starting fresh - what would you do

When I did oil field in Pennsylvania we worked until the job was done, breaks were not planned they just happened as time and work permitted. What I mean is you took every chance you could to rest if you were not physically doing something. 20 hour days for 14 days in a row are why I left the oil field, yes I made incredible money but the total exhaustion was not worth it in my opinion. We did not have specific scheduled meal breaks, rest breaks, or anything like that, it all revolved around how well the job was going and other production delays. Not every company works like this, but the industry in general has a get it done attitude and the company man is the king of his little kingdom so if you get a hard nose then you are working hard. I am back in heavy duty towing for the time being and we work the same way but instead of slumping over the wheel of my daycab or dozing off in a camp somewhere I sit at home waiting for a call to come in, I still am on call/on duty for up to 72 hours in a row without a break but I get much more rest than I did running in the oil field. If you get on hauling water or sandcan then you get more chances for good rest but special trucks like kill trucks, frac pumps, and rig movers run really hard until their job is done then move on to the next job.

 

I start a new job as a pump operator assistant on Monday. Just got my CDL. If , later on down the road, I wanted to haul crude would companies still consider this as valid driving experience since I will just be driving to and from frac sites rather than doing constant hauls of water or sand? Thanks.

 

I doubt it. Most know you are basically moving equipment from site to site then sitting there. Not a lot of driving involved where as most crude haulers I know do 180-500 miles of driving per day. I'm not dissing the pump job, there is room to grow in that line of work. But if your goal is to one day haul crude you would be better off finding a driving job like water hauling ASAP.

 

do you know of any that can get you CDL in the oilfields .Shneider doesn`t at least not anymore.

 

Pumpco, frac tech, Halliburton, Schlumberger just to name a few.

 

Awesome ,thank you ,that is Very helpful thank you .i will call them as soon as i get a chance .

 

Do these companys pay you to get your cdl and place you in the oil field?

 

You'll be paid while your getting it cause you'll be considered working. It's not a scam like the otr companies. I know with most of them you'll be paid your hourly wage while your getting your license. Frac companies don't care if you know how to drive well. They want the license and they want you to be able to move a truck from point a to b usually in a slow convoy.

 

Your not grinding a 24 today or what?

 

Nope I'm on my week off right now. Don't go back till Wednesday.