Just returned from my Bakken "recon" trip

I would appreciate that Smakman, as I am too trying to head that way. Applications are sent and just waiting to hear back. Keep us posted.

 

There is ZERO reason a person can't make 100k hauling crude. Most make around 80-90k first year. Crux is, if you want rotation and 'home' time, the number drops. Companies are preferring people that have moved to the area. If you can full time it, you can make over 100k with weekends off. With any type of off road and winter trucking experience, you can demand more than 26 bucks an hour to start with paid overtime. In my first year there, I made 9k per month. And I still came home on rotation. So, yes, breaking six figures is doable with little trouble.
I just took a bunch of time off and now am fixing to buy a house and move the Family to the area. I'll make more, eat better and won't miss my kids growing up.

Cheers!
Shawn

 

whoa re you hauling crude with and what company?? i was looking into enterprise products out of pleasanton,tx

 

Please tell us what level of experience you had when you started at 9k/mo.

 

I have worked for a few companies in ND. Diamond B out of Westhope ND pays well but, need you to be Canada legal and they haul a lot of sour crude. Fun stuff. haha But, they treat you well in my experience. Concord Energy starts at 26 bucks with paid overtime but, they don't do rotations well. I also worked for a small outfit leased on to Diamond B. Pay was a bit less but the benefits were better. There are other smaller outfits that pay well too. Falco was one but, they were bought out last year so, I don't know. There are others.
But, in all these outfits, I have met people making better than 30 bucks an hour after having been there for a couple years. Experience does count!
I am not sure where I will sign on to this time but, my local economy is still rough so, I am bringing the Family with me this time. Slowly getting older and need a future. ND is still paying for those that are willing.
All the other advise on these boards are right in regards to housing. Get your ducks in a row before showing up. If you have housing, you can walk in off the street with some rough road, bad weather, off road, mountain driving, clean record and get hired on the spot.

 

One year OTR, 5 years construction. Mixer truck(Mostly), side dump, end dump, powder train other stuff as needed. All in the mountains of MT. (That does help some).

I had all endorsements and a clean record. I actually started at about 8k, not because of the wage but, because I had to learn the ropes to be more efficient and maximize my hours and productivity.

P.S. As for the 14 year thing under my name. I also drove a CDL truck for Schwans. Not really trucking. LMAO. And in the service I drove truck hauling ammo and fuel in the first Gulf War. That was a long time ago though and a rarely state that on my resume, unless asked.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience with us MTNClimber, I am in Afghanistan and occasionally I drive MHE and water trucks for dust control. Mainly I work aviation support at the cargo/fixed wing terminal.

Im looking at getting my CDL and going out to ND in 9 months, ill be home in the States. Since I am gone so long from my family who is young, i really like what you shared about moving out to ND. I cant really find much info on people mentioning places to put down roots. Like what citys are recommended.
I have heard Minot area is good and close. I am mostly concerned about the area with good schools, and a safe friendly communitty for the wife and kids to feel safe and involved in.

I dont get that dickinson or Williston are those areas I want to look at. I cant go in person because I am so far away, what areas do you recommend looking to live and work out of?

Any help or suggetions would be great. I am making about 87K gross here, 12 hour days/7 days week. I also have family coverage for health insurance and life insurace, etc. Any companies you reccomend looking at for good benifits and pay combined?

How long is the Oilboom going to last in your opinion? I have heard positive and negative outloooks.......is it worth it to move out there?

 

Sorry for taking so long getting back to you. I am kinda busy with the phone and packing. Haha, I am jumping in with both feet this time around. Logistics can be a pain in the arse.

Now to try and answer your questions with just my opinion. I am staying away from Williston. I may work there but, I will never put my family there. Dickenson is out for me too. I went and am going back to get ahead not, fall into being nickled and dimed again with rent prices above those of NY city. I won't let the market suck up any gains I may make by being there.

I am willing to commute an hour one way to work and back. Maybe more for the right gig. I have found houses for well under 200k and new single wides on full basements for under 100k. All within an hour and 15 minutes to Williston. I am like you considering my Family. I need good schools and want to keep them away from the Zoo that is Williston. We are not city folk and we are looking in all the small towns and hamlets. Good little Farm schools with some traditional values and still relatively shielded from crime and the chaos that is in the boom towns. It is amazing what difference an hour drive makes. Even if I don't close and get my family there at first, I have a house to share for 600 p/m plus utility sharing. 3 guys in a nice house is a good deal.

As for your last question, no one really knows do they? The oil is not going to stop. In the next 5 years I see everything holding steady. Most oil companies are bringing in more rigs and are booked solid past 2018. So, that means trucking will stay very active, even if the companies are being more selective and wage pressure is downward. Still a good way to secure a future. What one has to do is keep learning and as one progresses, set yourself up to go more mid-low-stream. It will remain more stable over time as the pipelines get installed. Don't get me wrong, they will need crude haulers for the next hundred years. How many? No one knows. I have pulled from wells put up in the 50's. Rotten, sour, poisonous wells that still are not being piped without first being trucked.

If one is there for the money and banking every extra cent, I see ten years at least. The number of wells scheduled is higher than last year. They are moving a bit, so be prepared to move with them but, it is not a pressing matter at this time. In my opinion.

If one is willing to move there and make a career, the possibilities are endless and there will always be work as one grows and shifts positions to meet market needs.

I hoped this helped. I'll answer anything I was unclear about or... for any reason. haha.