Yup. Another Oil Field Wannabe

First I'd like to thank all of you who have taken time out of your lives to provide good information for many of us out there that have been looking into the trucking industry for a chance at having a real life and career.
My hat is off to all of you!

I will soon be leaving a job I have held now for well over 20 years, but not by choice. Not to mention loosing my house, and a good deal of my pride. But that's okay, and I'm going to move on with life.

As I understand it, there's a lot of work in the oil fields that CAN pay well if overtime is high and you can survive the burnout factor that must contribute to the high rate of turn over there. I am well used to hard work and can't come close to recalling how many 24-36 our shifts I've pulled to get in 100+ hour work weeks. So I'm no weenie when it comes to hard work. What I'd like to hear from folks is any advice on what you did to overcome these factors that must cull out much of the newbie work force there, as I'd like to make this more of a long term commitment. I'm not expecting a get rich quick plan, but I would like to get back on my feet as quickly as possible without hitting the OTR route if I can at all help it.

I have a strong work ethic, a fairly clean MVR report with one improper turn violation (missed a no U turn sign) that should drop off my 5 year report in July. I also have a fender bender that I was at fault with that caused about $2500 damage each to my vehicle and the person I hit. A bone headed move on my part, but it was at low speed, with no injuries. That happened about 18 months ago. Otherwise my MVR and driving history are clean for probably 10 years on back. No DUI's, Clean pee, and clean back ground. I'm thinking I'll get my additional CDL certifications here in TN before I go on the hunt for work.

I'm open to location, and have been looking at everything from TX, ND, MT, and others so I'm looking for work that can best lead me to success with my plan, and not a specific location. I know the Oil Field questions have pretty much all been asked on several other threads, I'm just trying to neave no stone unturned here.

I don't want to create too long of an initial message here so I welcome any of your input.

Consider me a sponge here and send it my way.

Thanks again!

 

Thanks Kabokokka23. Look at it this way. I'm old enough to be your daddy and it looks like I'll be moving back in with mommy & daddy to get through school. Can't change that for either one of us

I've read a lot on the ND situation and from my very limited perspective I think it might be best to look at Texas first to get a winter under my belt before heading to ND. I'm from the snowy north, and the thought of cutting my teeth on a ND winter is more than a little intimidating.

Thanks, and I'll check back soon.

 

Thanks Windsmith and Eastbound & Down (a Kenny Powers fan here too)
I've followed Paulcouto, Vegaspainter and others threads for a while and they have given me encouragement that there are some jobs out there that a Newbie can land. I'm just wondering what % the employment cycles in the oil patch are based on the season, or if it's a cycle of recruits coming in. My plan is to head into my search with enough $ to get me out there for at least 30 days, 60 would be preferable. I can live very cheaply, with little of nothing save the barest of essentials. A few hundred days on the trail, lugging your every possession up, and down mountains will quickly train you on what's really needed to survive. But...You probably already know what they say of best laid plans, mice, and men...

The director at the school I'm planning on attending said they slow down in the summer and I should have no problem getting into a class then. I'm leaning to a trucker mill program instead of the PTDI course in Nashville. The Recruiters I've spoken with said it didn't make a difference, but I know you have to take every thing they say with a grain of salt.

Pay attention
Never Run when you can walk
Never walk when you can stand
Never Stand when you can sit
Never sit when you can lay
Never lay when you can sleep
Never pass up clean water
And...Whatch where you step, bear p**p will stick to your boot for miles!