Cell phones and wifi
Having the communication networks we have now makes you truly appreciate what people before us went through. Imagine what it would have been like having to write letters?
Drivers just 20 years ago had very little communication compared to what we have today. Having no way to communicate with your family can be tough on you, and your relationship. Fortunately, cell phone service coverage has probably doubled just in the last few years alone.
New towers are being installed all the time to service the needs of the people working in these remote areas. Cell phone boosters are still a valuable asset and most companies have these installed in their trucks for the company phones.
Truckers Equipment. One of the most valuable non essential items to have as an oilfield driver is a laptop and WIFI.
Having internet is a definite bonus. I used my cell phone as a tethering device before they came out with the wifi feature most phones have now. wifi for truckers is sometimes available on lease locations as well as in the camps.
Oil companies use satellite units for themselves, and sometimes will rent signal boosters for their locations. This is helpful for the servicing companies to be able to communicate while working on their locations.
Service in the woods can still be challenging, so I always expected no service. When I got to a location with service, I considered it a bonus. Murphy’s Law usually prevails anytime you were stuck somewhere for an extended period of time. (The service was bad or non existent). If this presents a problem for you, consider the southern Alberta oilfields where the service is better on the flatlands.
Coverage is pretty good until you get above mile 101 (Wonawan BC) on the Alaskan Hwy. It’s pretty spotty from there to Ft. Nelson. From FT. Nelson to Whitehorse Yukon is Terrible. I doubt most of you will go further north than Ft. Nelson. The Yukon is a beautiful drive if you ever get a chance to do it.
I’ve found Telus and Bell have the best coverage in Alberta. I experienced more dropped calls with Bell for some reason though. I believe Bell uses Telus towers in these areas? I’ve heard nothing good about service with any other company, but this is something that changes all the time. Go on their websites to check the coverage maps for yourself.
Truckers equipment. Dash cams are a great item to have. You can save your memories on video to someday show your children or grandchildren. They can also cover you if an incident occurs.
Dash cams
I added one of these as truckers equipment not just to gather great video material to use on the website, but also to protect myself in case of any incidents. I highly recommend paying the small amount of money they cost for the insurance they provide.
So that’s it. I’d like to wrap this up by saying, I hope this helps people understand a little more about working as a truck driver in the oilfields. I only wish this existed when I was considering my career. There were so many things that I didn’t know before making this kind of decision.
I hope you enjoyed this information and good luck to anyone choosing this career. Please feel free to give us your feedback on this series, or contact us with any questions you may have.
Thanks for reading Truckers equipment
Keep on Rolling!
The Truckers Wheel Team
