Trainers

What did you decide, man? Can you go back to the origin, and get a fair "restart" with credit for "time served?" Not being shizzy, just saying sometimes that's the best hand to play .... almost like poker, sometimes blackjack. BEAT the dealer. IMHO that's what I would do.
Now that they are under the "roof" of Knight..... it may work to your advantage.

Wishing you the best, no matter. Just saying, were it me...

Tomcat

ps: There are many of us here willing to help; yeah sometimes you'll get sarcasm, or snide remarks, we get stressed also, and often vent on the new guys...irresponsibly (at least speaking for myself... i apologize.) Please quit calling us ST's... I've got 20 plus under my belt, and I'm still not an ST.... even though I drive a Petercar. I was YOU once...(i actually miss the younger days, man!)

pss: Thick Skin is kinda necessary in this industry..... here, there, everywhere.
Keep us posted NMW..

 

I hope the oil field job works out for you. Better money right off the bat with a higher fun factor. Fair warning, the trucks will be beat to #### and covered in mud and dust. Get all your endorsements asap if you don't already have them.

 

I've never worked the oilfields, but a coupla my buddies here have, and do. Look up some threads that I've replied to, from the above poster. It's not for the faint of heart....(neither is pulling tanks, as I do..) but it's nothing that "i" even with all my experience, would just "jump" into, and risk my CDL. You only get "one" real chance at keeping that precious piece of plastic...it should actually be embellished in 24k gold trim, seriously.

About the ST part, it's cool, man... i get it. I do. There's a few "younger" guys on here that I've felt like using that subtitle for, but by the time I cooled my jets, they either wrecked, or left the forum.

Not being hard on you man, but PERSONALLY....RATIONALLY..... I would go back, and pick up where you left off. You even said your buddy said "might" .... what if that turns to "yes," ... you tell your 'prior' / aka: current, 'no,' .... and then it all falls apart.

a.) You'll be at square one, at best..
b.) Could be square Zero.
c.) You won't have the opportunity to maybe get into the oilfield, which CAN be seasonal, ever.
d.) You'll be looking at Carolina Cargo next year.

I don't know WHY, but I'm compassionate with you younger, starting-out guys...maybe I feel obligated because I fell into this industry before all the regulations.
This, man, is just how I feel....from the head, heart, mind, and experience. I'd jump back on the dang mare that pitched me.

Best to ya,
Tomcat

 

Good words all around and having @WyoBigFish get back on the pony might just be the right thing to do. Oilfield in my limited experience does have some seasonality. I have been told from more experienced hands the first couple of months of the year slow down until the majors figure out the annual budget and how much drilling they will do.

On a broader note oilfield is subject to wide swings, boom or bust, depending on the price of oil. Oil prices are better than last year, not yet to boom stage, but in my limited experience (getting in during a bad downturn in May '15), this year over last year is nuts. Everyone is hiring and there is a shortage of drivers.

That being said I think getting at least six to twelve months experience OTR would serve @WyoBigFish well. You HAVE to have your close quarter skills squared away and know how to back PRECISELY. Oil rig pads can get incredibly tight and you routinely have to get within fractions of an inch to get around them. You risk far more than just hitting a beautiful Pete in a truck stop. You risk hitting millions of dollars of equipment or Hazmat containment and shutting down a rig.

 

I would ask if I had to drive at night. The new Cascadia's are solar assisted, that's how they get those big MPG numbers, go to one of those companies.

 

Now that you mention it, I did pick up a trainee that did school and orientation in Utah and bussed to Memphis to get his license. He had a funny story. Several new drivers were on that Grayhound. They stopped in the middle of the night for a rest break and the bus driver announced, "Ten minute stop! Be back on the bus in ten minutes!"

One newbie didn't make it back on the bus in ten minutes. The bus driver was pulling out of the parking lot as the Swift newbie gave chase. The bus driver didn't stop, even though they were all shouting at him.

"He'll LEARN today!", said the bus driver.

That poor newbie left his cell phone and everything but his wallet on the bus.