oilfield the new adventure begins will keep you updated

I read your entire thread, and thought I would comment here.

There is a very wide "Perception" by some of the companies that are operating in the oilfield, that working "Long hours" is allowed by the FMCSA under the "Oilfield Exemption", that working long hours is their "right". Even with the clarification that the FMCSA issued last May 28th, these companies still feel they have that "right".

First off, there aren't laws that restrict the hours that an "Individual" may work. A person has the right to work as many hours as he OR she can physically withstand, if their employer has to work available for them and is amenable to the individuals working excessive hours.

That said, an hours of work restriction comes into play, if that individual is driving a "Commercial Vehicle". In the oil industry, 18-wheelers are not the only "commercial vehicle". That term applies to every vehicle on the road, that is owned by either a well services company such as Schlumberger or Halliburton OR a "services support" company such as Key Energy with their work over rigs and water hauling trucks. Yup. All those cars, pickups and SUVs that are owned by a company providing a service in the oilfield are also classified as a "Commercial Vehicle". They have been since 1981. Legitimate companies like Schlumberger and Halliburton limit the hours that the people driving any of the vehicles work before the drive....and vice-versa. Today more than ever, it is the liability, pure and simple.

Now.....About the {UGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH....do ppl in the oilfield know how to tell the truth???? i mean are they even capable of it????}

You haven't said which crude hauling outfit your husband is working for.

I can tell which ones I think it isn't, simply because those companies have strict policies that would get not only your hubby canned....but the dummy training him as well...or any other person whom would chose to "extend their day".

It isn't Plains. It isn't SUNOCO, or....Sentinel Transportation, or OXY, or Koch.....or any other trucking company remotely or jointly owned by a major oil company. Working over hours at any trucking company operated by one of the majors will get you shown the door very quickly in this day and age. (LOL.....that is why most of the major's got rid of their truck fleets....the issue of liability.)

I don't think it is Gulfmark Energy, or Martin Transportation, or Sun Coast Energy. Nor Dupre if they have pushed that far west.

It could be Mission Petroleum....but I doubt it. The training wage is to high.

It could be Permian Crude Transportation out of Midland.
It most likely is Andrews Tank Lines ........(as opposed to Andrews Logistics.......Andrews Logistics is operated 100% legal so that Andrews can hang onto their national lube oil hauling contract with ConocoPhillips). Andrews Tank Lines has never been above allowing a truck to "Run wild, Run free".
Or it could be Bargas...... I don't think so though....they have a pretty go reign (ya know....like horse and saddle) on their operation.
Or Taylor Companies / TPG Transport........(now there is a pure outlaw organization).

My best advise........C.B. needs to hold his tongue, keep his opinion in check, and get 6 months in with whatever outfit this is. After 6 months of clean hauling, he will have developed contacts, he will have learned quite a bit about oil hauling and the animal that it is......And he will be able to get a job at Plains....or Sentinel Transportation....or SUNOCO....or OXY.....easily. If Sentinel has a terminal in that area....they might actually hire him and train him now. Otherwise you would need to move to Abilene TX for them....I think.

Oxy wants job knowledge. Plains wants experience in that area (Hobbs) right now.

Koch as been working pretty hard at getting rid of the last of their crude fleet.

For guys "Our age" (C.B. & I) crude hauling is about the easiest gig in the patch.

I don't feel real swift today or I could pull some other decent names out of the cob-webs of my memory...........

When I was a kid, hauling crude for AMOCO and GETTY around that corner of the patch used to be a pretty decent part-time gig. I could spend 2 days hauling 3 or 4 loads a day and knock down $175 to $225. Back then that was decent money for 2 days work. LOL. I bet the roads out between Hobbs and Artesia aren't one inch better!! I bet some of those potholes have become sink holes!!

 

well you are right..it isnt any of the ones you mentioned...LOL, and thanks for your useful post...

i know some about the oilfield exemption rules..(guess i need to read up on them more since we are here huh)....but just becaue your wait time doesnt count against you...doesnt mean it is anymore safe to be on duty all that time...

most of his ISNT wait time tho.....and yeah we have all ran long days....but he didnt desire that....thats what friends around the area are telling him...bide your time here and you can get a job anywhere (bigger outfits that dont expect the long shifts) if you have "crude" experience...appreciate your post and your time..thanks

 

Now....that supports the need for both you and C.B. to understand the oilfield exemption and the clarification issued last May 28th.

In a nutshell.....Under the oilfield exemption, if you are "Waiting at an oil or gas well location, for your job duties to be performed, you may log off duty not driving." This is where the clarification from last May steps in.

