Bakken Impact on Fargo -- Random Note

A reader sent me a reminder of something I noted when I was in the Bakken about six months ago: impossible to get maintenance work done on heavy machinery or trucks in the Williston area; mechanics are overwhelmed.

Trucking companies would buy a new truck to replace one that required maintenance.

Now, this note from a reader:

Butler Machinery, a heavy equipment dealer for the state: the dealer now trucks equipment to Fargo and Grand Forks for maintenance and repair. Turnaround time is about a week.

That makes sense: one day travel time on a flatbed to Grand Forks or Fargo; one day back; about three days in shop and one gets one-week turnaround time.

And, of course, there's a whole new industry growing in North Dakota: trucking heavy equipment back and forth between Williston and Grand Forks/Fargo. [Side note: it is interesting that the 4-lane divided highway from Williston to Grand Forks was completed literally just before the Bakken boom began. Purely serendipity. But what great serendipity.]

While out in the Bakken, I met a young man who had just bought a four-stall garage for large trucks for maintenance. This would be a drop in the bucket for all that needs to be done, but I'm sure he's busy as he can be and loving every minute of it.