To crane or not to crane

I have a career choice dilemma I hope to get any advice on. These two jobs are in North Dakota.

I'm 53 years old, I have exactly 4 years of CDL-A experience driving a tanker in the oil field. My first two years as a hazmat driver in TX., and 2nd company two years as a non-HM driver up here.

Last Thursday I took a drug test for a trucking company delivering diesel to the oil field. This job pays $30 an hour with overtime and 70 hours a week.

Then I interviewed with a crane company because I'm interested in becoming a crane operator.

The crane supervisor offered me $25 an hour and said they will certify me as a rigger and whenever they could ( when the job does not require a certified operator or in their own yard ) they will put me in the seat of a crane to gain experience. When I'm ready they will have me certify on their crane.

Well I thought this sounds like a great deal, before yesterday I knew nothing about cranes and just started to read. What I have just learned from here is there is a lot of rigging up and rigging down to do, so a lot of outdoor work.

During my tanker job here I spent about three min. to connect/ disconnect my hose at the tank battery/ disposal and about 20 min. inside the cab waiting to load/ unload, then do the same thing again 5 to 7 times a day.

I can do Hardwork, but I'm wondering what it would be like doing rigging work in sub-zero temps, hammering pins in with a 20 mile per hour wind!

Just the difference in pay for a 60 hour week between the two jobs would be $350 per week or $1500 per month!

But I'm thinking to myself, very few companies would be willing to pay somebody $25 while they train him. Whereas the fuel hauling jobs that train, are all over.

So my dilemma is, do I go for the "more money" job, and continue following tanker work that I've been doing for the last four years OR do I take the crane-trainee/rigger job and learn a new skill?

I look around the country and see most crane jobs ( outside the oil field ) require CCO certification and years of experience, BUT still pay a lower salary than what I was offered here.

The five crane training schools I called have told me they believe the salaries will go up this November once the NCCCO law kicks in.

Thank you to any and all who take the time to read or reply.

 

It wouldn't be a question for me, of course I'm already in the crane and rigging field and sure wouldn't want to switch to tanker.

Crane work will definitely be more physical labor, at least until you get in the operator's seat.

You can't be afraid of heights and not mind working in all types of weather. While crane jobs will shut down in a heartbeat on the count of wind or lightning, lots of times they won't stop for just pouring rain.

It's not uncommon for crane outfits to train you. The bottom line is, there is a big shortage of good operators. I wouldn't put too much stock in what a crane training outfit says, they are trying to fill classroom seats and will say whatever they think will make you sign up. Might as well just get hired on with a crane company and train/test on their dime.

The best way to enter the crane field, especially if you are a CDL holder, is to hire on as a truck driver/rigger/oiler and work your way up to the operator's seat.

 

Steel gets brittle like glass in say -30, throw in a 20 mph wind = -61. It will kill children whose noses and mouths are not covered in about 30 minutes flat. It will freeze YOUR exposed skin, eyes and lung membranes etc in about the same period.

Steel becomes brittle like glass.

Keep your 30 an hour job. It's a no brainer. that should gross you over 2100 and net you more than 1500 weekly on 70 hour work week. If I did not have the issues I would be down there taking that job for me.

 

Man the crap info you post never ceases to amaze me.

 

Amazing isn't it?

 

So, how do those Eskimo kids survive? Or the Tibetan kids?
Or even the kids in North Dakota?
I've seen all of the above out playing in those kinds of temps with nothing covering their noses and mouths
What say?

 

Don't try reasoning with his logic he makes it up as he goes along.

 

Yeah, you're probably right. I keep applying logic and common sense to what he says. Sometimes it helps, but mostly it just gives me a headache.
Maybe what we have is the internet version of the old truck stop story table...listen long enough and you'll hear just about every story there is. Even if they aren't true. Again and again.

 

You adapt. You get used to it being so cold. And it doesn't take long. I worked in northern Alberta for years. The good weather days were -25 to -30. The first time you wonder how do people live in those areas, your fingers hurt, you face feels numb. A week later, it was still cold, but it wasn't that numbing face freezing cold anymore. Temps were the same, I just got used to the weather.When the temps went up to -15, I had to take my coat off. Went home to see my mom and it was 25 degrees outside. Mom came home, I was sitting under the carport no shirt, no shoes, talking on the phone and mom was bundled up in a coat.

When I hear people worry about working in the elements, the summer heat and the winter cold and the rain and whatnot, I wonder how they were able to go through life without ever having to do any difficult work. Perhaps I did things the wrong way. If you drive nails, at the end of the first day, your hands hurt and you have blisters all over. By the 2nd day, you're fine...you have callouses. By the end of the week, you have callouses so thick that you can slap people and kill them. The same goes with ANY job that you do with your hands. Work with your hands and your hands become really tough really quick. The whole body is like that though. It will adapt to do anything you need it to if you are strong willed.

 

Exactly