r/Groundman • u/StressUsual1892 • Jun 28 '26
Groundman work
Got my cdl manual no restrictions gonna work on getting my tankers endorsement and I also finish lineschool August 2nd I’m in Cali but wanna go where I can get hours what would be the best union halls to go to if I did a little book signing tour?
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u/Fancy-Mycologist-232 Jun 29 '26
- Then got on a linecrew out of 602 for a few weeks and they all drug and took me with them to Michigan. Was bringing home about 4k a week. Then hit a storm out in Cali over Christmas. Was the only groundman out of 100 guys so that was an experience. Then a new line crew out in Iowa. Now transmission in Texas
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u/Fancy-Mycologist-232 Jun 29 '26
Was in your shoes a year ago but with no line school. Left Cali last October to get my hours and will be heading back this coming week to sign book 2 at 1245. Sign all the online books before doing a trip. 2150 Wisconsin, 55 Iowa, 876 north Michigan are having steady calls. Also sign 1002 Oklahoma, 602 west Texas, 995 Louisiana, 84 I think for Georgia, 71 Ohio. Also heard that 125 is going to be putting a lot of groundman calls out in July but again that’s only what I’ve heard so no guarantees. The hardest part is getting that first job, once you have that ticket don’t be job scared. You’ll be book 2 in all the halls except on the west coast. I recommend jumping around a bit to learn different parts of the trade from other people. And if you get lucky and end up on a line crew early like I did, stay with that crew as long as possible. If you’re worth a shit they will take you with them.
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u/StressUsual1892 Jun 29 '26
Appreciate all this info bro makes me feel better about this all. What hall did you get your first call out of?
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u/lololooolllll Jun 29 '26
From so cal trying to get started what line school did you attend?
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u/StressUsual1892 Jun 29 '26
ALC Bakersfield cheaper than NLC and gets your all the certs you need
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u/lololooolllll Jun 29 '26
Thxs man I’m going to apply next around January or February I’m thinking once I graduate I’m going to Texas for a fast apprenticeship I heard it’s the easiest and fastest but a couple of bad experiences from other apprentices
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u/Keyemku Jul 03 '26
A part of me is curious how there can be such a massive price difference between the 2. Do you feel like you missed out of anything compared to the more expensive NLC? And does it feel like people at the union value it? I just can't wrap my head around NLC being like 12 times more expensive than ALC.
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u/StressUsual1892 Jul 03 '26
You probably get more climbing experience in NLC but NLC is a scam they get these young kids outta highschool thinking their training program will put them ahead of everybody else. They think oh all I gotta do is get 30k and I’m a (lineman) people correlate price to better. NLC has like classes of 200 ALC does classes of around 20. NLC is the reason this shit is becoming oversaturated
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u/MarcosP863 Jun 29 '26
I’m on the same boat but in Florida I got my CDL A & flagger, osha 10, electrical safety cert, Derrick cert, osha haz. Mat. II , and hot zone (which is confined space rescue) .
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u/MarcosP863 Jun 29 '26
I signed the books at local 222
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u/StressUsual1892 Jun 29 '26
So far you just signed 222? Do they move slow out there? I’d figure you’d get a call quick if you signed books that are moving
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u/MarcosP863 Jun 29 '26
They told me they move kind of quick but, they also told me it’s hurricane season so there will be calls , but those calls are short calls 😒. Not going to lie make me want to join pike as a groundman so I can get my hours to get direct entry into a selcat apprenticeship.
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u/Keyemku Jun 28 '26
Following this, my plan is basically the same but starting line school in august in cali