So what is it like hauling fuel?

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Hauling fuel you can experience long waits, too. I've waited hours at the racks sometimes for behind lines of trucks. Most I've ever waited was five hours. Makes for a long day.

 

With fuel it also depends on the truck set-up. Out west with the truck and trailers it's much easier than a semi.

 

Don't be scared if waits I you haul at night. If you have to wait, usually it's for the truck in front I you. If the area you live in will be sending you into big city, you want to haul at night.

 

Gas is not bad at all. You fill it up and you empty it out. Pay attention to what product your putting into what hole. I have crossed dropped once in my 10 years ( knocks on wood). Not really my fault but it was. Station put an old ALU vapor cover on the mid grade tank. Cover was about polished from being driven on and little bits of red in the grooves. Thought it was super so I let the super go. No need to pump out I just sweetened the pot a little. So the short and sweet is pay attention and you should have minimal issues and don't be in to much of a rush. Don't be afraid to have someone move a car if your close on room.

 

You've got to have your head screwed on in the right place to haul fuel. It's just not load drive and unload. You're required to know all the regulations with the Feds, State, Local/City. Compliancy is our worse enemy. You load and drop some many times you state to think you can do it in your sleep. That's when the CONTAIMS/cross dumps happen. My company figured every 5 years a driver would have a mix. No matter who that driver was. The only death sentence with cross dumping is trying to hide it and getting caught. You'll be fired for sure.

With refined products you not only need to know all the rules and regulations with the truck but also the product and drop site too. There should never be a race to get loaded and everyday should be better than the next. That's a little game I played myself to improve. Something somewhere had to be a little better than the day before. Never guess, always ask and there's always someone smarter than you. Get a routine down and go by it. Check your readings twice and check your tags before any handle is turned. If it doesn't feel right find out why.

 

And one more great piece of advice, NEVER let anyone help you hook up or unhook at the rack or station. You will get out of your routine and screw up. If someone does something as simple as unhook your vapor, just say stop, I've got it.

Like someone said, if you mess up, do not lie. Admit the error and you will prob keep your job. Remember, each 9,000 gall load of gas is around $32k. It's not your money but someone else's.

 

Oh I know that routine bit well. I have told my super and the company safety guy to get out of my way. Both were doing spot checks on me at different times.
Neither have ever driven a loaded tanker around never mind delivered or loaded. Both were milk haulers and the safety guy flopped his truck over when he was a driver.

 

Yup, place I was at allowed all hiring done by safety director. He would only hire top 3 of a class. Even if you had 20 years gas hauling, you wouldn't be hired. Same guy also done all road test. Best part.....never had a cdl, loaded or unloaded a load. Lots of bs.

 

One of the reasons I run on nights is not having to deal with major rack delays. Magellan Aurora can be really bad during to day, talking hours if they are busy. Suncor West can be bad too, but you can also get carded at Suncor east to sometimes beat the crowds. I usually try to get down there no later then 3:30am for my last load just to beat the crowds...seems a lot of drivers start around 3am and by 4am they begin to stack up at the racks. But nights run pretty smooth with my longest delay usually is checking my tires before pulling under the rack. Maybe a few minutes to wait on a truck to finish loading in the far right bay at Magellan (I run a train and don't like blocking in other drivers when I pull out to get the BOL). I use the right bay whenever I can. It used to be open for diesel only, but they turned on the gas arms, and I haul diesel 99% of the time.

OP, lots of fuel hauling companies run in Colorado....Solar, Groendyke, Flying J/Pilot, Gemini (Loves), Western, Often Petro, to name a few. I drive for Gemini out of Wyoming, but the majority of our fuel comes out of the Refinery's and Pipelines in Colorado.

 

Well if you're on fire it can get exciting. (my joke for the year)