Pros
Company vehicle, gas card, company computer, company phone, can make your own hours within reason, and generally have a change in scenery throughout the day. Can transfer almost anywhere around the western United States. Pay is reasonable, but not amazing.
Cons
Company really hounds you on production, even when you have many large projects. They want zero utility hits, but don't want you to spend much time actually locating a single ticket. They only supply ped wrenches and a vest. You often need a hammer, screw drivers, shovel, and flashlights. Also do not compensate for boots, snow chains, rain coats, gloves, ect. There's been many times where management will bend over backwards for contractors that we do not work under. An example: A contractor called in a ticket, we marked it completely per their description, but then they expand it after we have already finished and left. The contractor calls to ask us to come back without a ticket and management tells us to go back out there and do the work without a ticket. Then ELM is disappointed in our ticket average and tell us to work faster, but the reason our average is low is due to us doing a locate without a ticket. Very frustrating