Eagle Ford Shale Truck Driving Jobs

Would you migrate to another part of the United States to find a job? Many people are already doing so, moving to South Texas to take truck driving jobs in the Eagle Ford shale, among other oilfield jobs.

The Eagle Ford shale is a newly discovered oil and gas field that stretches from East Texas all the way to near Del Rio, on the Texas - Mexico border. It is estimated to hold as much as 25 billion barrels of oil. One of the most widely available jobs in the Eagle Ford shale is that of a truck driver. Companies are finding it hard to fill these jobs, due to a variety of reasons. The primary reason that trucking companies reject so many applicants is "failure to pass a pre-hiring drug test". It seems that for over one quarter of the applicants, the urge to enjoy recreational drugs is more compelling than having a good paying, full time job. The second reason listed by employers is that many potential drivers have skeletons in their closet such as past felonies, and cannot pass a criminal background check. Others may have too many moving violations, since two to three is usually the maximum a trucking firm will allow for a new hire. Some companies even require zero moving violations before considering an applicant. Another reason companies reject some job applications is that the applicants are unwilling to relocate closer to the company's yard or terminal.

Would You Relocate To South Texas For An Eagle Ford Shale Truck Driving Job?

There are many areas of the United States where the unemployment level is over ten percent. In those areas are many qualified candidates with CDL's (commercial driver's licenses) and who have clean background histories, and can pas an employer's drug test. It may be a hard decision to leave everything that you know behind, and head for the cactus covered "brush country" of South Texas to drive a truck in the Eagle Ford shale, but many people are already doing so. The salary for oil truck drivers and vacuum truck drivers is around $12 to $16 an hour, but overall salary varies greatly from company to company. Many Eagle Ford shale trucking companies offer paid vacation, 401-K plans and medical benefits. Some companies may pay a combination of hourly salary, plus per mile bonuses, with raises based on performance and driving record.

What You Will Need For An Eagle Ford Shale Oil Hauling, Vacuum Truck or Frac Sand Truck Driver Job:

For frac sand hauling jobs, many companies prefer owner - operators who have their own rigs. Some companies may provide you with a truck, but most of the sand and gravel hauling firms prefer that you have your own rig. There are exceptions, so don't hesitate to check with companies that specialize in hauling gravel and sand to see if they provide their own trucks for you to drive. Oil and vacuum truck driver jobs in the Eagle Ford are less likely to require drivers to be owner-operators, since these tractor - trailer combos are usually part of a company fleet.

What You Need To Get A Truck Driving Job In The Eagle Ford Shale Of South Texas

You will need a Class A CDL or commercial driver's license, with Hazmat and tanker endorsements for these jobs. If you have an out of state CDL, you'll have only 30 days to get a Texas license. A clean driving history (which may mean zero, or possibly up to two moving violations), plus a clean background history are a must. Most companies prefer high school graduates or those with a GED, since there are aspects of all Eagle Ford shale truck driving jobs, (especially ones hauling oil and water), that require good math and reading skills. You will most likely need to live within 30 miles of your company's terminal to be considered for the job, although with the severe housing shortage in the Eagle Ford shale area, companies are making exceptions to this rule. Below is a video showing what some of the roads you will be driving on are like. Roads are often dusty or muddy, and rigs or well locations may be miles off of paved roads.

Where To Look For South Texas Truck Driving Jobs

Most of the major job sites, such as Monster.com, have at least a few Eagle Ford truck driving jobs listed. Also browse Craigslist in San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Victoria, as well as Mysa.com and other local newspaper's online classified ads. Good search terms to use include "frac" "vacuum truck", "crude", "transport, "gravel", gravel truck", "gravel hauling", and "driver's wanted". Let Google be your friend, and you will see that there are quite a few job listings out there.