Later on, we have the swab rigs. This type of truck is also of a great help for the oilfield trucking industry. Oilfield truck drivers thanks to the swab rigs are enabled and have an easier access to the natural resources. Truck drivers that are operating with swab rigs are performing the process of loading by swabbing.
Also, you will come to encounter trucking companies that are offering oilfield trucking services with frac water heater trucks, or more commonly known as hot oil trucks.
Therefore, the truck drivers that are operating with this kind of trucks, have the main duty to drive the tanker trucks from the oil fields to the disposal place (where they have to dispose of the hazardous materials).
3. Required Skills And Endorsements For Becoming Oilfield Truck Driver
Obtaining a Class A CDL driver’s license is a “MUST” for all the people out there that want to become truck drivers. But what does it take in order for a truck driver to switch, and become oilfield truck driver?
Let’s start by obtaining all necessary endorsements, and gaining the needed skills. In other words, becoming oilfield truck drivers is similar to becoming hazmat truck driver.
Step No.1 To Applying For Oilfield Trucking Jobs: Being Healthy, Flexible and Fit
The step no.1 includes the requirement for truck drivers to be healthy, flexible and fit; in fact, this is a requirement for all truck drivers that are part of the trucking industry in the USA.
I consider that this is one of the most crucial steps because working on oilfield is demanding. Truck drivers have to have a high level of stamina as well as strength. So, if you want to apply for oilfield trucking jobs then you will have to work a bit on these three requirements.
Oilfield trucking jobs require continuous physical activity; this is where the job of oilfield truck drivers and OTR truck drivers differs the most.
Step No.2 To Applying For Oilfield Trucking Jobs: HAZMAT Endorsement
I already mentioned that oilfield trucking jobs are very similar to hazardous materials transportation. In fact, the oil itself is considered to be a hazardous material. So, if you want to become oilfield truck driver you will have to obtain HAZMAT endorsement.
Moreover, in one of my previous articles, dedicated on How Much Does HAZMAT Truck Driver Make, I explained, in brief, the overall process of obtaining hazmat endorsement.
Thereupon, you know that oil and gas are extremely dangerous materials, that is why you shall learn carefully and profoundly all the steps of:
- Inspecting the vehicle;
- Safe transportation;
- Proper loading and unloading;
By obtaining the HAZMAT endorsement, not only that you will learn how to perform the process of transporting oil and gas, but also you will learn about all 9 classifications of dangerous materials. Learning about the safety standards will bring you only positive income!
Step No.3 To Applying For Oilfield Trucking Jobs: Mechanical Skills
Oilfield trucking jobs are demanding, that is no secret. Having mechanical skills is a great advantage for the future oilfield truck drivers. Every skill that is beyond the CDL trucking skills will bring you to a bigger success.
That is so because if you have mechanical skills for example, and if it happens that you have to change a broken tire, you will be able to perform the process way quicker than another truck driver that doesn’t have mechanical skills, and by that, you will get to the final destination quicker.
OTR Truck Driving Jobs: The Neverending Highway
The neverending highway has somehow become a lifestyle of OTR truck drivers. The main duty of Over-The-Road truck drivers is to transport cargo from one location to another, but most often these locations are long-distance.
Unlike oilfield truck drivers, the OTR truck drivers are not working like seasonal drivers, for few months a year. Instead, they are working during the whole year round. This type of truck driving is bringing OTR truck drivers away from their loved ones, from their family, but still, at the end, they do know how to cope with that.
1. What Does An OTR Truck Driver Do?
Over-The-Road truck drivers are responsible for the safe long-route transportation process. But also they are partially responsible for the planning of the transportation too. Therefore, being responsible for the planning process, truck drivers shall be well educated, and familiar with all the rules and regulations that they will follow along with their route.
Right after OTR truck drivers finish the planning process they are performing a pre-trip inspection of the truck. The pre-trip inspection is a must because the vehicle must provide ultimate security for the loads, the truck driver, as well as for the other passengers out there on the highways.
So, in order for OTR truck driver to perform a safe load transportation process, they will have to adhere to the U.S. Department of Transportation rules and regulations.
Yet, besides these obligations, the OTR truck drivers shall be carefully about their logbooks. OTR truck drivers shall maintain their logbook to details.
2. What Does A Truck Driver Have To Fulfill In Order To Become An OTR Truck Driver
All that the person who wants to become a conventional truck driver has to do is to obtain Class A CDL license. Plus he must undergo training in order to gain experience. But when it comes to becoming an OTR truck driver the things get more complex than you have expected.
Being Over-The-Road truck driver is hard; knowledge of federal regulations is the prime thing on the way of becoming OTR truck driver. Here is part of the things that a truck driver have to fulfill in order to become OTR:
- Have Clear CDL drivers’ record;
- Obtain proper endorsements;
- Gain basic mechanic skills;
- Be able to drive 14-hour “driving window” limit with required 10 hours min. rest;
So, OTR truck drivers do have a special type of lifestyle, they even have developed their own language and dress code.
Difference Between Oilfield Trucking Jobs And OTR Truck Driving Jobs
Oilfield trucking jobs and OTR trucking jobs are similar at first sight, but if we take a closer look at all the facts and figures we can see that there are also many differences.
