations: Chambersburg and Phoenix.
My class had 12 attendees, split between those in equipment sales, operators who run the equipment in the field and of course me. Flemming Knudsen was our paving instructor and Wayne Tomlinson covered compaction.
The first day was mostly classroom work, reviewing the basics of asphalt materials and paving and compaction equipment, including best practices. We also got a walk-around of the machinery we were set to use. It was a grueling day by having to sit still so long, but we were given a lot of background information we’d need for the rest of the course.
