ST. CLAIRSVILLE - Across the Ohio Valley old campsites are being filled and new ones are opening to accommodate the hundreds of people working in the natural gas drilling industry.
And while most of the workers are bringing their own RVs to live in, Bob Stewart, owner of Stewart's RV Center in St. Clairsville, said his business servicing those vehicles is booming.
"All of those RVs have appliances and they need serviced regularly," Stewart said. "We're traveling more distances than we ever have."
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Photo by Shelley Hanson
Bob Stewart shows off the amenities in one of his many RVs for sale at Stewart’s RV Center in St. Clairsville. Stewart says the service portion of his business is booming because of the gas drilling industry.
Since gas drillers have come to the region to work Stewart has sold a few RVs to them, but the service portion of his business has grown "exponentially."
"These workers are seasoned travelers. They travel all over the U.S. for work, and they already have RVs. Many of them have high-end, deluxe RVs. Some of their wives and families travel with them," Stewart said. "Most of them are wonderful people. We've really enjoyed working for them."
Because of the increase in business, Stewart has hired more certified RV service workers - and he still is looking for more. But he noted there are only a few schools across the country that offer such training.
"In a recreation vehicle, the appliances are different than the ones in your home. They work differently," he said.
