Pneumatic pros and cons

Discussion in 'Tanker, Bulk and Dump Trucking Forum' started by Awol, Oct 3, 2019.

  1. Awol

    Awol Light Load Member

    106
    68
    Aug 13, 2018
    0
    Im about to get into hauling a pneumatic tanker (fly ash, plastic, cement). Ive only got flat bed expirience but looking for the pros and cons of hauling pneumatics and how it is compared to flatbed.
     
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. speedyk

    speedyk Road Train Member

    1,837
    2,465
    Apr 8, 2015
    0
    The trailers are not flat, almost no flat surfaces on them at all. They are rounded everywhere. You might use some bungies to tie hoses in place, but no strapping or tarping of cargo.

    The cargo rides inside a tank instead of outside. It gets dropped into the top and then blown out through a hose into another tank.

    You run a blower to make pressure and control that with valves and it is possible to make a big mess if you get something wrong and don't recover. One thing that can and will go wrong is a clogged hose, which ramps tank pressure up quickly. It i possible to blow a hole in the side of a tank, typically along a seam but not always. Look at older tanks to see where they were repaired.

    If the hatch on top is not closed and sealed properly, unloading will be slow and possibly messy. If you try to open a hatch when a tank is pressurised you will be fortunate if you only need reconstructive surgery and not burial insurance.

    Many places you will be weighed out at 79.8 plus or minus, you'll have a scale ticket out the gate. You will almost always empty or full, partial loads are rare.

    It typically pays less than flatbed. Involves chemical exposure.
     
    intrepidor and Awol Thank this.
  4. Awol

    Awol Light Load Member

    106
    68
    Aug 13, 2018
    0
    Thank you....i kinda knew the basics as far what the job entails was more wondering about dealling with shippers and recievers, wait times, do you get the miles things of that nature....i got a conpany offering .55/mile and they Avg 2500-3000 miles a week and $30 an hour for load and unload time....thats more than im getting paid for flatbed it just seems a little to good to be true...
     
  5. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

    34,017
    42,098
    Mar 5, 2016
    White County, Arkansas
    0
    Fill with air. Open spout. Wait 40 minutes.

    Close everything up, dump air when empty. Done.
     
    Blowcanner1975 and Awol Thank this.
  6. Awol

    Awol Light Load Member

    106
    68
    Aug 13, 2018
    0
    Also do you have to wash the trailers out after different substances have been in it say switching from fly ash to plastic?....
     
  7. Awol

    Awol Light Load Member

    106
    68
    Aug 13, 2018
    0
    Sounds smooth enough.
     
  8. wis bang

    wis bang Road Train Member

    3,049
    3,391
    Jan 12, 2011
    Levittown, PA
    0
    Yup. A proper wash requires disassembling the discharge plumbing to clean out the Victaulic joint gaskets. and cleaning the loading pipes +/or Vacuum filter.

    Some times a garden hose will do and sometimes you need a flue brush chucked into a drill wrapped with a solvent soaked rag...then there are the flo cones.......good source of contamination...
     
    Awol Thanks this.
  9. Awol

    Awol Light Load Member

    106
    68
    Aug 13, 2018
    0
    So would the driver get paid for time washing out if its going to be a few times a week? Ive seen the lines at truck washes seems like it takes awhile is that unreasonable to ask for compensation?
     
  10. Blowcanner1975

    Blowcanner1975 Bobtail Member

    38
    133
    Feb 12, 2017
    Hoosierland
    0
    *Don't forget play games on phone...
     
    x1Heavy and Awol Thank this.
  11. Awol

    Awol Light Load Member

    106
    68
    Aug 13, 2018
    0
    Dont you gotta watch the the gauges? And you would think with built pressure it could blow....this is all speculation I dont know nothing about those kind of tanks.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.