Advice for a new guy?

Trucking (OTR and/or regional/local) is one thing and oil field hauling (work) is quite another. i.e they are not the same. Make sure you understand the differences before you jump in one way or the other ... or either.

 

If you've been driving a fueler, you may be able to get on with a fueling company as a local or regional gig. Maybe even thru your present employer.
Get your license first (while still working) then talk with your employer.
Since you're driving now, even it takes a little bit to find the right job, your license and school won't go stale. They'll see your driving the fueler (even tho it's only on the airport property) and credit that as active work.
A fueling tanker company may give you credit for all the time you've been driving there around the airplanes.

 

Emulsified beat me to it! Like he said you already have experience in that field so it may just open some doors for you. You may want to look into N. Dakota also. Have you checked out the "Oil Fields" thread? Maybe some good info or someone that can give you some advice as to how to go about getting your foot in the door. Course being from FL its going to be harsh adapting to that winter up there!

 

You know, I have a LOT of Respect for the tanker drivers. Lots of safety factors, but you get paid for quality work. There are some awesome tanker drivers on this board. They might jump in and give a few works of encouragement.

 

Not to rain on anyones parade, but you are trying to get out of a "dead end job" but cdl trucking is essentially one giant "dead end job". Sure you can upgrade companies after a year or so, maybe the pay might go up noticeably, but at the end of the day you are still in an 8 by 8 foot box moving down the road. Its not a job where you move up to management after a decade or so and make six figures for dozing off in a chair (although youll find plenty of truckers who will swear up and down they are rich, this is never actually true). My only excuse for still doing it is my bizarre addiction to the highway, hard to put into words really.