Just returned from my Bakken "recon" trip

Discussion in 'Oilfield Trucking Forum' started by Smakman, Apr 6, 2014.

  1. password

    password Bobtail Member

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    Jun 23, 2014
    knoxville, tn
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    Great thread, encouraging update!
     
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  3. Smakman

    Smakman Bobtail Member

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    Mar 29, 2014
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    What I mean about slowing you down is that the weather will force you to take your time which may cost productivity at times and yes, I did factor that in. Some of the people I am working with tell me they have had $1000 days but the average seems to be in the $500 per day range. A lot of it just depends on the luck of the dispatch you are sent on. Testing oil quality is a several step process and takes some time. It isn't rocket science, but the measurements have to be accurate and that sometimes means repeating parts of the process. "Thiefing" the tank, the process of taking samples from different levels of the tank and testing it for gravity, temperature and impurities can take 30 minutes or so and has to be done before loading any of the oil. You start to see that driving the truck from one location to another is just a small part of hauling crude. A crude hauler/buyer is NOT just a steering wheel holder!
     
    password and abby Thank this.
  4. password

    password Bobtail Member

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    Jun 23, 2014
    knoxville, tn
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    Hey Smakman how hazardous would you say this work is to your health, especially in terms of exposure to the crude oil? Or are work practices really safety oriented? Thanks
     
  5. Smakman

    Smakman Bobtail Member

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    If you pay attention, wear the proper safety gear and stay aware, it isn't really that bad. The infrastrucure is safe. Just about every injury incident can be traced back to human error. Things like not being aware of wind direction, opening hatches too quickly, ignoring safety protocols and warnings and not double checking EVERYTHING before opening a valve or starting a pump is what will get you in trouble. I can't speak for other companies, but MBI, which my employer is contracted with, is extremely safety oriented. Simple things like not grounding the trailer, climbing on top of the trailer and sitting in the truck while loading and unloading will get you fired on the spot and they actually have safety and compliance people who patrol the wells and lacts (offload sites) to enforce safety and protocol rules.....and for good reason.
     
    rrssllll and password Thank this.
  6. TLeaHeart

    TLeaHeart Road Train Member

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    Apr 1, 2008
    casper, wy
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    no more dangerous than driving a car to work, standing beside a smoker... you will breath some toxic fumes at times, you will learn to be upwind of the tank hatch when you open it, and to walk away while it vents... you wear gloves, as crude oil is a toxic substance.

    Safety is up to you, to be smart, and to pay attention to the safety training you will receive.
     
    rrssllll Thanks this.
  7. rrssllll

    rrssllll Bobtail Member

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    Mar 23, 2012
    Kermit Texas
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    Hey Smakman I am in williston with my bobtail truck(94 white/gmc volvo) I have not got a pto so no wet kit either.The question is where would I have the best chance to put my truck on to make the best money.Do I need a pto/wet kit put on and even if I do will they put it on when I have no experience with that equipment.Someone suggested I look for belly dump work through local construction companies.I have been driving since 1997 the last 10 years in and out of the port of Seattle containers and some flatbed work out of the steel plant.clean mvr doubles,triples,tanker,and hazmat.Any ideas are greatly appreciated!
     
  8. jjsiegal

    jjsiegal Light Load Member

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    Jun 19, 2014
    Ft.Laud
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    Good thread....thanks!
     
  9. worldtrucker

    worldtrucker Bobtail Member

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    hey smakman thanks fo all your threads been reading them for a while ,I have a question you can help me with . I'm a long time truck driver with lots of experience but never worked in the oilfield , im getting ready to make the move ive been applying for months talking to potential employers , the thing I see is it looks like most company's are set up with day cabs and 12 hour shifts I don't see how you can make any money like that , ive talked to countless company's they all say the same thing 70 hours , ive mostly been looking at hourly jobs ,is this a bad idea ? how's percentage . I got a offer from a company finally as frac fueler they said I could get the hours but theyre housing is very high and they offered me 23$ a hour when I know they pay 25$ to 28$ the recruiter wouldn't move anymore , im coming there to work that's all I want as many hours as I can get as long as I can run . i'm confused the people I talk to say don't work for the little company's they sometimes don't pay theyre employees but the middle to big companys don't give any hours . maybe they just don't talk about it ive been trucking a long time some things are better not discussed but . I don't want to work 60 hours I want 90 am I crazy maybe you can help or anybody thanks
     
  10. trucking69x

    trucking69x Bobtail Member

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    Jul 26, 2013
    Phoenix, AZ
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    I run crude oil out of jacksboro tx. I make 220-270 a day with $40 xtra pay cuz work over night. 12 hr shift 6 days 2 off. We run Pete's with 18 speed. 2-3 loads a shift.
     
  11. Smakman

    Smakman Bobtail Member

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    You CAN make more money on a percentage basis, but remember that there are going to be times that you won't. A lot depends on who you work for, what you haul, etc. Try to be careful and check out smaller companies thoroughly. The outfit I started with in Williston, G-Style turned out to be a bust. I made some money, but I was on call 24/7 and never knew when I might or might not get dispatched. Might start out at 7 am or 2 pm and then have to run 20 hours straight overnight. The owner Troy Girolamos made all kinds of promises that he did not fulfill. When I left he even screwed me out of half of my last paycheck. There is one to stay away from anyway.
     
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