Going to tanker Owner Op ....

I'll chime in on number 4. I was a company driver for Suttles then Dana/Suttles after the merger. Dana had a lot of owner ops and many were very successful. Next to LTL, tanking is one of the best jobs in trucking in my opinion . I pulled standard 7000 gallon shotgun tanks, multi hole, ISO cans, fuel, and acid tanks. The biggest thing you'll have to face is the washout process. If you own your own tank you'll have to sit with it at the wash rack after most every load. As lease operators or company drivers we had empties spotted at many of the washouts, we'd simply swing in, switch trailers & roll. Some washouts are great, some are real s holes. The customers with tankers seem to treat you better than general freight.
As far as the tractor, many block the fifth wheel up to aid in unloading, you may have to consider adding pto powered pump and a way to air up trailer. Also possible provisions for hoses and fitting storage. Weight and height requirements may come into play as well as bulk hauling usually wants the most payload possible. Intransit heat provisions may be required too.

Tanking is great and you may want to consider just leasing in somewhere as opposed to buying your own trailer. The companies can help with the extra equipment. A lot of the industry is controlled by large shippers and trying to run under your own authority may be difficult . It is a different animal entirely vs. dry van/refer/flat bed

 

Almost all of the good loads are covered by the big carriers.
Had to have so many trucks even to get a contract to haul, then paperwork showing the last three loads hauled.

For you to have insurance for hazmat chemicals you may have to up to 5 million worth of Primary Liability. 1 million liability is $5k - $10k/year

 

EverythingJudge said,

You'd be better off finding someone to lease on with.

Going to be rough with one type of trailer unless you had a commodity specific to your trailer and work lined up.

Sometimes in a week I may haul, hard shell, soft shell, chem, fuel, asphalt, then maybe even a smooth. Other times stay on one trailer for a mouth.
All these types I may get home every two days or, every two weeks.

Now on top of all this, and maintenance, inspections, etc. A hazmat set-up is a magnet for getting a road side. Single carrier may even be worse.

 

What's hard shell and soft shell? Hadn't heard those terms before. You referring to insulated vs non insulated ?

 

Hard shell, propane, NGL, Anhydrous, or some gases, 265 psi rated. Ever see the white bullet looking trailer going down the road, class rating in the upper 300,,, like 331
Soft shell, basic crude, fuels, and liquids. Can be insulated.

 

Got it. Around my neck of the woods always heard term "gas bottle trailer" for those high pressure gas haulers. Never heard soft shell for liquid bulk. Learn something new everyday.

 

I was O/O for a couple years till the company got sold. The new company made me an offer so I sold out too. Back to being a company man. Like said above you’d be better off leasing onto someone.

My insurance was 4000 a year and the liability was split between the drivers 200/week. I had some really good days but most days averaged 850-950. There was some 4.50/mile 275 mile loads so those days were excellent. I always liked the one load and done days when hauling fuel. I had a day cab w9 and a heil tanker.
Good luck

 

What insurance company did you use?

 

I'll throw my $.02 in. Lease on to someone first to learn the business. If you don't even know what tank to buy or what you'll be hauling or hauling straight broker work, you'll be broke in no time flat. Spend a year or two learning the business.
Almost all customers require $250,000 cargo & $1,000,000 liability. Hazmat chemicals require $5,000,000. Last time I priced it (3+ years ago) a new entrant hazmat was $40,000+ insurance a year. (Including truck, trailer, cargo & liability)