Houston Crude Hauling

So how much would a person expect with 4 years of experience?

 

Will the last person to leave the building please turn out the lights!

 

Dupre laid off 30 drivers.

They also cut driver pay 10%, and will be going to load pay in October.

Bridger lost Shell and is now hauling Chemicals.

South CC drivers are unhappy. Only getting one load a day. They tell me management making their lives hell.

Gibson OOs dropping like flies.

Enterprise seems to be only decent place left.

Houston Crude hauling is in shambles.

 

I heard Enterprise cut the driver pay 10%. I know they did out in West TX, and they did something with the night drivers in Houston. Thought I heard Sunline lost there work as a 3rd party.

Don't see Sun Coast much anymore, but have noticed more Mission trucks than there were in the past. Seen a new player to the area, Catamount, pulling loads for Martin. Still see QC and Gemini in the area too. Not sure about the situation at any of these companies.

I'm really starting to question some of these companies's commitment to hauling crude oil. Seems as though they are willing to let the work go to another company and focus on other areas of business. When you let your testing equipment disappear, let your truck maintenance drop off to the point drivers are running around with multiple violations, and do not have enough trucks available for the drivers you have on the schedule, how is the driver supposed to feel secure?

I know a lot of drivers were laid off but a lot have also moved on to other areas of work. There is a 40,000 driver shortage as of last report so plenty of options for those looking.

 

I know a lot of enterprise drivers went to the lpg division. Haven't heard of any pay cuts for them in Houston.

Catamount drivers I've talked to seem happy, if I were to buy my own truck that's who I'd try to get on with.

Just don't think time is right to be an OO in crude.

I'm thinking about getting out of it, I'm still doing ok but feel like it could go to schat at any moment.

 

how is the driver supposed to feel secure?
You lost me Heir Dr., when exactly did this become a concern for a motor carrier? I don't believe I ever heard this as an issue brought up.........And don't get me wrong, it's a valid point. Carriers would get a lot more out of their drivers if they treated them half way decent, including Enterprise, whom for a common carrier treated me the best next to the private fleet.......

Personally I passed on Enterprise LPG. It was cheaper pay than crude and if I couldn't make a check on the crude side then I certainly couldn't make it on LPG. Mind you they weren't very happy with me turning it down. They had forced everyone to get the license......but I hired in as a crude driver and that's what I was going to do.
I haven't spoke to my buddies very much about the new hourly stuff. On commission your check was determined by your dispatch and the top hands got all the good stuff 90% of the time. You had to have this dispatch, with this truck and trailer to get 2 a day...which is where the money was. No way you could pull 10 loads out of Gonzales with a 65 mph Volvo and a Stephens, run out of clock.

As far as getting out......IMO a lot depends on the Iranian deal. If Congress allows it and lifts sanctions they will flood the market with crude...at any price. Bad for both you and I.

JMO

 

This info is a little dated, but Reliant Field Services was starting up a run from Victoria to Houston and was looking for drivers. Apparently its a LACT-to-LACT run, once a day, originating somewhere around Victoria. This came from a Reliant driver I ran into about a month ago. IIRC he said it started at 21/hr with a guarantee of 40hrs. min., but was expected to be about 55-60 hours on a 5/2-5/3 schedule.

 

Just an update, as of NOV 1st, Dupre will no longer be paying by the hour. Pay will now be barrel pay (not percentage). At this point I think Enterprise and Gemini (can't confirm Gemini) may be the only crude haulers in Houston paying by the hour.

 

Enterprise is paying by the hour, and according to the website, has openings for crude haulers at the Baytown terminal.

http://careers.enterpriseproducts.com/transJobs.shtm.

 

Any updates on reliant field services or Enterprise??