Considering going to texas to haul sand as a company driver.

Discussion in 'Oilfield Trucking Forum' started by Moneyhungrytrucker, Apr 9, 2022.

  1. Moneyhungrytrucker

    Moneyhungrytrucker Light Load Member

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    I am considering going to Texas to haul sand as a company driver. But need insight from others frac sand drivers before making a decision.

    I have been driving reefer and dry van for 3 1/2 years with a clean driving record, Clean PSP. No accidents. No endorsements, No restrictions. Know how to drive manual but rusty as hell from driving Automatic's.

    I am a single guy with no wife or kids.

    I wanna drive as a company driver, and live in a truck that is assigned to me. I am not interested in a lease.

    I don't know anything about hauling sand, but hear the money is "good" if paid on 1099.

    $2500 per week average
    $3000 per week if you run like a mad man

    Currently working at a mega (Not Swift) and got a sweet easy job working only 35-38 hours a week, dedicated line haul route, set schedule nightly run making $70k per year gross with full benefits.

    I would hate to leave my current company as the work is easy, paychecks are steady and consistant and the company is good, but I need to make more money. I know if I leave this company I will have to work twice as hard as I am now.

    So I have a few questions
    #1 Am I being realistic to live in the truck assigned to me 24/7/365?
    #2 I keep hearing of man camps and housing, can someone describe what these man camps are like?
    #3 are the man camps like staying in a hotel room, will I have my own space and privacy? I am clueless about this.
    #4 I hear many companies are like 3 weeks out one week off. Or something like that. I don't want home time or time off, I just wanna run hard for 1-2 years and pile up some cash while living out of the truck. Am I dreaming?
     
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  3. Lazer

    Lazer Road Train Member

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    Get on with one of the well known LTL company’s, get on the nightly(Monday thru Friday) line haul, and you should get close to 100k per year, full benefits.
     
  4. Moneyhungrytrucker

    Moneyhungrytrucker Light Load Member

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    Arent most LTL day cabs? I wanna stay in my truck 24/7/365
     
  5. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    I thought exactly what he said - I just wasn't going to open my trap.

    But - he's right. We worked at ODFL for years, and drove 80 miles to the terminal each week.

    There were guys that did solo turns - 5 days a week, that bought a camper and lived in an RV park during the week, and went home on weekends. So they didn't have to drive 100+ miles round trip every day.

    Gross W2 easy 100k+. And you'd be available for extra run on your 6th day.

    I'm basing this on the assumption that you have no family or house, so could relocate to anywhere and do this.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Edit - if you do the 'bag run' they'll send you everywhere in a day cab and put you in a motel every night - even for a 34. Decent motels too. There's that option, and you make more miles rather than the set bid runs.
     
  6. Dave1837

    Dave1837 Road Train Member

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    I know everyone has their own preference on trucking but if you're making 70k, running at night and not even working a full 40 hours I wouldn't leave that.
     
  7. Moneyhungrytrucker

    Moneyhungrytrucker Light Load Member

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    Currently I am living in my truck making $70k gross W2 with benefits, running at night and working only 35-38 hours a week. My only bills are cell phone and food. I have plenty of entertainment in my truck to keep busy in my off hours.

    No wife no kids.
    I wanna pay down debts, and save for retirement.
    Maybe after a few years buy a truck with mostly cash to become a 0/0/ I have excellent credit (750 FICO)

    I was kinda thinking the same thing (I better stay put at my current company) I think i might be chasing shiny objects if I decide to haul frac sand in Texas making $2500- $3000 a week. Sure its more money but If I cant live out of the truck 24/7/365 then with all the extra living expenses combined with working twice as hard, then it would be a foolish choice.
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2022
  8. God prefers Diesels

    God prefers Diesels Road Train Member

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    I was a wireline engineer for over a decade. Go LTL. It's no fun when you're sitting behind 50 trucks because the company man closed the hydraulic valve on the wireline, and now we're all waiting on coiled tubing while you guys find a way to turn around and go home for a week. Then you've got some green hat backing you in while you don a respirator and dump your bulk at 8 psi.

    For the record, I've never hauled sand, or sand boxes, but I always felt sorry for those guys.
     
  9. roundhouse

    roundhouse Road Train Member

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    Sounds like you got it pretty good right now

    I wouldn’t leave that for a 1099 job in a junker truck working 100 hours a week .

    I’d be working on cutting expenses
    Food is your likely biggest expense
    Find an ALDi or similar discount grocery store . Get a good fridge and or freezer and microwave and crock pot in your truck .

    you can
    Sniff around for a job with more hours or something but it’s gonna be hard to top what you have now .

    you might be able to make $100k with Walmart or a LTL line haul or a gasoline tanker delivery or cryogenic tanker

    but then you’re gonna have to find a place to stay when you’re not working ,
    Have to buy a Roadtrek van or something , roadtreks are RVs built in a regular size van so it doesn’t look like a RV

    if you have any DIY skills you could find a fixer upper house nearby and work on it on the weekends . In a couple of years you’d have it fixed up and be able to sell it for a good profit .
     
  10. kranky1

    kranky1 Road Train Member

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    Things have changed I guess. Nobody used to aspire to hauling sand. That’s where you got stuck if you couldn’t cut it in a Winch Tractor, Gin Pole or Bed truck.
     
  11. Numb

    Numb Crusty Curmudgeon

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    haven't heard the term "gin pole" in 45 yrs, since I built houses and we had to use them for the main carrier beams.

    just a pole and a come-along
     
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