Jumping Through Hoops for a CDL Job | Video

Jennifer Joas | 2/19/2013

With more than 1,000 commercial driver license jobs available in North Dakota, it is no secret truck drivers are needed. But getting hired is another story. Energy Reporter Jennifer Joas tells us the story of one truck driver, jumping through hoops just to make a living.

"I heard there was a lot of work up here in the oil fields. And here I am," said Ed Tartaglia, Nevada Job Seeker.

Ed Tartaglia is a truck driver from Reno, Nevada. He has been living at the Tiger Discount Truck Stop in Dickinson for two weeks, trying to secure a job in the oil fields as a truck driver. But despite his experience, he says it has not been easy.

"These guys do dangerous work in the oil fields. So they want to do a driving test. Everything is up to the DOT regulations so there is a lot of scrutiny," said Tartaglia.

Tartaglia says the job applications can be 20 pages long, there are several interviews, a driving test and drug test to pass before he can can be hired.

But Tartaglia is not the only driver from out of state. MBI Energy Services says it has hired drivers from all 50 states. And for Oregon driver Loren Barrick, that happened a year and half ago.

"I just got tired of doing the 48 states over the road. So I heard about MBI up here from another truck driver over the road, and just pursued it," said Loren Barrick, MBI Driver.

MBI Energy Services receives about 500 applications a month, but only has about 125 open positions. Managers say the toughest part is making sure drivers are fit for the North Dakota roads.

"A lot of the work, with some of the out of state applicants involves getting them to understand the North Dakota geography and the weather changes that they are going to experience here in North Dakota, especially through the winter," said Chuck Steffan, MBI Energy Services Chief Administration Officer.

Steffan says out of the 500 applications, about 25% will be interviewed and only about 50 drivers may be hired.

So for now, Tartaglia says he will continue networking and hopes it is just a matter of time before he can start working in North Dakota`s oil patch.

"Just waiting. Just waiting for the phone call and hopefully I will be getting to work here pretty soon," said Tartaglia.

MBI says another challenge in the oil field is retaining the workers they currently have.

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