Gate Guarding Jobs In Texas, Some Tips

Gate guard in South Texas set up in RV

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few months ago I wrote an article on another site about “How to Get A Job As A Gate Guard In The Eagle Ford Shale”.  Since then, I’ve  had lots of questions from RV’ers about how to become an oilfield gate guard in Texas, as well as many about what kind of setup you need. I once worked for several months as a gate guard in South Texas. It’s a good way to make a living, if you can be content with staying in one place for several weeks.  For information about what this job is all about, see the link at the bottom. For those who have heard of oilfield gate guarding jobs, and have decided to try this line of work, here are some things you can do  to make your life easier while on the job.

  • Get a large enough RV. Many gate guarding teams in South Texas are couples, and most will tell you that you need a good sized rig, with a couple of slide outs, to feel like you are not bumping into each other all the time.
  • There are no laundry facilities out where you will be gate guarding in the Eagle Ford shale, or other areas. Having a washer – dryer setup in your RV is a much better option that having to wait in line as oilfield workers do their laundry in crowded laundromats in some distant town.
  • Use a cell phone booster. There are ones that will pick up all of the phones used inside your RV, along with your internet air-card. I recommend adding a yagi antenna to your booster. These are directional antennas you can aim at the nearest cell phone tower, which could be miles away, for maximum reception.
  • Consider a gate alarm system to let you know when traffic arrives. There are several kinds of these devices, from the simple “rubber hose type” that rings a bell when someone drives over it, to the kind that use infrared or laser beams to sound an alarm when the beam is broken.
  • Consider adding a small portable freezer or second small fridge to your RV. Gate guarding jobs in Texas, especially in the Eagle Ford shale area, are often miles from the nearest grocery store, so stocking up is a good idea. Same goes for things such as prescription medicines, and other personal necessities.
  • Find your exact GPS location and post this on the wall of your RV, along with other indications of your exact location, such as highway reference marker number, mile marker, distance from such and such, etc. Keep emergency numbers such as the Border Patrol and Sheriff handy. 911 often rings to the wrong county, especially when using a cell phone booster in the middle of nowhere. For emergencies, dial the nearest Highway Patrol, or sheriff’s office directly.
  • Most oil companies or large gate guarding companies will provide you with a generator, septic tank, and non potable water. Generators do quit, especially in the wintertime. Consider having your own backup generator and a supply of propane tanks to run your heater in case the big generator goes out.
  • Don’t let the wrong people in. The quickest way to get run off of an oilfield gate guarding job is to let unwanted visitors in. Many may be from other oil companies snooping, or just “lookey- lou’s” with no business on the ranch. If they are injured on the property, the landowner or oil company could be liable. Don’t bother the oilfield company man too often, but if you need a second opinion about whether to let a visitor in, call them or the toolpusher.  Some oilfield salesmen are welcome (since many bring all kinds of “swag” to the company man) but some are not.
  • Watch for snakes. Rattlesnakes are common in South Texas and are often attracted to the vibration of your generator. Carry a flashlight at all time and keep the outside of your trailer well lit.
  • Act as a professional private security officer would, not like you”re in an RV park. It’s OK to make friends, but acting too casually, dressing sloppily and having too much personal clutter outside your trailer will not get you many future jobs.

The competition for gate guarding jobs in South Texas is much more intense than it was a few months ago. This is most likely due to the number of winter Texans headed south, as well as the overall bad economy, which is forcing people to look for any sort of job.   Gate Guard Jobs In Texas