School me on Fuel Delivery procedures.

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by moloko, Jul 3, 2015.

  1. moloko

    moloko Road Train Member

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    I am attempting to get in to Fuel Delivery and was wondering what you old timers had to say about the loading and unloading procedures. School me on this. Teach me your ways. I need to impress these people. I don't wanna seem like a newbie. I have tanker experience but have never hauled hazmat or fuel. Bonus points if you know anything about the racks in the San Francisco Bay Area/ Central Valley. What's a typical day like for fuel haulers?
     
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  3. Dr_Fandango44

    Dr_Fandango44 Road Train Member

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    It's going to depend to a large part on how strict the racks are. Loading a fuel truck can bite you in the butt if you make only a slight slip. I've no experience with the racks in your part of the country as I hauled fuel for 6 yrs in Texas. But our racks were anal about any small slip ups and you could easily get locked out for 3 days.
    But it's a great business and worth pursuing. Get with a company that will train you properly and you won't go wrong. Just take your time loading and concentrate. There is a set way to load the truck from attaching the scully cord to securing the vapor recovery hose to opening up the belly valves.
    It's just a matter of getting into a routine. I would say that unloading isn't the hassle that loading is, but you still have to be on your guard. Perfect practice will give you the confidence to make the job a lot easier.
    One thing I found is that working the night shift was a lot better as the racks weren't as busy then so you could get more work done, but I guess YMMV.
    You should make good money. Good luck
     
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  4. Dinomite

    Dinomite Road Train Member

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  5. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

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    It's like anything else, get a routine, and do it every time you load load/unload. It's been a long time since I've been in a rack, but the quickest way to a butt chewing is to forget to ground first/ unground last.

    Ground, vapor/vent, product. Loading or unloading, in that order to start, reversed to finish up.
     
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  6. Cali kid

    Cali kid Road Train Member

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    Pull on to loading rack tap tanks to check for retain/emty, check product tags are correct on compartments on trailer/truck.Attach scully, then vapor, then loading arm, set the meter and let er'rip.
     
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  7. 201

    201 Road Train Member

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    I see Dinomite is back. (thanks for the chuckle), although, there's nothing funny about fuel hauling. Like others say, get a routine, and keep an eye on what's going on around you. Fuel tank drivers are the cream of the crop, they have to be. I never had the grapes to haul fuel (hauled 1 load of gasoline in my life, that was enough), it just wasn't for me. However, when you consider how much fuel this country goes through 1.38 billion gal. of gas in 2014 alone, that's 374 MILLION gal./day) and it all had to get to the gas station somehow ( no, there isn't a pipe of some sort leading to the station, like some people believe, honest), statistically speaking, incidents, like our friend Dinomite illustrates, are very rare. It's just when it does happen, it's big. Take your time, is the best advice I can give. You'll be fine.
     
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  8. BrenYoda883

    BrenYoda883 Road Train Member

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    I am gonna drop my two cents in....

    I just recently started hauling HazMat Tanker... I have finished the orientation and go out witn anotner driver Monday. ..

    I was completely upfront witn them about what I knew and didnt know and my experience.. they gave me a road test and I nailed it...

    now... I did t want to blow smoke and make it seem I was more knowledgeable than I was... because this is Hauling HazMat.... Bleach... much much stronger than you can buy inthe store... I ddidnt want them to asume I knew something I didn't... like de-pressurizing the lines... something that may be very basic knowledge.... I wanted to be taught and shown everything....

    so... my advise is dont try to blow smoke up their ....... or you may go up in smoke cause they thought you knew stuff already... after all, you sounded like you did...
     
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  9. Cali kid

    Cali kid Road Train Member

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    Like yoda said be an open book and ask any and all questions. Everybody has a routine so get one and stick to it, don't worry about trying to be fast like a lot of guys the speed will come in time. Double and triple check everything, best of luck to you sir and welcome to the club.
     
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  10. SLANT6

    SLANT6 Road Train Member

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    They already know you are a newbie. Show them you can drive. Don't walk in there trying too hard to make them think you know something you don't. It takes less than 10 or 15minutes of an interview and the right questions to figure out just how much a prospective employee knows. Just be honest and show them you have a head on your shoulders. EVERYBODY in the tank business was new at one time.
     
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  11. moloko

    moloko Road Train Member

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    I don't know anything about hauling HAZMAT but know how to pull smooth bore food grade tanks so I think I have the right stuff for this business. I hope I get the job. I'll know next week.
     
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