What is a toolpusher?

A toolpusher is the on-site supervisor for a drilling rig, overseeing the drilling crew, coordinating with the company man (the operator's representative on site), managing equipment and supplies, and being responsible for the rig running safely and on schedule. It's a senior position that typically comes after years of rig-floor experience — most toolpushers worked their way up through floorhand, derrickhand, and driller roles before taking on rig-wide supervisory responsibility. The role involves less hands-on physical work than earlier rig positions and more logistics, personnel management, and decision-making under time and safety pressure. Because it sits near the top of a drilling contractor's field hierarchy, toolpusher pay tends to be meaningfully higher than entry-level rig roles — consistent with the general pattern that oilfield pay climbs with responsibility and experience, not just time on the job.