Maalt Transport

Big Duker would be the one to answer that one, methinks

 

Ben, why don't you PM Big Duker?

 

This job offer has a lot of variables to consider. In short, it sounds bad. $75 per load, most loads in S. TX go less than 100 miles, there are loading facilities all over the place down there. 3 in San Antonio, 1 in Victoria, 2 in Hondo, 2 in Corpus Christi, 2 in Laredo, at least 3 between Pearsall and Cotulla along that stretch of I-35, 1 in Jourdanton ( might have closed ), 1 in George West, 2 close by Three Rivers, 1 in Campbellton and 1 by Gonzales come to mind. Please look at Google maps or another version and notice the short distances involved. So the odds of that .34 CPM happening are slim. $14 an hour for waiting time over two hours might sound good to some one who doesn't know what the deal is but it's not. The sad fact of the matter is that it should be closer to $20 or $21 an hour over two hours waiting. The fact is, these Oil companies have been working this Fracking system for several years now and have it almost down to a science. They know many months in advance how much sand and what type(s) they need for each Well. On paper, there are several companies supplying sand to these companies but in practice I highly doubt there's really much competition between sand suppliers. When this Fracking surge started there was that competition. Trucks were sent long distances to get sand that was needed and that wasn't available closely. That was when there really was $$$$$ to be made in sand. There was a real and substantial Shortage of Pneumatic tanks. This Shortage of Equipment has long ago been solved by manufacturers and old units being restored and put to work. So $75 per load. no mileage. $14 hr. waiting over two. A lot of the time it WILL take you at least an hour to load, check in, open hatches, Scale in, get positioned under the Loader ( usually not bad BUT some of those folks will tell you the exact wrong direction the Truck needs to go { high turnover rate at some } get loaded, go Scale again, hopefully the weight is close enough BUT sometimes you have to go drop / get more ( occasionally 2 more times OR MORE. Rare, but it does happen ) Get your paperwork. Drive to the Well. Check in with the Guard and the Sand Coordinator. Now the "two hour wait" clock starts ticking, right ? You've already earned every penny of that $75 and have probably got a minimum of 3.5 hours invested. That = $21.42 hr. but you haven't even Unloaded yet ! Backing into position isn't that hard for Experienced Drivers ( Sand Coordinators guide you. But some of them don't know how to Drive a Truck, so it's not a good place for a Newbie, because it can be very tight ). AMAZING coincidence !! You get pulled onto the Pad (Well site) just before your two hour waiting period is up !! Happens most of the time. Not always, but usually. Ok, back the Truck into position, put all your PPE on ( Fire Resistant clothing, H2S monitor, Dustmask, steel toed boots, gloves ), set out the Fire Extinguisher ( fluorescent cone ?), drag the hose(s) out and attach them to the Mover, climb back in the Truck and engage the PTO after you hook up the Hot Hose. Now you are ready to unload ( blow off ). 30 minutes to an hour later you are probably finished and have your equipment stowed away. Get your paperwork signed and now you are ready to get dispatched again. An hour and a half back to the same Loading Facility ??? or somewhere else ? It could take a while in between assignments. So, it would most likely take you between 5 to 7 hours to do just one load. $ 75 ? Best case scenario = $15 hr. Are you sure that this was all they offered ? I had heard ( once ) that they were a decent outfit. If that's the deal, I heard wrong, because that is downright insulting. Just my opinion, yours may differ.

 

I used to haul dust and I did my share of dump trucking so I know all about that free waiting time. They have it figured out that you are not going to wait over two hours most of the time. It sucks. Nobody else is required to wait or work for free. If you are on the job site you are working. Only truck drivers are forced to sit on a job and not get paid.

One hour was the most I ever had to give up. I don't think I would go for two hours.

 

Hey Ben are you dead set on working strictly as a driver?

 

Compared to Rockwater/Silverline that's not a good rate. We make between $138 and $150 min plus demmurge for a min load (under 110 miles). Loads over that are around $1 a loaded mile plus demmurge. Hope this helps.

 

Sounds like they're trying to starve their drivers.

I've been in the Eagle Ford for 3.5 years, and have never heard of them. Might be a fly-by-night operation.

Ben, we're hiring night-shift water haulers for $19 per hour. And I know of a crude carrier that supposedly is paying $23 per hour. PM me if you want the details.