Tanker Terminology 101

I did it once, too. Forgot I came back to the rack with 1150 gallons in the #2 hole, plugged 'em all in and let 'er rip. Wasn't concerned about not having a green light on the Scully, 'cause this place had a history of the green ones being out. (Shell River Rouge) (Years ago) Unfortunately the green was out because a driver ahead of me broke the security retainer clip off the switchbox and put the system in bypass. When the wooshing air sound started I came out of the booth to see what was up. My feet knew before my brain did and I ran out of the loading area as a fountain of RNL came shooting out of the dome vent and flooding over the control booth, blocking my access to the emergency shutdown. A driver in another lane hit the rack shutdown; lights, buzzers, and the rack tech come a-runnin!!

One of the drivers from another company came up to me and said, "Man, I'm sorry that happened to you. But that was the COOLEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN!!!"

Next day I was locked out and had to go in and take my lumps from the terminal manager. He wanted my estimate of how much gas went on the ground(about 500 gallons) and why I didn't hit the rack shutdown (the gas was flooding over the booth) and why did I not hit one of the shutdown buttons near the building (in the heat of the moment I forgot one was there). The TM already knew the answers to the questions he was asking me, just wanted to sweat me a little. Which he did, ending with, "...and the ONLY reason you're not getting a SIX MONTH LOCKOUT is because a couple of the guys (Shell drivers) came forward and said, 'Skillet wouldn't have f----d with the bypass, check the tapes!!', and we found the guy who did it. Now get outta my office, and don't ever load without a green in my rack again!!!" And I didn't!

I haven't driven a tractor trailer since 2002. Sometimes I miss hauling gas. Not sure why.

 

Personally I think a new driver should have 1 year to learn How to drive. A spill or wreck with dry freight is an easy clean up. Spilling liquid is another story.

I currently run smooth bore. Some customers/product I pump and add air (5 psi) to move the thick stuff.
Also some customers getting thick product run a 2" line up 60' then 90 degree for 100' then 90 degree another 100' into tank. That means a 4 hours plus unload time burning up your 14 hrs

One thing that was not mentioned was how much time you spend at tank washes. Some are Great, having showers and food for drivers. Others are crap holes.

Tankers are 79,000 lbs or empty. You won't take off "fast"from stops for very long.
Liquid moves when it want's to.

Hope this helps any new to tank yankin

Oh, almost forgot when you come to a stop, wait for it.......wham, now your load is here !

 

Yeah hauling liquids in a smooth bore tanker is light dancing with an 800 LB gorilla. You're done when he's done.
But food grade vs gasoline hauling. No comparison IMHO. Gasoline is the way to go when it comes to $$

 

Don't know about crude.... But the gas haulers around me do ok. They work for it though .Most companies are paying % or some form of it. Very few are by the hour nowadays .

 

Hauling crude is a different ball game IMHO. It's something I wouldn't consider, because you do a lot more off the road deliveries. You only have to look at the trucks that are used. You may make a little more money but I've talked to drivers who have done it and eventually went back to gas hauling, but YMMV

 

I'd haul crude by the hour if I could. Hauling gas by the hour usually pays less, because it costs money to refine crude into fuel. Also, hauling crude means not having to squeeze into little gas stations, none of the "just drop the rest into the super tank" bull****, no four-wheelers blocking you in, no idiots thinking they're just SO funny when they ask "you gotta light?", etc.

 

Well you're right about hauling crude is best when paid by the hour because you may have to sit awhile to unload it. I know a buddy of mine who hauled crude as an O/O and he lost money. He said it was ok to load it but unloading the stuff was the problem, so his income went way down. Couldn't get out of that situation quick enough.
if I was to go back to hauling gas again, I'd go and get paid by the load.
good luck

 

Lets us not forget about the surge or as i call it sergio I haul for schneider and shifting is a art to be able to shift between the time it hits the bulkhead if you don't time it right it will beat you to death during training the first time the surge hit i thought someone ran into me,
going up a hill the surge hitting the back bulkhead will feel like someone put your brakes on

and then there is "HIT" Heat in transit this is where you have a temp sensitive Load and have to hook lines up that run your trucks coolant through the trailer to keep the temp up

 

And never let a customer pull a sample from the bleeder valve. Heard of three consecutive loads being refused by a customer because they took samples from the bleeder valve, which caused the sample to fail testing.