1st tanker job, help!

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by fruitbat, Apr 13, 2015.

  1. fruitbat

    fruitbat Bobtail Member

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    Apr 2, 2015
    Louisiana
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    Been driving a little over a year, got on with Martin Transport (not Marten) driving hazmat tankers. Going through orientation now, I am noticing everyone else here has 5+ years trucking experience all with OTR. I've only driven a day cab flatbed with a mom and pop oilfield service business and I'm feeling pretty out of my depth ( the only reason I have hazmat endorsement is to haul gas bottles ). I'm trying to make noises like I know what I'm doing but I keep wondering if someone is going to come in the door any moment and tell me I was hired by mistake. Any tips, tricks, or cautionary tails would be greatly appreciated. I'll most likely be hauling 3-4 day out and back runs in the south/southeast. Thanks!
     
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  3. Stormdriven

    Stormdriven Medium Load Member

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    Mar 11, 2014
    south, central, US.
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    You will likely go out on some load/unload trips with an instructor after orientation. You will pick up the serious stuff then.

    Get some sleep & try not to worry. It will be ok.
     
  4. Reverend Falstaff

    Reverend Falstaff Light Load Member

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    Just finished my 1st year of hauling tankers (after 17 years on the road) & I'll say stop trying to act like you know what you're doing & don't be afraid to ask questions or for help. Most experienced tanker haulers are more than willing to answer questions/show you how to do something/help you out. Also everything you know about driving i.e. following distance, stopping, slowing down for turns etc; do MORE of. Longer stopping distance, more following distance, slower speeds for turning etc. & especially MORE patience.
     
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  5. OldHasBeen

    OldHasBeen Road Train Member

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    In about 70 I quite driving a ready-mix truck one day. The next morning I went to a feed mill applying for a truck driving job, trailer truck. After dinner I got a call asking me if I could come talk with them. I did.


    They questioned me about my driving experience, I told them I could drive anything, that I just left driving a ready-mix truck that had a set of boxes in it.


    They said, can you be here at 6:00 AM in the morning, we will send you out with another driver for a couple of days to learn how to load and unload feed.


    I did so, two days later they sent me out on my own, and all worked out well for me.


    Yet not so good for another driver they hired the day before me. He tore the drive shaft out of a 18 wheeler, simply because he did not do as they said. On the load he was on they told him, “Do not take the short cut, its up a very steep hill, take the long way in.”


    He took the short cut, ended his driving career. The hill was quite short, yet it was very steep, and it was gravel, big old rocks laying every where, and it was washed out quite a bit with several ruts. I unloaded there many times over the next 4 to 5 years, always took the long way in, following the directions, orders, my boss gave me, never had a problem.


    If you’ve been driving for a little over a year, and you’re a good driver, you’ll have no problems. If not, there will be problems.
     
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  6. Highway Hypnosis

    Highway Hypnosis Light Load Member

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    Apr 12, 2014
    Minot, ND
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    I got a tanker job in the oil fields with only 3 months of driving with Swift. I was VERY overwhelmed, but I acted confidently through my training and on my own got more comfortable with the job. 3 months in I felt I was proficient in all areas of work.
     
  7. pattyj

    pattyj Road Train Member

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    Sioux City,ia
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    You'll do fine.We all have to start somewhere.Just pay close attention and write down every thing your trainer does step by step so you can use that when you do go solo.
     
  8. Derailed

    Derailed Road Train Member

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    It might seem a little overwhelming at first but the truth is you'll probably find it's the easiest job you ever had once you get the hang of it. Don't sweat it
     
  9. GasHauler

    GasHauler Master FMCSA Interpreter

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    Vegas/Jersey
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    This incident happened some years ago to a female driver that thought she knew everything and what she didn't know she'd get another driver to do it for her. The drivers would go out of their way to help her, even meeting her at her drop to unload for her. I have no problem with female drivers just the ones that expect other drivers to do their work because they are pretty. She had a load down in San Pedro CA and did not know how to get there. She went to the dispatcher to ask directions and he told her to go this way because the short cut that some drivers take is too steep and there's a stop sign at the top. She goes back to the rack and the drivers say the dispatcher is full of it and take the short cut. She does and gets stuck at the top of the hill. She burns the clutch up so they decided to tow it back to the yard. She's fully loaded with gasoline so the truck is heavy. The tow truck driver hooks up to the truck and releases the brakes. Bam, the truck breaks loose from the tow truck and down the hill it goes until the entire truck ends up in San Pedro Harbor. You can imagine the cost the company had to pay for that spill into the waterway. She was fired (of course) and banned from our rack anyway.

    Anyone that comes to the job that thinks they do not need to do their work is a hazard. Fruitbat, it doesn't matter if you have 15 years or 2 years if you are safe and doing the job safely then you have a right to be there as much as the others. You do not need to make noises so the others can hear you. I'd much rather see you holding a notepad taking notes than making sounds. Do not let their experience get into your head. More often than not they will help you with any questions you might have from your notepad. Remember, they started somewhere too and the company hired you so you must have some qualities about you.


    They said, can you be here at 6:00 AM in the morning, we will send you out with another driver for a couple of days to learn how to load and unload feed.


    I did so, two days later they sent me out on my own, and all worked out well for me.


    Yet not so good for another driver they hired the day before me. He tore the drive shaft out of a 18 wheeler, simply because he did not do as they said. On the load he was on they told him, “Do not take the short cut, its up a very steep hill, take the long way in.”


    He took the short cut, ended his driving career. The hill was quite short, yet it was very steep, and it was gravel, big old rocks laying every where, and it was washed out quite a bit with several ruts. I unloaded there many times over the next 4 to 5 years, always took the long way in, following the directions, orders, my boss gave me, never had a problem.


    If you’ve been driving for a little over a year, and you’re a good driver, you’ll have no problems. If not, there will be problems.[/QUOTE]
     
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  10. sshewins

    sshewins Road Train Member

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    Aug 21, 2011
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    Just remember that those guys with 5+ yrs experience all started at the same place you're at right now. Don't let that intimate you.

    Liquid sloshes pretty good, so take it easy around corners. Pay particular attention to loading and unloading procedures. Unless its acid or something like that, they probably will send you with some relatively mild stuff for the first couple of loads.
     
  11. kemosabi49

    kemosabi49 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Jan 13, 2013
    SW Arkansas
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    Don't act like you know it already. Ask questions, a lot of them. When you get out in the field on your own and get to a plant, tell your contact there you are new at this. They always told me to take my time and get it right. That they weren't in a big hurry. They will help you get started. Remember, if something doesn't seem right, STOP. Get help if you need it. But don't worry so much. Just take things slow and esy and you'll be fine.
     
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