Other carriers
Third party (outside) carriers are hired by the oil and service companies to provide transport services used for drilling and well fracturing process. Sand, cement, Co2, nitrogen, water, acid, picker trucks and wellhead services, are just some of these services these third party carriers provide.
Third party carriers can pay very well, but many of them prefer to hire experienced drivers. They sometimes lack the resources and capital to invest in training programs. Insurance requirements can also be a factor for hiring young or newer drivers.
Rig moving, rig servicing and heavy haul jobs are also a large segment of Oilfield trucking. They have some very high paying truck driving jobs, and also require experience. Some of these companies will hire swampers. Swamping is an option for new people to get their foot in the door. You can start out as a swamper and move your way up to a driver. A swamper is a drivers aid.
3rd party carriers are a great opportunity to keep busy and earn good truck driving salaries working for the larger service companies.
We’ll get into naming some of the specific jobs types in the next section including the year round steady work like production work and fluid hauling.
If you want to get a more accurate and up to date look at the job market in Grande Prairie, here is the link for Kijiji Jobs in the region.
If you wish to check out the current jobs in the Tar sands region, here is the link for kijiji job Ft. McMurray.
There are other job boards, but kijiji is a great place to start. Most companies advertise job openings on kijiji as well as www.jobshop.ca.
Non trucking jobs or unskilled labor jobs
Unskilled general labor in northern Alberta and BC towns can pay $20/hr or more. McDonald’s can pay $14 to $18 per hr., and Tim Horton’s coffee shops can pay over $15/hr. Base wages in the oilfield towns can be almost double the minimum wages in other parts of the country, but you’ll need it to cover the cost of living in some of these towns.
In 2006, when oil and gas was booming in Grande Prairie I saw a sign in front of a Mac’s Milk convenience store advertising a $1,000 signing bonus. (Yes, my jaw dropped when I saw this sign.)
General labour jobs can still pay good money in the oil and gas industry.
There’s no question that truck driving salaries are high in this industry for the skill level, or the educational requirements. Your chances of making this kind of money anywhere else in the country are slim to none. So why isn’t everyone flocking here? Why are there still jobs available? Why do such great opportunities still exist when companies have been advertising all over North America, and the world?
There’ll more than likely always be a trucker shortage in the oilfields. Not because there’s a shortage of truck drivers, but because there’ll always be a shortage of “Qualified” truck drivers willing to make the sacrifices. Some of the other reasons for the shortage we still have yet to cover, so stay with us.
