HAZMAT (propane) or not?????

Gasoline delivery is one of the best local gigs.

I would not want to deliver propane because of having to deal with the public on their property. Being a gal you may have an advantage there.

Another good gig is fleet fueling, off in bad weather and holidays.

Think about towing? Or a roll off truck? lots of recycle positions out there....

 

i DID fleet fueling.....we WORKED 7 days a week, 2 shifts per day.... HOLIDAYS AND BAD WEATHER..those trucks GOTTA BE fueled......

propane deliveries should fit right in with your home schedule... you can work part time hours or full time, but when you're busy, you're busy, meaning possible long days, especially when the weather is cold and people need their heat. in summer time, they would need propane for the stoves, and water heating systems (mostly) so you may have more "home time" between work days....

 

One thing I learned about propane home delivery from friends who did it; propane attracts hornets and wasps big time. They looove to build nests at the tanks. Ever notice how those guys never wear shorts or t-shirts?

 

Most, not all, tankers companies want experienced drivers. The smaller propane trucks may take on new drivers but if it's a good job then you've got to know there will be many waiting to work there. However, it doesn't hurt trying but you'll be better off if you go and see the people and tell them your plans. Sometimes a company may not hire a driver with no experience but they know companies that will so it's always better. You can ask them what it will take to get hired on with them and they just might show you a plan. We did it for those who looked like they would work out.

Gasoline is much different. There are even less gasoline companies that will hire inexperienced drivers nowadays. Propane is seasonal and gasoline is not. Your winter time is when the propane companies need drivers and then in the summer it slows way down. Gasoline runs 24 hrs a day 365 days a year. I know of only a couple of companies that shut down for Christmas or other holidays. Most run but they do cut the work down for the holidays. Some are talking about Jobbers and those are the ones that go from job to job refueling whatever. They also work all the time. If the weather is bad then you just work another route. I believe the top position you can reach in fuel hauling is working for a major oil company unloading at stations in town. The ones I know of pay by the hour and that's pay for every minute you're working. Union scale in Los Angeles was $28.50 last year. That's for a 40 hour week and anything over 10 hours a day is OT so you can make a lot in OT as well. It's very easy to make $425 a day and very common. Then at some places you have 3 days off because they only work a 4 day week. Then work a day of OT and pick up $500 just for that day. They make a killing.

If I were you I would go around to the different propane companies and ask to see the ones that do the hiring. It shouldn't be hard to find their location from the phone book since they sell to the public. Let them know what you want to do and see if they can help. They'll tell you.

The gasoline companies are much harder. For one you'll have a hard time even finding their phone number and location. They just don't want the public to know. I got enough people asking why the prices where so high when I unloaded could you imagine a terminal getting all those calls? You would be very smart to start with propane and move your way into the petroleum industry. That's where the money is if you make it to one of the top companies with a clean record.

 

You must remember this is not just a hazardous material hauling job but an extremely dangerous one at that! 5 tp 7000 gallons of a flammable product isn't a rookie getting hired type of job!
Not to mention I don't know the type of area you live in, but Fulton County looks to be more rural than city so you have to know that when I was growing up the propane guy had to back his truck up to the car port and drag 100' of hose down to our tank! He was NOT a little guy and he was breathing heavily when he finally got it down there!

As mentioned wasps and hornets LOVE the cap on those tanks! Nothing more funny than watching him running when he threw it open!

Gas stations Gas didn't mention about the idiots that see the truck maneuvering around to set up and they drive under the truck, behind the truck or in front of the truck and either look at you or say something to you about your family heritage or intelligence! Not to mention having some idiot walk up and light that stupid cigarette with all those gas fumes rolling around, Now I think most stations do a fume capture but IDK about that! That was MY experience hauling gas! I knew MY heart was working when I'd look up and see that cig sticking out of a mouth and a hand in a pocket!

Anyway you will more than likely not be able to do any kind of gas hauling until you've gotten some experience! Check with the state for state work or a local contractor doing dump truck or even some of the growers and haul apples and field work.

 

Unless you are talking driving bobtail propane trucks into residential homes, I'd go for it. Slinging a propane hose in a fireman's carry is for people under 45 so I hope you are talking about a truckload propane job hauling fuel to bulk tanks. Thats a job I have seen a 78 year WWII old veteran do with my own eyes about 14 years ago. Some people have the strength of Samson, I tell you what.

But that there is easy work compared to what bobtail propane driving is, cause lots of customers put the home tank in places that are difficult to get to, particularly when its snowing or rainy outside. Then you have the idiots who lets themselves run out of gas and you have to relight the pilots again.

Such fun can never be had elsewhere.

You end up slogging it up in mud or snow and its a real B####h at the end of the day when you are older. Thats a young persons job, IMO, unless you are in very, very good physical shape.

 

What you say is true. Thats why I carried a big bottle of wasp killer spray with me. Hell, the boss bought it for us. Hose em' down good, no problems.

 

No problemo! Good luck whatever in you decide to do !