IF C.B. or yourself were an employee of say .....Schlumberger.......and you operated say... a quintiplex frac pump (that is one of the big frac pumps that has 5 plungers in it).....and you were out on a location for XYZ Oil and Gas waiting for the frac job you just spent the last 4 days rigging up to do, to start pumping operations......You could legally log off duty. 30 years ago 98% of the frac and cementing equipment was strictly day cabs. Very very few sleepers. The lack of sleeper berths was the reason for the "Oilfield Exemption". Once you were rigged up and you were sitting around drinking stale water, eating corn chips and playing poker, you were still "On the clock" getting paid....but on your log book....you were OFF DUTY NOT DRIVING. Still able to do that to this day....however....Schlumberger, Halliburton, Baker Hughes and the myriad other "Service Companies" in existence today....those companies have qualcomm and people net....some sort of EOBR....that records what the equipment is doing.

30 years ago we would do a cement job that took us 30 hours of mix and displacement time to accomplish....and we would show 3 hours of that time as "on-duty not driving"....the rest......yeah you got it.....OFF DUTY. 30 years ago I was 26. I could handle working for 30 hours, then spend 1 1/2 hours driving back to the district. Once we were back at the yard, we would clean all of the equipment (Clean shiny equipment can break down and it wasn't a big deal. If a dirty truck broke down during pumping operations....THAT could cost your company a contract), repair what needed repairing.......then ran off to shower BBQ steaks and drink beer! There were plenty of motels across the country where local cops came to check out the kids cooking and drinking poolside. Very few left with an empty belly or harsh words, once they understood the circumstances. After all....who doesn't love BBQ??

Not so much today.

Today "Momma home office" knows exactly what each piece of equipment is doing...on every single location....worldwide.

Now....That clarification from the FMCSA...back on May 28, 2012. It says that guys and gals whom drive the trucks that haul equipment....water....chemicals...crude oil.....etc...... etc........Whom are not "Specially Trained employees" of one of the afore mentioned type service companies....all those boys and girls like you and me are entitled to in the exemption....is a new 70 work week after 24 consecutive hours OFF DUTY.

If you are a water hauler in a daycab...you can log off duty if your employer allows you to do so......but that 14 hour clock...it keeps right on ticking.
If you haul gravel.....day cab....off duty...clock ticking....
Now....if you have a "qualifying sleeper berth".....then you can log sleeper berth...and if you hit 8 hours....stop the clock..... but then you have to do math and figure out when you have to take that other 2 hour break....and all the other BS in keeping your hours straight and legal.

Now....when it comes to that 14 hour clock and you are hauling hazmat.....You have to know what the regulations do and don't allow, as far as logging off duty. There are a boat load of restrictions. Because of the hazmat....you are always responsible for the load and or empty equipment.

Tens of thousands of "Yahoo's" are running around logging illegally. I have known and understood the "Oilfield Exemption" since 1979. At no time has it ever allowed "Just anybody" to just work unlimited hours. Never.

The DOT said last May 28th that "we"....the general commodity haulers (gravel, equipment, water, produced water, crude oil frac sand, or chemicals.....it is all just a commodity......even the drilling rig itself...when tore down and loaded on the bed of a trailer)....that haul to or from an OIL OR GAS WELL LOCATION, get to avail ourselves of the 24-hour reset. That is the only part of the exemption we get....and that is still huge.


Sorry if I come across snarky......

 

no not at all.....well he is in a daycab....and i confess i am guilty of not reading up on the hos and do's and dont's for this new gig....soooo i have homework...LOL..so if i am understanding you right, if i am not, i am sure you will let me knowbetter yet..gonna pm ya....LOL

 

Gawd no. This is a thread to learn-right??

 

lol bumps...yeah i guess so...and boy have we learned a lot...the hard way, just like always...

 

The best thing C.B. can do is get it start from the Boss's mouth (hand written of course)....better yet...if the company is that big....from the company safety handbook....."What is what!"

A few days ago I talked with a DK Stanley driver that had been placed out of service. Instead of handing the officer a log book that showed he was outlaw....he said he didn't have it with him..."Left it in the room".

He had to sit right there at that scale until the officer came back....and DKS had a relief driver to drive the truck there.

All DK Stanley does is Heavy Haul.....99% oilfield....98% Mack day cabs.

Understand the HOS, the Hazmat regulations....and the company's safety policy.

 

I understand..But cause I do not post on here does not mean I'm not reading and learning. I have researched and talked to oil companies myself.. P.M. (N) = Knowledge- Some of us could use? It's YOUR thread. Do as you will. But IMO the more info the better-otherwise why start it? (the thread)

 

well with the permission of curious george i will copy and paste the pm and reply...

 

thats a good point bumpy....just didnt wanna air my lack of knowledge...course its too late for that....lol (i really should know better tho)....this whole crude thing just kind of happened....but we do need to know the ins and outs.....