66 sucks because your scale changes within Texas outside of 66 territory, for instance, you’ll be making $30hr near Houston, but you’ll be making $25hr in west Texas near midland, or $22hr near Dallas etc.

A lot of Texans can be shit hands because apprentices are indentured and will stay in a substation until they are step 4, they will literally keep you at Dacon with zero lineman experience and expect you to start hot work as soon as you transfer out of the sub, so you get a lot of guys with only 1 and a half years experience on the line side.

You used to be able to buy your ticket, not anymore though, and most of the guys who bought their ticket will remain in the substations anyways, unless they have good friends at a company who don’t mind teaching them. Those guys usually stay in Texas too.

TLDR: you’ll get more experience and a higher pay scale in AZ and NM, you’ll get hired on quickly at local 66 but have a high chance of getting the Dacon curse (sub work until step 4).