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City Driver vs Tanker

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by Zoltan1a, Jan 1, 2023.

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Zoltan1a Road Train Member

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I applied to a few places and at least thought I would hear back and not having much luck. I only have city experience so far and maybe that is just not enough

Zoltan1a, Jan 30, 2023

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Munch75 Light Load Member

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Zoltan1a said: ↑

I applied to a few places and at least thought I would hear back and not having much luck. I only have city experience so far and maybe that is just not enough
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Try using Driver Pulse. I wasn't keen on the idea myself but found a lot of companies tend to use the app. I am learning right now is kind of a slow part of the year so some hiring may have slowed. Talked to one competitors driver and they had only one drop (fuel haul) for the night. It may depend on how large the company is and it's clientele list.

Munch75, Jan 31, 2023

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Zoltan1a Road Train Member

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Munch75 said: ↑

Try using Driver Pulse. I wasn't keen on the idea myself but found a lot of companies tend to use the app. I am learning right now is kind of a slow part of the year so some hiring may have slowed. Talked to one competitors driver and they had only one drop (fuel haul) for the night. It may depend on how large the company is and it's clientele list.
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There is hardly anything on there. I can select local and tanker and all I get are the same 20 OTR junky companies

Zoltan1a, Jan 31, 2023

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Munch75 Light Load Member

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Zoltan1a said: ↑

There is hardly anything on there. I can select local and tanker and all I get are the same 20 OTR junky companies
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Hmmm. Maybe @Chinatown can help you on your search. Where are you located. Make sure you go to their based website too to make sure they aren't just OTR.

https://www.indeed.com/q-Tanker-Driver-l-Las-Vegas,-NV-jobs.html?vjk=b67d7730fac063fa

Munch75, Jan 31, 2023

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Zoltan1a Road Train Member

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Munch75 said: ↑

Hmmm. Maybe @Chinatown can help you on your search. Where are you located. Make sure you go to their based website too to make sure they aren't just OTR.

https://www.indeed.com/q-Tanker-Driver-l-Las-Vegas,-NV-jobs.html?vjk=b67d7730fac063fa
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Haha yeah I have been chatting with him for years now. I applied to a few more tonight, someone will call one of these days. As I drive around town I have been writing down company names. Sooo many not even online.

Zoltan1a, Jan 31, 2023

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nmill Light Load Member

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Zoltan1a said: ↑

Haha yeah I have been chatting with him for years now. I applied to a few more tonight, someone will call one of these days. As I drive around town I have been writing down company names. Sooo many not even online.
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If they’re not online write down their dot # and look up their address on saferweb and apply in person/ ask if they’re hiring

nmill, Feb 1, 2023

#36

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Rastarob619 Bobtail Member

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lual said: ↑

I've been hauling fuel now, as I write this....for a year and a half.

In my area of the world, fuel haulers make the same--or more--as the cryogenic drivers do. Go figure.

Fuel can be a neat way to make the "leap" to tanker....because fuel trailers are compartmentalized, for different amounts/types of fuel.

Thus--there's no real forward/backward "surge".

What's the "dark side" of fuel?

Unless you get extremely lucky--you'll start out doing night shift, and also making deliveries on weekends and holidays.

Shifts are seniority-based.

First year vacation time is often pretty skimpy. Paid sick leave can be, as well.

You'll also very likely slip-seat, too.

My slip-seater is a bit of a slob. Yours could be, too.

Fuel is also dirty work, too. I have the clothes to prove it.

Mistakes in the fuel-hauling world can be either very expensive, very dangerous--or both.

Get a good trainer (fortunately--I did).

Probably the biggest headache (in my opinion) with fuel: you work up close and personal with the public, when making deliveries.
Thus--you sometimes have to put up with some real characters. Not a good thing, when you're delivering something that is highly flammable.

My advice: if you do decide to go ahead and try fuel--do so with a private fleet.

Why?

Better pay/benefits

Better equipment

Better working conditions (examples: fewer allocation problems at fuel terminals; store perks; overtime after 40 hrs)

MUCH BETTER deliveries/stops!!!

MUCH LESS exposure/up-close dealings with the public, during deliveries.

The work load is much more consistent, and predictable. Thus--better $$$$.

Because of these advantages--many private fleet jobs have lots of competition for them. But don't let that stop you from trying.

Good examples of the private fleets:

Pilot/Flying J

Love's

Energy Dispatch (aka, "RaceTrac")

Buc-ee's

Sheetz

Look for a fleet that pays hourly. That way--you are paid for ALL OF YOUR TIME--whether you are moving, or not.

If a fleet in question is not paid hourly, then look for a minimum weekly pay guarantee.

Avoid fleets that simply pay "by the load"--with no guarantee. Those are basically slave-labor gigs.

An exception: One private fleet I would suggest you avoid is Circle K.

With fuel, BOTH tanker and hazmat endorsements are required. A TWIC card usually helps get on board, too.

If you try fuel, and later decide you don't like it--the experience you get there is widely respected, and so you can then "pivot" to other types of tanker duty--or even leave tanker, entirely.

Usually, it's a home-daily gig--so it's good for drivers who are married and/or have a family.

Generally speaking--I DO NOT recommend fuel hauling for those just out of CDL school.

Get AT LEAST 2 years of experience elsewhere, hauling non-hazmat loads--FIRST.

If you embrace the above info--your first fuel hauling experience should be a pretty good one.

--Lual
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What's a better company circle k or team logistics?
Rastarob619, Apr 15, 2024

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TNSquire Medium Load Member

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Rastarob619 said: ↑

What's a better company circle k or team logistics?
Click to expand...

Circle k by far

TNSquire, Apr 15, 2024

#38
Dave1837 Road Train Member

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ducnut said: ↑

There’s no driving for 53K pounds of caustic soda in a smooth bore. That’s roughly 2/3 of the capacity of the tank, so it’s going to move, no matter how good of a driver you are. I used to take a longer way back to the plant, just to avoid a section of road with three whoops and a really rough bridge on it. The whoops were perfectly timed to get it moving and it would slam me in the back, every time. And, the bridge had a series of dips at both ends that would get it moving. A nice little boost forward, followed by the stuff slamming the back of the tank. Ugh!

Occasionally, I see a guy on I-70 with the same placard and he pulls a small diameter tank that must’ve been built specific to haul the stuff.

With “most” everything else, the tanks were fairly close to appropriate size for the load. On loads I controlled, I always loaded to 79,900lbs, to take up space.
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Caustic and magnesium hydroxide were 2 of the most violent products I ever hauled

Dave1837, Apr 15, 2024

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Gamecock Taylor Bobtail Member

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Rastarob619 said: ↑

What's a better company circle k or team logistics?
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The only thing Team Logistics has over Circle K is faster trucks, and that's not saying a whole lot.

Gamecock Taylor, Apr 15, 2024

#40

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