Production Truck Driver

Job description

Load and deliver containerized and bare root plants grown and harvested / propagated at and by Bailey Nurseries using straight trucks, flat beds, curtainsides. Adjust plant racks in preparation of delivery. Safely operate a tractor trailer to shuttle freight to various internal locations as well as perform customer deliveries and assist with loading / unloading perishable plant material. Routes will be local with no regular overnight routes. All routes are expected to be completed safely in accordance to company policy and DOT regulations. Will perform these duties 60-70% of the time.

Workers may also perform the following duties which are related to nursery production and distribution in open growing fields and in environmentally controlled structures (ECS).

Assist supervisors in directing assigned tasks and instructing workers in planting, cultivating, harvesting techniques, grading, labeling, packing, and loading activities. May serve as lead worker in small crews.

Fill containers or flats using automated soil flat-filling machinery; place identification stakes, tags, and individualized pre-pricing information on finished product; prune, pinch, remove dead leaves, old flowers, and dead or “leggy” branches off of plants to create market quality product; lay down ground cloth, install shade cloth, or shade coverings on multiple sized environmentally controlled structures (ECS); maintain heaters, irrigation booms, fans and other equipment commonly used in environmentally controlled structures; install poly ventilation tubes in ECSs; implement temperature control in ECS for optimal plant growth by adjusting thermostats on heaters or by opening and closing doors and vents; fertilize plants utilizing irrigation hose or irrigation boom; fill customer orders by directing self to plant location, selecting quality plants, and placing product on carts; place plastic or paper sleeve over plant before shipment to customers; perform quality control and accurate counts by recounting pulled order and assuring plant quality; and assist in sowing seeds in trays or field seed beds.

Pull orders (while selecting quality plants) according to customer request; place tags and apply marketing material to finished product; prunes trees and marketable plants; perform quality control; dipping, drenching and spraying plants with pesticides or herbicides; label, count and grade plants using instruments and quality standards of nursery; record information to maintain records for accurate inventory using spreadsheet or computerized inventory control equipment including computer, handheld inventory device; process and package shipping paperwork, mix soil and prepare growth media using skid steer or front end loader; cover or uncover poly structures.

Perform budding, grafting, grading, staking, tying, and harvesting bare root nursery stock; assemble and disassemble warehouse storage bins; inspect for outbreak or disease; observe and adjust environmental controls; conduct inventory of plant materials; conduct quality control inspections; prepare and organize orders for boxing, operate irrigation pumps and monitor particular/individual crops water needs to ensure application of correct amount of irrigation water; perform heavy manual labor; perform minor adjustments, maintenance or repair of equipment and machinery; operate large agricultural machinery, harvest, rake, and bale Sudan Grass used for winter protection.

CONTINUED ON ADDENDUM C

Special Requirements

Must have 1 year experience driving a tractor trailer.

Must be able to comply with OSHA and DOT age regulations.

Must be able to read and speak English sufficiently enough to converse with customer.

Must possess the ability to recognize species and varieties of nursery stock and the ability to determine grades and quantities for selecting trees, shrubs, and perennials.

Must be able to lift and carry 60 pounds.

Workers must kneel, crouch, bend, reach, lift, and carry items weighing up to 60 pounds in the course of performing required activities.

Work is performed in environmentally controlled structures and open fields and can involve exposure to sun, wind, mud, dust, heat, cold and other elements of the normal field environment.

Temperatures can range from 20 degrees F to over 100 degrees F during the period of employment. Workers should come prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear for the work and working conditions described.

CONTINUED ON ADDENDUM C