Moving to tankers from reefers

Smart move for you. Take the job and enjoy!

 

OK, good luck Mr. Hot Temper.
I did hazmat tankers for 5 years, but I'll let others take it from here.

 

When you pull a reefer or a dry van, you show up at your appointment time and they'll eventually get around to loading or unloading you. When you pull a tanker, 99% of the time they're ready to load or unload you when you arrive. At least that's the case when you haul chemicals, crude oil, LPG, or fuel. I can't speak to food grade because I've never done that.

The biggest downside is that some chemical plants are old and tight inside. And sometimes you have to be patient with the security guards or even the loaders/operators, but I guess that's probably true at any kind of facility no matter what kind of trailer you're pulling.

The thing about pulling tankers, especially hazmat tankers, is that you can never allow yourself to become complacent. You always have to be deliberate about what you do and don't do, and how you do it. Being alert and using common sense will help you avoid 99% of the mistakes you could potentially make.

Other stuff:
Slow down to a safe speed before you enter a curve or a turn, then roll into the throttle and accelerate slightly through the curve or turn. Trailers can surge side-to-side as well as front-to-back - and you definitely don't want the product to slam into your front bulkhead while you're trying to negotiate a curve.
Always double-check everything before you open a valve.
Never be afraid to ask before you act.
Be aware that hoses and pipes can have pressure and/or residual product in them, so keep hoses pointed away from you when you unplug or uncap them, and never stand in line with a cap or plug that you're about to remove from a pipe fitting or a valve that you're about to open.
Never, ever close a valve downstream from a running pump.
Always use "secondary locking devices" on camlock fittings. The ears can always vibrate loose enough to cause a leak, even on brand new fittings.
Keep extra gaskets on hand, as well as spare caps and plugs. And if your company will issue them, keep extra ears and pins for the camlocks, as well as a pin punch and hammer to change them.
Speaking of your hammer, don't ever use it to strike a tank that's under pressure, and don't use it to hit the ears on a camlock fitting.
Never let a hose fitting hit the ground, it will make the fitting egg-shaped and prone to leaking.
Use your metal bucket to catch drips.
Be aware of the wind direction and speed, it carries vapors.

 

You're welcome. Feel free to PM me anytime if you have more questions.

 

Oh oh, you pixxed off Chinatown,,,I don't think I've ever seen that before. .Okay, tanker, or "tube freight" we called it,, is a whole different game. NOTHING, except the actual operating the machine, transfers over from reefer to tank. You load differently, deliver differently, and pulling a tank, especially one without baffles, takes a certain knack, one that can't be taught. Sounds like a Chem hauler, so probably baffles, tanker takes common sense, sadly not found in reefer or van hauling. It's not needed. An "upset" with a load of strawberries is nothing compared to a hazmat spill. You don't get a 2nd chance, like strawberries. I don't want to bum you out, you do tanker, you'll NEVER go back to a box. Just be careful

 

That is how line haul is. Nobody saying, what is your po...that was supposed to be here yesterday we will work you in. Warner lambert loads that take 24 hours to sort and segregate. F that.