Logistics questions about fuel hauling (scheduling, distances, etc.)

I'll try...


1. 4-5 loads per shift depending on a lot of factors. Distance , traffic and work load are just a few.

2. 7 days a week holidays too


3. It all depends on the terminal location . They don't put it on a truck any further than they have to. Longer distances means fewer loads per shift. And more cost......... Marine or pipeline there is not much difference .

4. Most of the major oil companies are dumping their trucks + trailers. Regional bulk haulers are picking up the work. And they usually own the equipment .

 

Sorry I was gone , I had some business to tend to. Also I'll fix my in box.

For us the magical line was 160 miles. That meant the company drivers cost too much and a common carrier could be cheaper. So most all of our loads were local. The company has timed each station for it's drop and they are fairly close to what it is. Most of ours are 2 hours to load unload and start to reload. So 6 loads would work out to 12 hours for us. But two terminals are never the same. You have some that may have a long run in there so you might run 3 locals then out of town run. It all depends on the company and area.

The gasoline business is 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Most companies have two shifts the day and night. Night sometimes pay more because of the time. Our system was first setup to work 10 hour days 4 days a week. Any time after 10 hours and/or after 40 hours a week was time and a half. We got paid by the hour, one of the few that does it. Then you would have three days off. Each shift was bid by seniority and bid once a year. Some tried to bid twice a year but that's not fair to the junior people because in the desert the older guys would bid on night in the summer and days in the winter. Of course the best shift is days mon-thurs with tues-fri coming second. When you first get hired on welcome to the night shift. There are some drivers that like nights so again it all depends. All of our drivers had the option to work 12 hours for some overtime our just 10 hours. if both shifts ran just 10 hours then the truck would set for two hours in between a shift. But if both drivers worked 12 hours then the truck never cooled off.

Since we are paid by the hour the company does not look at distance, instead they look at time. Most of the shift pull from the same tank farm but there are others that go to different loading places all during their shift. It's better to load out of one place.

The majors look like they are getting out of the fuel hauling business. But you can find out who owns the truck and here's how. Look up on the drivers or passenger door and you'll find the company name. Some companies are dedicated haulers for a major. Say like Chevron. You might see what looks like a Chevron truck unloading at a station but if you look closer on the door it might just say "Dave's Trucking". It's the law to mark your company name on the doors. The majors pay more for that company to be dedicated to them so the truck might look just like a Chevron truck. They do that because they do not want the public to think that any type of gasoline is going into the ground at the station. The public does not understand that a major oil company's gasoline must be their trademarked gasoline. You can not just drop the common carrier gasoline at a branded station. They've been caught before trying it because it's cheaper and they close the station right then and pay a heavy fine. I'll go clean my mail box up now. Ask any question you like.

 

1. Depends on market conditions, and local geography.

2. 24/7/365. Fuel haulers are always busy before holidays, and when bad weather is imminent (hurricanes, etc).

3. Again, depends on local geography.

4. Carriers own the equipment, although they sometimes enter into branding agreements with oil companies or customers. For example, Coastal Transport has some Shell branded equipment in the Houston market, and Texas TransEastern has some Murphy USA branded equipment.

 

How hard is it to get the knack for pulling into some small spots in some of these gas stations? I have plenty of experience driving but I am supposed to start training for a gas job in 10 days and I'm a little freaked out about the maneuvering in some of these stations.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

There will be times you will get aggravated at the actions of people/ 4 wheelers... It will test your patience, but you must remain calm. Use you truck as a shield, and not your cones... The things you will see people do will only make you shake your head. If a car is in your way, use your truck as a blocker, and as cars leave, creep forward until you have the space you require. What ever you think the 4 wheelers should do... the opposite usually happens... Don't rush anything. It will be frustrating, but take your time, respect the customer... They will get their gas, you will deliver your fuel, and you'll be headed back to the rack to deliver another load. Swing wide, and most importantly, be SEEN... When you pull into a station, put your flashers on, and make eye contact with anyone who you feel is a threat. Stations are NOT meant for a 65' fuel rig, so always leave yourself an out...

 

Thanks for the advice, dieselgeek. I appreciate it. I'm hoping not EVERY stop is a nightmare getting into.

 

So how are things hauling fuel?