Arky's Sunoco adventure begins in the west TX oilfields!

Is greasing your truck voluntary or mandatory? Don't they have mechanics and maintainance personnel? This seems kind of odd for them to rely on the driver to maintain their equipment.

 

That's part of the drivers job to grease the truck and trailer. Penske usually does the shop work or call out work. Sunoco has been buying a lot of new equipment.

 

So what is weekly pay looking like? 1,500-2,000 or no way to get 2,000? Also, I cant seem to find out how much Occidental pays their OET Crude drivers, but I imagine its the same as sunoco?

 

It is called A maintenance and it is mandatory. It is done every Wednesday. Usually the work is split between the two drivers assigned to the truck, they work out who does what. There is a sheet to go off of to cover the items needed to be serviced. I can tell you it only takes about half an hour each to get it done. You can cover most of it while loading, unloading, fueling etcetera. If one driver does it all he gets the $24 pay. Yes they do have a maintenance program, it is done by Penske. However with the abuse these trucks take they need weekly attention. It gives you an opportunity to find things wrong with your truck that you might not normally see. How often do you check your fifth wheel mounting plate bolts? Yes they do come loose on occasion with the vibration and pounding these lease roads dish out. The newer trucks have automatic greasers on the tractor and trailer, so you might have 8-10 fittings that you have to grease. All of 10 minutes of effort. You check your tires for air pressure, tread depth and any abnormal wear or damage. Its all simple and a lot of it is already accomplished during your pre and post trip inspections. I like to know that my truck is going to hold up during my shift so I can make good money hauling oil, not sitting at Penske getting things fixed because I didn't catch them when I should have. Shop time doesn't pay the bills for me.

 

$1500 is easily obtainable. $2000 is in reach if you work hard and run the extra loads and work efficiently. You get a bonus for working a sixth day on top of your commission. I ran 3 loads today, 14 hour day and made $390. That's $27.85 an hour. Where else can you make that kind of money in a truck?

 

Hey RSQ,

You had a great day today!! I am curious if they give out other bonuses and how much they offer for a 6th day.

 

Yes it was a good day. They have quarterly safety bonuses totaling $2400 payable right before Christmas as I was told. Basically keep the truck on the rubber side and keep the oil in the trailer and you got it. The sixth day is $120 plus your daily earnings. You have to work 10 hours or have already worked more than 60 hours previously to be eligible. We are starting a new schedule next week, 5-2 then 5-3. If you don't have a night driver you will have 14 hour days and be expected to haul 3 loads. Not that hard to do if you keep the left door shut. You will make as much in 5 days as you would have in 6. I believe if you have the hours you can still get a sixth day providing they have the oil to haul and a truck is available and you are still able to get your reset.

 

Wow, it all sounds good. Can't wait to start on Monday in Abilene! Thanks for all your help, much appreciated!

 

Glad to help in any way I can. What area will you be running out of?

 

I believe I'll be running out of Big Spring when I'm done with training. Odessa seemed too expensive and crowded and I didn't want to work nights out of Abiliene...so I chose Big Spring.