residential propane delivery?

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by hoptrot, Nov 23, 2014.

  1. hoptrot

    hoptrot Light Load Member

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    Just wondering about opinions on propane delivery. Anyone with any experience care to share?
     
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  3. Big Don

    Big Don "Old Fart"

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    Depends entirely on the outfit you go to work for. Many of these outfits, particularly the small ones, run junk, pay poorly and expect you to totally ignore HOS. We've got a local outfit here, that is running some 1960's ere pieces of trash. Also when the cold weather hits, those propane tanks have to be filled. One guy who left them told me he used to sack out across the seat in his truck and then just go back to work.
    You don't keep a log with most of them, as they don't travel that far from their base. Some of the places they have to go can be pretty hair raising. As an example, mountain top radio antenna farms that either run on propane full time, or have it for back up. Some of those roads are well, let's say "interesting."
     
    tucker Thanks this.
  4. OldHasBeen

    OldHasBeen Road Train Member

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    Back in the late 80's I was running a country store that set at a cross roads. A butane truck came down the hill beside my store ran the stop sign at about 50-60 MPH hit a bobtail dump truck going down the main highway which threw the butane truck into the front of my store knocking out a gas pump.


    Thank goodness there was no explosions & no one got hurt, but it was very scary. Thank goodness the delivery hose on the trucks butane tank did not get cut or ruptured, for he did not have it shut off at the tank which is a no no. He lost his job & the insurance paid off very good & quickly.


    I recall several years ago a butane transport truck crossed a railroad truck & was hit by a train. The explosion killed the driver & messed up the front of the locomotive badly leaving a big burnt spot to the left of the RR crossing where it ended up. I was driving a feed truck at the time & came along right after it took place them had to back way up to find a place I could turn around & go way around to be able to cross the RR tracks. It took them many hours to get it cleaned up & back in place.

    Safety is a must with them.
     
  5. Zigzag777

    Zigzag777 Medium Load Member

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    Will you be:

    A - Filling stationary tanks from a bulk truck with a hose?

    or

    B - Picking up and dropping empty and filled cylinders, off a rack body?

    Answers to above:

    A - Not a bad job, with decent equipment
    B - No thanks, too much like work!
     
  6. 10speed55

    10speed55 Light Load Member

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    Big DON you pretty well nailed it. I have worked for the 2 largest propane delivery companies in the past 8 months there pay is not very good the trucks or bob tails as they call them are at least 15 years old and the terrain that they are driven on is very rough so yeah there falling apart. they have improved a lot on being legal as far as how long you can work unless the feds lift the rules if it gets real cold and bad. 1 of the companys has the best benefits I have ever seen after 90 days you have over 100 hrs paid time off to take when ever you want as long as it's between april and October. can't take any time off in the winter months. it's a very physical job at time's and theykeep very close tabs on you and what you are doing. both companies have good insurance. a good gps is a must have in this line of work.
     
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  7. Big Don

    Big Don "Old Fart"

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    Sort of makes ya wonder how the "old timers" ever got to where they had to be. Back in the old days, before GPS I mean.:biggrin_2559:
     
  8. Big Don

    Big Don "Old Fart"

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    He asked about residential delivery, which means draggin' the hose rather than exchanging the tanks.
     
    Zigzag777 Thanks this.
  9. OldHasBeen

    OldHasBeen Road Train Member

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    Easy. Back in the 60's & 70's I drove ready-mix trucks & feed trucks delivering feed to chicken houses. You learn the roads, even the back roads, & how to find your delivery spot by asking directions if necessary. The hardest thing was driving a trailer truck to chicken houses set up for a bobtail feed delivery, some were so far back in the sticks they had to come back towards town in order to go deer hunting.

    But butane delivery's are not that way for all of their trucks through this part of the country are bobtails.

    Nowadays most county roads have markers giving the name & or number of the road. Back in the 60's & 70's there was no markers of any type on the county roads. And most houses have 911 numbers on their mail boxes whether they're on state or county roads. So they're a much easier to find today than in yesterday years if you've got their address.
     
  10. Blu_Ogre

    Blu_Ogre Road Train Member

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    Got offered a job by a propane place.

    Houses and businesses bulk for the winter, change to retail store 5 gallon bottles for summer.

    I laughed to the guys face when he offered $10 per hour to drive bombs around in Cali traffic.
     
  11. Big Don

    Big Don "Old Fart"

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    Sounds about right for a propane outfit. Drive junk, get poorly paid, work long hours. Love it or leave it.:biggrin_25513:
     
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