North Dakota/oilfield driving gigs PART 2:
 

First of all, i would like to thank anyone who contributed/is contributing to the original N.Dakota thread. i learned alot and will continue to refer to it.

But i have my own questions and concerns and i think it would be better organinzed to start another thread. Feel free to contribute or ask your own questions here. It is hoped that in this thread i can contain and better organize MY questions and concerns separate from the other thread----although many of the concerns in the first thread are also my concerns as well.

Also, if you have your own questions or concerns i can maybe organize them as well in a way that helps me understand everything in way that's clearer and more organized for me. i am very serious about this venture as i am pretty much able to "jump ship" and head to the "promised land" as i don't have any family or other responsibilities around here.

So my first question is i noticed that a few people are mentioning 100+ hours, overtime after 40 and all that. This is fine moneywise. i don't have a problem with putting in a 100+ hour workweek---because there is nothing else to do up there anyways. But i thought we can't drive more than 70 on duty per week? How does this work?

(d) Oilfield operations. (1) In the instance of drivers of commercial motor vehicles used exclusively in the transportation of oilfield equipment, including the stringing and picking up of pipe used in pipelines, and servicing of the field operations of the natural gas and oil industry, any period of 8 consecutive days may end with the beginning of any off-duty period of 24 or more successive hours.(2) In the case of specially trained drivers of commercial motor vehicles that are specially constructed to service oil wells, on-duty time shall not include waiting time at a natural gas or oil well site. Such waiting time shall be recorded as “off duty” for purposes of §§395.8 and 395.15, with remarks or annotations to indicate the specific off-duty periods that are waiting time, or on a separate “waiting time” line on the record of duty status to show that off-duty time is also waiting time. Waiting time shall not be included in calculating the 14-hour period in §395.3(a)(2). Specially trained drivers of such commercial motor vehicles are not eligible to use the provisions of §395.1(e)(1).

Wow. So technically you could work 100+ hours and still be legal? Anyone else want to chime in on this?

Yep, as long as you are on a drill, frac, well or disposal site you are legal. The oil field log books actually have a fifth line for logging site time, which does not go against your 14. Now, the stuff my company does falls under the regular 70/34 hour rule. We do not go to well sites on our gas runs, we go from a gas plant to a rail yard... No oil field hours for us...

Oh, and you have a 24 hour oil field reset vs. a 34 hour reset like I do.

Speaking of hours and pay I have a few questions for all and any oilfield drivers. Is it worth it, or is it justifiable to look into a company that offers straight pay only vs a company that offers OT after 40? Do the companies offering straight pay have all the hours a man (or woman) can work, and companies with OT have work that falls between 50-65ish hours? Also what's the deal with some job ads offering to pay via 1099? Last but not least, lately I've read a few Craigslist job ads stating that they guarantee 40hrs no matter what. I automatically assume that this is a company or o/o that sometimes won't have work. What's the take on that? Selling point to reply to the ad, or just a subtle heads-up? I'm sure I'm not the only one with the same questions. Any advice and answers would be helpful and greatly appreciated.

The pay... In my time up here, straight time has been my best bet. The time and a half jobs seem to not work as many hours, that 50ish you mentioned seems to hold true. And my experience with straight pay in regards to hours is that there are more available hours than I care to work. Seventy to eighty hours a week is good enough for me.

1099, RUN from that one, I have seen one outfit advertising for drivers "offering" a 1099. I know what I pay on taxes and have no intentions of paying at the 1099 rate.

The 40 hour guarantee? Usually means some down time from my personal experience. You will need to call the company and clarify with them. Personally, I cannot live on 40 hours a week pay, I could do that at home.

Can anyone point me in the right direction to get some work in North Dakota???
I would really like to learn about water trucks and working in an oilfield environment.
Currently I am with the Teamsters Union Local 135 in Indiana.
I do not have experience driving a water truck or working in an oilfield environment.
I learn very fast and can drive just about anything with wheels on it.
I possess a Class “A” CDL with doubles, triples and Hazmat endorsements.
Physical is current but just about due. Drug screen is clean with nothing to concern about.
I have driven semi-tractor with the following; end dump, flatbed, dry-box and reefer trailers.
I also have experience driving tow trucks, straight trucks and CAT 740 articulators.
Unfortunately most of the companies that I have driven for are out of business now, so experience cannot be verified by most.
I have driven all over these United States in about every weather condition possible.
My driving record is clean…No tickets…No accidents.
My employment is very sketchy because I spent several years home schooling my son while my other half worked.
Therefore I only worked part-time and not all of it as a driver.
This situation has put me in a some-what unique position of working because I want too not because I have too.
I believe that I could be an asset to any company if only given a chance.
Most people work because they have too and therefore are never happy doing their job.
How-ever; by not needing to work, I pick the jobs I enjoy and can really excel at them.

Craigslist, The Shopper in Williston and staffing agencies. Look down in Texas too, they are screaming for drivers down there.

Nabors in West Texas will put ya to work hauling water!! Haliburton has been nabbing folks down there too!!