The Permian Petro Polka

2 Questions. First one’s important and second one would be good to know. Posting it here because it’s in regard to ending up in the Permian Basin (doin the Hughes Hustle? or the Schlumberger Schwiinnng).

1) Do you think going to a CDL school that is local to the area where I want to work, is an advantage (especially considering how it can be difficult to go straight into training at an oil services company right after grad)?

2) Are the extras offered at the school mentioned below, like H2S cert, a significant advantage in separating you from other hiring candidates?

Some background:
Considering just getting a CDL B (quick) or going for an A, both ending up in the Permian basin. Expeditor for company over 11 years. Drove mostly extended cargo vans and about 10% 26’ 26K on-CDL straight trucks. Covered Southern/Central WI, NW IN, and Chicago Metro and surrounding counties. Have made many trips to SC, NC, KY, DE (1), MN, MO, IA, NE (1), KS.

Working on a job strategy for the next few months. Part of my strategy / problem is I anticipate a dead zone the last few weeks of the year for hiring (based on last year’s posts). I’ve still have to read up on a few more schools and company programs with choices ranging from Careers World Wide CWW to the different approach at Prime. CWW is a Stevens Transport approved?/affiliated? school, located in Colorado, a location I was considering (Niobrara Formation). 170 hours and lots of truck time. After first looking at ND and then doing some additional research into the “Shale plays”, I’m currently concentrating on the Permian Basin. I have access to a 4 week, 160 hour CDL program at local community college and I’m checking out another local company that is on Schneider’s list of schools.

Back to the questions. If I can swing it, I see Midland College in Midland, TX has a CDL program. There isn’t much on TTR about it or the extension pgm started last year at the WRTTC in Ft Stockton (home of Paisano Pete, “the world’s largest road runner”, can’t wait, Beep Beep :-0). WRTTC has some funding from Chevron. I did find a blog for a driver that went to the Midland Campus school on another web site (TrxxxxxxTrxxx.com) and it sounded pretty good.

The thing that caught my eye was the info for the extension school, where in addition to the usual CDL coverage, they listed:

H2S Certification
Hazard perception
Emergency maneuvers
Vehicle Systems
Diagnosing malfunctions
Trip planning
Oilfield Preparation

I learned from the blog that at least the H2S Cert and “defensive driving” was something they may have added to both programs in the Fall of 2013. I’m sending an inquiry to Midland to find out if all of the above extras are now offered at both locations (and their online info is just out of date).
I guess you can get H2S cert for about $25 (if “OSHA 29 CFR 1910 and 1926, ANSI Z390.1” is good enough, both as a leg up to a hire and not testing your life insurance policy’s claim process). Was already considering OSHA 10 hr as another extra. Doesn’t look like I can push the Hazmat process until the CDL is in hand (unless getting a TWIC card will speed up that process. I have a TSA number, but I’m pretty sure that’s not going to help).

If I haven’t said it, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to end up in a typical OTR position. Regional, depending on your definition would be OK. I’d do it for a while if I got into a good tank program. I can see there is a lot of experience and knowledge that I would want before being reasonably confident running a hazmat tanker so unless I get a kick ### trainer and make some outstanding contacts to learn from, that may be the logical direction to go.

 

Thank you all.

Seemed like any edge might help, especially with no experience, but I can see now that some just aren't as significant as others.
I can see that for several reasons, you have to be in the area to do the job search. I probably can't afford to cover both the search time and time away at school anyway, but if it made a significant difference, I'd would figure something out. The community college class is taught by a CDL school and perhaps that is why it isn't any cheaper than usual, around $4K for the 160 hr class. However, it does allow me to take on some 3 hr night routes from a new AMAZON distribution center running to Chicago area Post Offices seven days a week. When schools over I can save up more for the trip south doing double night routes, continue fixing phone screens and neighbors cars.
Update, finally got some skinny on 2 local schools, both cheaper than the college class and more flexible so I have to look into it more. One is $3,300 for 160 hr class, $4,200 for 240hr (no detail on diff yet), the other is in the ball park of $2,200 cash andrecent post here suggests +$300 financed. I need more specific info, but one is open 7 days a week for driving, 6 days for class (it's 45 min drive away, but with that flexibility, may be able to work at least full time, depending on how ambitious I want to get).

Think maybe I should get some pizza delivery experience so I can follow the ChrisDHeye petro path.

thanks again.