OTR vs Oil Field Work

I run flatbed to the oil patch out of OKC. I think this is the perfect blend of local versus OTR. About 60% of my loads are in state, another 20% run to Texas, and 15% run as far as Wyoming, ND, NM, LA, or PA.

I started this gig after a tad over two years running OTR with a dry van. While I miss seeing some parts of the country I do get to see a lot of great areas.

I DON'T miss shippers and receivers that treat drivers like crap. When I arrive at a rig it isn't uncommon to have a forklift getting in place and roughnecks helping unstrap before I've had a chance to check in with the company man. Fifteen minutes later I've worked up a sweat just from rewinding my straps, stowing dunnage, and I'm rolling back to the city.

I started when the downturn set in, but still make as much as I did as a trainer at Swift. I get to spend several nights or days at home every week, waiting for a phone call. More recently I've concentrated on getting loads off load boards if oil freight is slow (we have that option), even deliberately booking loads that require tarping to get the experience since we never tarp loads to or from the patch.

I LOVE this job.

 

@Lepton1 - Do you ever cross paths with any Waggoners drivers? They haul lots of oil field freight.

 

I do. They seem to run a lot of team loads to and from OKC to some of our customers, from Denver or Williston, etc.

I could never drive for them. The containment boards around all sides of the deck is a major PITA. If I pull in to a customer same time as Waggoners, I'm finishing securing my load when they are about 1/4 loaded. Takes about 15-20 minutes to drop the side boards.

 

I know not all of you hate it. I ran OTR for 3 years before getting into the oilfield. Back in October, I was forced to go back OTR due to the bust. I forgot how stressful it was...and it has gotten exponentially worse just in the 2 years I was away from it. From traffic and DOT to shippers and receivers to the incredible lack of semi truck parking throughout the country. Not to mention the terrible pay and the absolutely terrible freight rates combined with horrible HOS rules. You and I both know that most OTR driving is not running coast to coast. It is more like 400-1000 mile short hauls with a grocery warehouse and lumpers at the end of it. And the coast to coast long haul freight rates are so terrible (around $1.15/mi for dry van,) an o/o can't really afford to take them.

I have since come back to hauling sand and am so much less stressed than I was OTR. I make more in 3 days hauling sand than I did running 3500 miles a week OTR...and I am home every night to boot....sleeping in my 1600sq/ft sleeper with 2 showers. a full kitchen and 2 tv's. I know that at the end of every day, I will always have a place to park. No need to circle the truck stop 16 times or worry about how long I'll be able to sleep in the WalMart parking lot before security comes and runs me off. I won't be going back OTR...and I respect those of you that do it...but I'll never recommend anybody go otr if they have an inkling of a chance at doing something else.

 

Kinda trapped in Pennsylvania against my will due to divorce and custody issues otherwise I would still be working out near Killdeer ND doing Crude.
Twice the pay for half the work

 

A lotime of job postings for sand haulers say something along the lines of "must be willing to stay out three weeks at a time." Where are you able to be home every night?

Being home every night is why I stuck with hauling oil. I would consider sand if I were home most nights.

 

They might run things differently up in ND than down here, but there are several sand outfits that allow one to be home every day. I won't say specifically who I am working for, but there is Northwest, Maalt, and Caron right here in San Angelo. Then there is Davenport and Max Mahan out of Brady (where most of the sand mines are.) They have the 3 weeks out requirement, but if you live in the region, they'll let you take the truck home every night. There are many other outfits that come and go following the frac crews (TCT, Hearn, JoTex, etc.) Those are the outfits that would most likely want you to stay in the truck.

I also have the luxury of living in San Angelo which is right in the middle of the main corridor for all of the sand that moves from the mines in Brady and Voca out to the Permian Basin, so I'd be coming home regardless. If we ever did have to work out of region, they would most likely get us hotel rooms anyways. The little coffin sleepers that we have are too small to live out of for more than a day or 2.

 

Thanks for the info. I figured Midland would be where I would move if I came back to WTX. I never really considered San Angelo.

 

Keep your hazmat. You have tank exp. You can make better $$$ doing otr in a tanker than a wagon. Jack b Kelly is in Amarillo. Check trimac, superior, heniff (my employer) just to name a few. The moneys better and you get paid for things that you don't with a van. Such as breakdown, demurrage (detention)