Experienced trucker, new to oilfields. What should I know?

Well seeing as it is in ND lots of warm clothes. But that should be pretty obvious. As far a driving, expect this: Mostly offroad driving, Rigs will be in the middle of nowhere and have pretty bad access until you get onto the lease road and then you will be good, most pads and lease roads are built to accommodate trucks. The roads to the lease road not so much, so expect lots of driving on roads that were never even designed to hold big rigs, let alone the traffic the oilfield brings, which will be A LOT. Expect to be driving at all times of the night/day/weather, you are supporting multimillion dollar operations that don't take kindly to waiting on equipment, so expect to not stop for weather unless it is absolutely necessary, so expect to be driving tired, but on the flip side it is the oilfield so you will be waiting a lot. And waiting some more, and some more, don't be surprised if you get stuck on a rig for a couple days at a time, once you are on the pad you belong to the company man so he decides if you can leave early before you drop your load, chances are it will be no. In other words if you are hauling water to a rig site and they have a break down and you can't unload chances are the company man is just going to have you wait until things are fixed so you can unload, so that he doesn't have to wait for water again. And in spring time expect to get stuck, a lot, expect to chain up in the mud, as well as in the snow and ice. I have seen mud clear up to the step boards.
So in summary, bring lots of warm clothes for the winter, expect nasty and extreme driving conditions, bring things for supreme boredom because it will happen, and learn your oilfield exemptions for your logs(it will make your life much easier), it seems in any oil/gas boom area DOT has drawn a target on oilfield truckers, so expect that as well. I know in my area here in PA I haven't seen an OTR trucker pulled over in years, but not a day goes by I don't see an oilfield truck pulled over.
Sorry if I rambled or was confusing but I think I pretty much covered it all. Just remember, oilfield driving isn't necessarily for everyone, I have seen guys with 20+ years experience last 1 week and decide it's not for them.
Wish you the best of luck though, there is definitely money in it.

 

Yeah you should have trouble then, it really isn't to bad, I can't tell you though how many times I've seen guys come Texas/Oklahoma up here to NE PA and take one look at a logging road cut into the side of a mountain and say "Hell no I ain't going up there."

 

you'll want to pick up some FR clothing & be clean-shaven. If you havent already, get your osha10 & h2s cards.

 

If you don't want to shave just yet I would wait, not all rig companies will require you to shave, chances are though you will have at least one that requires it though.

 

Depends on what trailer you have. Flat step low rgn. Moving there rigs around. Yes you'll be bored until they need you. No you will not get paid a full day everyday. If they don't need you that day you won't get paid. Hope you have tow points on your truck. You WILL get stuck and they will have to come pull you out. If you just wrap a chain anywhere even if it is a tow point and something breaks. They don't care and say you shoulda put that chain somewhere else.
I've seen guys come out of there with no bumpers and broke from fixing an axle.
You will not be reimbursed.

Pull a frac tank you will also be bored waiting in line. Watch how the others set the hose in the storage tank. If you don't and the sand doesn't fall in off the sides you won't get on anybody's good side.

Pulling a tank. They run 24-7. Plenty of back and forth.
Thats all I know when I went up there to drop a trailer and talking with a frac guy in another area. He would wait 3 days plus at the truck stop.
Plus with a company that had some drivers tasked out to oilfields. We had flat step rgn HH.

Anything you need. Buy it now. I went in to chow hall to eat lunch. Cost about $20 for the buffet. I had a choice between a small portion of items. Sliders. Had to grab 4 of them or .. can't remember the other. Watermelon THINLY sliced and 2 other pieces of fruit. 1 or 2 other small items. The drink was an extra $3. I still have the receipt somewhere. Took a pic and sent it to a buddy of mine. He didn't believe me, thought I doctored the pic. Diesel up there offsets the national average. Was about 4.2-4.5

Thats all they have besides the gas station next door. I didn't want to go in there.
If you have a room its free. However there not cheap. Think of paying for a howard johnson but all you get is a sectioned off mobile home. Yes its a house brought in with sectional walls to give you privacy. Didn't see inside but I know you get internet with it and its clean.

So in short stock up and dress warm. They take advantage of everyone making money up there. Yet we all wonder why a barrel of oil is so high.
If you run out get down to 94 to resupply.