The Odessa & Midland cities are two of the best in the country for heavy tractor trailers or 18 wheeler truck drivers, according to a new study by AdvisorSmith. Despite the good news for truckers, both Odessa and Midland including the surrounding Permian Basin, continue to be a hazard for other motorists due to the oil boom.
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How Midland and Odessa Are Good for Semi-Truck Drivers
AdvisorSmith studied 384 cities. It ranked Odessa the 2nd and Midland as the 4th best mid-size city for truck drivers and ninth overall. Other Texas cities that made the list were Laredo (ranked 7th) and Wichita Falls (ranked 5th).
Midland received this ranking after the researchers evaluated factors such as the cost of living, truck driver salaries and the availability of truck driver jobs. Midland ranked third in the survey for total jobs and seventh in average salary. The cost-of-living index was the highest for any city listed in the top ten cities.
The top ten mid-size cities for truck drivers according to the study were:
- Joplin, Missouri
- Odessa, Texas
- Terre Haute, Indiana
- Midland, Texas
- Wichita Falls, Texas
- Sioux City, Iowa
- Laredo, Texas
- Janesville, Wisconsin
- Springfield, Missouri
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Increase in 18 Wheeler Accidents Attributed to Permian Oil Boom
While the Midland Odessa area may be a great place to work for truck drivers, it can be a dangerous place to live or travel through for other motorists. The Houston Chronicle reports that Texas has become the deadliest state in total traffic deaths during the last five years of the state’s continuing drilling and fracking increase. After years of steady decline, fatalities from traffic accidents and collisions involving commercial vehicles grew from 2009 to 2014. Counties that are part of Eagle Ford and the Permian Basin as well as cities around the busiest well sites realized some of the largest increases.
The Permian Basin is a particular area of concern. Some of the most productive oil fields in Texas are located here, along with some of the deadliest roads in the nation. Only 2% of Texans live in this area, but 11% of all vehicle accident deaths in Texas in 2016 occurred in the area, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The oilfield highways have become overwhelmed with heavy traffic, which has contributed to the increase in deadly crashes in the area. The Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance reports that this portion of the state led Texas in the number of fatal crashes involving commercial vehicles such as 18-wheelers in 2018. The group reports that fatalities from these wrecks more than doubled in two years.
Roads in the Permian Basin
The Permian Basis extends more than 75,000 square miles across the western portion of Texas and into New Mexico. These roads were originally put in place to support farm equipment use as many ranches and farms line the roadway. However, the Permian Basin has significantly increased its activity in the oil industry. Time estimates that by 2025 that the region will equal the production of crude oil to the amount of Saudi Arabia and Russia combined. In 2019, estimates are that the area will generate 3.9 million barrels of oil every day. Due to this massive production, there has also been an increase in jobs. The roads of the Permian Basin were not designed for this type of heavy traffic and have not been redesigned over the years to account for this uptick in productivity subsequent . Some of the more prominent stretches of roads where semi-truck accidents have been occurring include highway 191, 1788, 18, 285 and major highway I20 which connects, Big Spring, Midland, Odessa, Montanans, and Pecos.
Death Highway 285
One section of the Permian Basin has been dubbed “Death Highway” due to the sudden surge in fatal crashes. Route 285 in the Midland-Odessa area and runs through Pecos, Texas through to Carlsbad, New Mexico. Some consider this road to be the most dangerous in the United States.
Commercial Truck Activity in the Permian Basin
Drilling and fracking in one gas well in the Permian Basin can involve nearly 1,000 trucks, according to a Texas A&M University study. These trucks carry drilling equipment, water, sand, steel pipes and fuel. The number of accidents in the Permian Basin directly correlate to the drilling and fracking industry. In 2015 when oil prices significantly dipped, the number of traffic deaths involving commercial semi-trucks shrank. Then, in 2017 when crude oil prices increased, the number of commercial truck accidents in the area increased. According to the Houston Chronicle, oilfield workers are more likely to die on the road than other types of workers. Additionally, Texas trucks are more likely to fail inspections than those in other states.
Factors that Contribute to More Truck Crashes in the Permian Basin Area
There are several factors that contribute to more traffic collisions in this area, including:
- Overloaded trucks – Due to the distinct needs of the local oil industry, the trucks that carry supplies to the oil wells may be overloaded and may carry more weight than they are supposed to.
- Inexperience – Many trucking companies find it difficult to retain an adequate supply of truck drivers. This often leads to them hiring less experienced drivers.
- Fatigued drivers – Given the demands for these truck drivers and the larger salaries that they yield, truck drivers may be incentivized to work too many hours, leading to them being fatigued on the road.
- Speeding – Because trucking companies are paid by the load, they may encourage truckers to get loads to their destinations faster by speeding.
- Lack of maintenance – Because the trucks must make frequent trips to the area, there may be limited time to inspect them before these hauls so the trucks might not be properly maintained.
Texas’ Response to the Permian Basin Traffic and Epidemic of Truck Related Accident Deaths
Government officials are aware of the problems associated with the Permian Basin and have taken some actions to alleviate the problem. Speed limits have been lowered throughout the area. The Texas Department of Public Safety has deployed more troopers to monitor the roads. The Department is also exploring ways to repair and expand highways in the area. Roadside billboards have been erected in the area to warn drivers to drive safely when around trucks.
Critics argue that truck drivers in the area must be given routine training. According to the Industrial Safety & Hygiene News, Texas A&M researchers are working with the state to explore solutions and are encouraging more creative ways to decrease the number of trucks on the road, such as using temporary pipelines to supply water to the area.
Who Needs a Truck Accident Lawyer in Midland or Odessa?
Although anyone involved in a truck accident can file a claim, only an experienced truck accident lawyer who is licensed to practice in the state of Texas is qualified to meet the challenges of filing a claim against a large company. It is important to hire lawyers with the resources necessary to take on the team of attorneys the companies will retain. To file a successful wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit for a truck accident, our firm focuses on negligence on the part of the companies and/or individual involved. We gather all the evidence that can be collected from the truck crash to reveal the fault in safety and other regulations that were ignored by the other party.
The law firm of Reaud, Morgan & Quinn is known throughout Texas and the United States for our aggressive, skilled representation of people who have been injured in a trucking accident.
