cutting teeth in ND

Any accident with $500 of damage is written up. But cops do not frequent lease roads (the worst of the roads in ND) so the threat of an accident on your record from such a slide is minimal. The cops are, however, more thna happy to write you up for accidents on county and state roads. Largely, the cops leave oilfield trucks alone because they know how good we are to the community's economy. But like anywhere, tick one off and you'll invite a whole party of them, including the coffee and doughnuts.

If you haven't seen the average oilfield (especially water) truck in ND, you're in for a shock. Less than 10% of them IMO would pass a strict DOT inspection. They are a far cry from an OTR truck. ND oilfield driving is hell on trucks. They don't last long up here. Unless you go to work for a big company here, expect your truck to be minimally safe and hardly recognizable as worthy for the task at hand. Once you're over that shock, get ready to work yourself to death and make some serious money.

 

If you are not on public roads they will not appear on your record. If you damage something fairly bad and insurance company has to pay they will have it on their records. Some will check both others just DMV records. Go slow and you will be fine. Just because everyone else is acting like a moron to get that one extra load doesn't mean you have to follow. If it doesn't feel right it probably isn't. But you will run into roads, hills, washes that will make your cheeks pucker up where you couldn't drive a knitting needle in there with a pile driver. Most will be OK if done smartly and safely. Some may require more speed then you are comfortable with at 1st. That will come with time and miles.