Schneider Tanker Regional

Good job, if you get it......

 

Is that the way it is with Schneider ? While I agree inexperienced drivers should jump at a chance to start with tanker experience right off , I don't see any of that .
Most of my loads gross around 76,000. Most loads are preloaded and brought to the terminal . Most shippers and some receivers don't allow us on the trailers . Their employees with fall protection handle that .
I don't touch a hose with hazmat loads and the customer uses their pumps . We only had one customer that required us to use our pump and they shut down last year . About 10% of the time I air off a load and I don't see how you figure that's more work than a dry van . None of my deliveries require a suit . Some deliveries are drop and hook . Drop the loaded trailer and take back the empty from the previous delivery . Trailers are dedicated for one product which is mostly top loaded without using a tank wash .
All that considered it may be better to get 2 years OTR then hire on with one of the better tank carriers .

 

good luck with that job. hope u get a shot. i been trying for 2 yrs to get on local tanker. finally got the call today to come in mon they are read to hire me. i been driving 38' end dump inside the state for an O/O . i just didnt want to go OTR so i was picky and it paid off to stay local but thats hard to do in AR. small co only 60 trucks been around 50 yrs. so i figure they arent going to fold. they haul fuel and asphualt in AR and OK.

 

Well let me add my .02 here (as somebody who actually drives for Schneider, and has done so for almost 10 years).

If you can get hired on do it. Like wsyrob said, cust is generally "happy" too see you. And yes, sliding tandems and overhieght is pretty much a non issue (unless you buy your own truck and get a tall sleeper.) Though to be fair, over axle can sometimes be a small issue depending on if you have a comp load or not. But not a real big issue that you should lose sleep over.

Now where I do disagree with wsyrob is on his claim that a high percentage of loads require a driver unload using pump or comp. I have not used my pump in about 6 months (other then to start it every few days to make sure it is not jammed up) and have not taken a piece of hose off my truck to use but once this year. I did use my air comp Friday. (but that was just to speed up the unload process as the additive was very thick and using my air to help push to cust pump cut unloading time in half). As far as wearing the "suit" that is up to you (unless cust says you must do it, Nuke plants do this sometimes). But some of that crap is pretty bad, and being that I had a hose come apart on me in Corpus Christi Tx about 8 years ago and got soaked with marine lube oil (I was lucky that is all it was) I tend to err on the side of caution. But most plant do have a minimum ppe requirement.

As far as being loaded heavy, its a crap shoot. You could have weeks of 45k or so in the tube then you might be light/or empty for a couple weeks. It all depends on the luck of the draw and what needs to be moved form where you are.

The surge, you get used to it. It's that simple. It all depends on many things added together to determine how bad it is. Type of tank, size of tank, empty space in tank, weight of product, is the product thick or thin..etc etc etc. Just hauling loads and making mental notes of the load will help you. (you do tend to haul alot of the same stuff after a few years, so you tend to remember the good and bad)

As far a being preloaded, not every one is as lucky as RickG is. With Schneider you will get some stuff preloaded, but depending on where you are you will prob have to live load. Though some cust let us drop an empty and take out the loaded one. sometimes we get local drivers to load them. But there is no hard and fast rule on it. Just depends.

The down side is sometimes you have to be out in the elements. Was in ND a couple weeks ago, air temp -5 wind chill -35 and unloaded in the AZ desert last year with air temp at 110. But the upside is you are outside and no produce markets, no groc warehouses, no wall marts etc etc etc.

 

How are the miles and getting you home on time..
Looking into woodhavan mi.. Bulk