Tankers the Schneider way

[Nakmuay]

You start tomorrow so keep me updated on what your go thru bro

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

[Luzon]

Schneider has gotten into the crude oil business down here in S. TX in a big way. They are hauling crude for Shell Oil, and maybe other companies, and when their offload place is full they come in swarms to the two locations that my company has for offloading.

I know Schneider is looking for drivers down in TX but Shell has a 3 year experience requirement. Check with Schneider though. They may have some other arrangements.

[mustang190]

I don't know but would expect you do. There are a few things in the tanker world that a van driver wouldn't have exposure to.

Keep your foot on the brakes at a stop light/sign. Don't do it one time with a car in front of you and you will find out why.

[RickG]

Keep your foot on the brakes at a stop light/sign. Don't do it one time with a car in front of you and you will find out why.

Then a few seconds later if there is a car behind you .

[Tardis]

Well thankfully I passed the physical requirement so I didn't get kicked out. Almost blew it walking backward on the balance beam but I recovered and didn't even exceed my pulse limit with all the excitement. Note to self, wear something other than big wide work boots to do a test like this because it was the width of the boots that caused them to bump and me to stumble.

Anyway, there was just a little actual tanker training this first day. I did learn that Schneider does not use baffled tanks. Smooth bore only. Some have a rubber lining but starting and stopping surge will always be there. The trucks are all short cab height, no condos here. There are pumps and compressors on the tractors to aid in loading and unloading. There is also a connection to feed engine coolant to a heat exchanger under the tank to keep the product temperatures in line.

No sliding tandems or 5th wheels. As Forest Gump said just one less thing. Though climbing on top of the tank in the cold blowing weather got me wondering if I made the right choice.

Tanker guys get a little math test that the van guys do not. We got to calculate some weights and measures. Convert gallons to pounds, figure how many gallons you can put in based on the capacity of the tank and how full it is based on the stick you gauge it with. Story problems, first you have to figure what they are asking and then how to figure it. Bring a calculator.

Homework tonight, shift points and federal motor carrier regulations. Joy!

[GasHauler]

I'd like to know what kind of set up they run in the way of trailers. Do they have compartments or is it smooth bore? Tanker work differs on what you are hauling. You can run cement and blow it off which would be much different that gravity unload of gasoline. This is way I like this site so we can tell the others drivers that tanker work is not the same all over. Lets please keep it going.

[RickG]

Well thankfully I passed the physical requirement so I didn't get kicked out. Almost blew it walking backward on the balance beam but I recovered and didn't even exceed my pulse limit with all the excitement. Note to self, wear something other than big wide work boots to do a test like this because it was the width of the boots that caused them to bump and me to stumble.

Anyway, there was just a little actual tanker training this first day. I did learn that Schneider does not use baffled tanks. Smooth bore only. Some have a rubber lining but starting and stopping surge will always be there. The trucks are all short cab height, no condos here. There are pumps and compressors on the tractors to aid in loading and unloading. There is also a connection to feed engine coolant to a heat exchanger under the tank to keep the product temperatures in line.

No sliding tandems or 5th wheels. As Forest Gump said just one less thing. Though climbing on top of the tank in the cold blowing weather got me wondering if I made the right choice.

Tanker guys get a little math test that the van guys do not. We got to calculate some weights and measures. Convert gallons to pounds, figure how many gallons you can put in based on the capacity of the tank and how full it is based on the stick you gauge it with. Story problems, first you have to figure what they are asking and then how to figure it. Bring a calculator.

Homework tonight, shift points and federal motor carrier regulations. Joy!

You can't just use a stick to calculate gallons . The structure of tanks varies . We have a chart for each trailer telling how to gauge it .
Does Schneider have a dump valve for the air suspension on their tractors ?

[Tardis]

Compartments, there may be a few tanks with them but the instructors indicated no.

Dump valve, I'll know later today, it was a group yesterday and the instructor was behind the wheel while he explained things. He wanted us to wait both before and after during the hook and unhook to let the air ride accommodate. He didn't use a dump valve but that doesn't mean there isn't one.

[Johnny99]

Tanks vary in size, product varies in lbs per gallon, so it isn't one size fits all. An example; 7,000 gallons of methanol weighs less than 3,000 gallons of titanium dioxide slurry. A load of methanol has almost no surge because the tank is full, whereas 3,000 gallons of TDS in a 6500 or 7200 gal trailer will get you in trouble real quick going around a curve too fast. The only time I ever had to use the stick to gauge a load was loading out of a rail car. Then you have to know if its outage or innage, {empty space in the trailer or actual product}. It should say on the tank sheet. And going up on top of the tank when its cold and the wind is blowing still isn't as bad as trying to tarp a load of lumber in the same conditions.

[RickG]

Going on top of a tank without fall protection is an OSHA violation . Most of our customers won't let us on the tank on their property . Loads that have to be aired off have an air line running down to the bottom of the ladder .