So you want to haul crude oil in the badlands of ND?

Michael, if you have the funds and the desire then just go do it. If you change your mind then just do something else. There are a 1000 opportunities in trucking. I just ran my first load up to the region and I'm in no hurry to go back, unless the money is worth it. In and out is fine for me. I like my creature comforts too much to be marrooned in a truck in somewhere as baron as North Dakota, and I live in South Dakota so I know. The winters can be seriously brutal in that region. I am sure there is much money to be made but from what I understand the cost of making that money is pretty high too. I' m sure many have been hugely successful running up there, but just as many have failed. For me, I like doing the convention center / exhibitions type stuff or electronics. Best of luck.

 

I keep contemplating about about taking the plunge into the oil fields. Either in ND or some other place. Maybe I'll out on my big girl panties and start filling out applications someday

 

After almost two years, we're done. Good-bye ND! My husband found a job that will bring him home on the weekends. Or every other wekeend, doing tanker/hazmat. Pay is not ND but it's still pretty good. Especially now that we won't be paying $500 a month in airfare, paying for FRs, and the huge expense of the groceries up there ($60 bag of groceries in IL will cost you $100 in Williston). Thing I hated the most about the oilfield was the instability......whether it was broken down trucks, bad weather, weight restrictions, wells turned down, etc. When things are good, it's VERY good, the money can't be beat. But when they're not, the job just doesn't pay. If we were to do it over, we would probably go with a large company. While he did get free housing, there were no benefits, and if the truck wasn't moving, you weren't being paid. So, have some reserves for those down times. And talk about getting slaughtered in federal taxes. Ouch. It's a GREAT job, if all conditions are just right. We're going to take less pay and more home time. And a lot less drama. He said he won't miss all the moron driving that goes on there, however, he met some pretty cool guys who will probably be lifelong friends. This job did help us to get some things done around the house, we were able to buy our son a car (a beater, but still...), got some bills paid down and this experience looks great on his resume. I'm grateful we had the opportunity, but now it's time to come on home Dave! Guess we'll be switching over to the tanker forums, lol. Good luck to those who stay or who are heading up there.

 

Wildflower... Everything you said was right on. I hate being here but like you said you can't beat the $. Everything is WAY to expensive and too many moron drivers. I wish you luck and wish my wife would say " that's enough come home " but can't right now but I can wish. I know I could never find a job that pays even 3/4 of ND money at home. It's either be here or work 2 jobs and still not home. When I came up here (Jan 2012) I said I'll give it a year. If our soldiers can go get shot at for me and be gon for a year ... I can do this.

 

Anyone know if dispatches still have to go through the same dot regulations such as drug test and physical tests? Thanks

 

You couldn't of said it any better. I have been hauling oil here for 7yrs and just quit 2 months ago. Money is not everything, but as you said after taxes, groceries, and rent you really don't make squat. I also quit because of stress, B.S. and ####### on the highway. I still am on the highway but have yet turn a mile in ND. Good Luck

 

If you were in the oil field and 'didn't make squat', there must be something wrong here. A good driving job here pays 100k and a great one pays over 130k, with free housing. How can you call that 'squat'.

 

There you go worrying about drug tests again ! ! You need to stop worrying about that, how do you do that? Hmmm let's see...STOP DOING STUFF THAT YOUR WORRIED ABOUT SOMEONE FINDING.

 

Again? I'm just wondering if dispatchers go through the same scrutiny as truck drivers bro.

 

My dispatcher is on crack, so I doubt they check.