Soon to be new driver considering tanker vs flatbed?

I am all for tankers. First, Houston is chemical mecca, so jobs abound. Second, more and more plants are doing all the loading and unloading. Basically you just sit pretty and wait(I am sitting under a loading rack as I type). And money is good! But the world is your oyster. Good luck and keep us posted!

 

I just started with Elliott Truck Line out of Vinita, Oklahoma. I am not sure about hiring rookies, to be honest. I have almost 13 years pulling tankers. You can check out their website: - Elliott Truck Line
Their parent company is Custom Commodities

 

Tanker you dont have to secure or tarp. Yet you do have slosh.
Yet there are dry bulk carriers that appear to be tanks.

 

By your handle, I'm assuming you're a woman. Normally, that should never be a problem, but flatbed is very challenging, physically, and if you are a 92 pound peanut, that could be a problem. The most physical thing you'll do with a tanker, is schlep the hose around. Flatbed could mean climbing, securing, RE-securing every 100 miles, and a lot of work due to the irregular shapes of the loads. Tarping in a stiff wind will have you crying, trust me.Tanker requires a lot more driving skill, but unless it's hazardous, and most tanker loads are, it's the best trucking job out there. Good luck.

 

Tanks for sure. There are a fair number of companies that will hire rookies. Schneider bulk, Prime etc.. Get a year or two of experience then move to better companies. Both of those mentioned will train you well. I switched from dry van to tanks a year ago and will never go back to swinging doors.

 

You should be sitting pretty in tanker land down that way.

I was flatbedding pipe to Jaxville and chain and cable back to Houston almost 6 months one year on 10. Back and forth. The storm season created some trouble but not too bad.

The main thing is if you do not spill coffee as you drive then you are qualified for either flatbed or tanker work. Both requires a little bit of finesse in driving. For example you come up to a stop light with 40K pounds of fluid coming up against your forward bulkhead in your tanker trailer, its going to slosh pretty hard to the back one and slam you. You learn to add power and pull just a smidge to hold it where it is and then pull forward just a little slower for a few feet so the liquid wont slam as hard against the front. In a few cycles you will have it settled and ready to walk away from the light without it slamming you off your gear shifting. Usually if the liquid is moving that much your driving has been rather rough and no wonder.

 

tankers handsdown.Started off with tankers in 94 and currently pulling tankers.If I wasnt pulling them then dump trailer but tankers pay better.