Vac Truck Driver Job ?

[Bigrib]

Can anyone tell me about being a vac truck driver ? I'm in BC right now thinking about heading to the oil patch for better paying work. Heard that in Northern Alberta a vac truck driver can make good money . True ?

Thanks

[brownbomber]

yeah you can make lots of money but it's a greasy job. not for those scared of getting dirty. if you can get the hours you can make some good coin, won't take you long to learn if you have a half a brain and get used to sitting waiting for work.

[sullijr]

Call Big Eagle in Camrose

[Phantom]

I swamped on vac trucks for some time, you can easily earn allot of cash if your kept busy and like BrownBomber said, be prepared to get filthy with drilling mud, cement, mud, anything out there lol. Im on the hunt right now for work and its the slow season around Hinton area as I have been talking to the bosses.

Do you have your class 1?

[Bigrib]

No I don't a class 1 or 3 yet. Figured I'd get a class 3 first due to cost , about $1800.00 here in BC to get it. Have driven a grain truck for two harvests in Alberta , just taking it off the combine and to the bins.

So vac truck drivers can work year round? Do they basically just clean up the mud from a drill site and haul it somewhere ?

[Bushmaster]

They suck up everything from plain water to sewage and crude oil.

[archdlx]

try Winterhawk, they have trucks and offices all over East Central AB. If I recall, the number is 780-753-6330 in Provost. Ask for Del.
My son used to work for one of their contractors....good $$, hours can suck, don't be a pansy about getting dirty. Keep the trucks CLEAN.
Need H2S, First Aid, TDG, WHMIS.

LeRoy

[Hoochie Papa]

If you check out one of the bigger companies, they are so hurting for hands right now, they just might even pay to get you all the tickets you need.

The vac truck we have on my rig is going on 60 days in right now, just because they don't have any relief.

[buckmaster]

city of edmonton-drainage is hiring temporary operators for cleaning catchbasins from may till october; afternoon shift from 3;30 to 11;30 monday to friday.

[buckbrush]

when we get vac trucks out the guys seem to like the work but you can't be scared to get dirty.it looks bad when you are getting rig hands to do all the work and you just stand there.like anything else in the patch reputation goes a long ways.If a consultant doesn't like your work ethic or attitude you won't be working as many hours as the guys he likes.that doesn't matter durring busy times but it will bite you durring slow times.you might need your confined spaces too.I'm not sure on that.best of luck.

[Glockster]

In all my years in the 'patch I've never understood why anyone worked on a vac unit. Its a nasty, greasy, dirty, sweaty disgusting job. 14 hours cleaning out invert tanks is pretty common, and if you don't know what invert is well....finding out on the job is not the way.;) Mind you if you can follow around a rig using a water based gel-chem drilling system its not too bad. But expect crappy hours, long terms away from home and the dirtiest job you can imagine. May not be the best time to look with road bans coming into effect.

Come prepared to work when you apply. I can tell you from first hand experience the people who walk in and talk to the supervisors/truck push are the people who get hired right away, unsolicited resumes find their way to the trash. Have your class 3 with Q endorsement (air brakes) all the tickets: first aid, H2S, (TDG and Whims should be supplied by your company) PST, CST confined space entry level II, fire resistant coveralls, hard hat (MSA approved), gloves, safety glasses a good pair of CSA rubber boots, driver's abstract and I can almost gaurantee you'll get a job in no more than 5 days max. I've seen people walk in at 8:00 AM and be driving that afternoon, but they were ready to work had their shiite together.:D

[brownbomber]

if you're willing to travel i can try to see what i can get you, i worked at ecan for 7 years and they have somewhere along the line of 100+ trucks, pressure, vac, flushby, coil tubing etc. still got some contacts there. it's a big company and you get coveralls and gloves supplied they sell you a company hardhat for 15bucks. provide your tickets for you too, but once again crappy hours, some great people some not so much. i was subcontrator there for 4 years, and employee for 3. camp work in wabasca and regular shops in elk point and fort kent(bonnyville area), might still have a camp up in peace river as well. i think training is 15bucks/hr and once you're on your own it would be in the 18/hr range. no swampers on vac!!
not much drilling work on vac, but lots of service rig work so mudcans and stuff like that, general lease cleanups and that kind of mundane stuff. pm me if you're looking to relocate and want someting permament i'll see what i can do.

[Bigrib]

This board is really the best , all this info really will help a lot . Have to get my Class 3 pronto.

Thanks

[gunslinger]

yea its a dirty job but you can make good coin, i hire jayden and canvac here in dawson creek, go to either of them and you will be working right away, start out as a swamper and if you prove yourself and work hard they will pay for your tickets and eventually you will be running the truck and making better coin.they supply some rain suits and stuff so should be alright.
anyhow hope this helps but i know they are looking for guys.

[bearbait]

get your class 3....then i know that we will train and get you your tickets...they will be deducted from your pay then reimburesed after 6 months..we are located in whitecourt alta and do all our work in oil and gas...cleaning rig tanks , p-tanks and doing cement jobs on drilling rigs is the most common work..i just left management to run a tanker again and the cash is pretty good..depending on experiance...break up has started but theres still work...we are curently looking for an opertator to run a tandem vac with wash unit...

strike oilfield in whitecout..
rob

[Brady]

Not sure that this is the right place for this.
Thread closed!!