advice on how to pull a tanker

I pull liquid fertilizer tankers with baffles and the other day I met our other driver at a stop sign corner. He pulled a left hand turn from the stop at the stop sign and his inside back trailer tandem came up off the ground about a foot .....he tends to be heavy on the throttle. I suppose that is about as close to a tip over as I will ever see, as I was right by his trailer when it happened.

I was surprised to see the trailer do that, as I can barely feel the surge with the baffles in the tank.

I am used to driving smooth bore milk tankers, so I tend to be very light on the throttle and brakes when pulling a tanker.

 

What kind of oil? Most likely you'll have baffles and if you're lucky you have baffles and bulkheads. Just take it easy. I always tell the new drivers to act like there's a cup of water on the dash 3/4 full and don't spill a drop. When you're in the city try to time your lights and drive as smooth as possible. Start the truck out in the gear that will move the truck without applying power. Sometimes that's 2nd and sometimes it's third. I've never had to start in first gear unless I was on a grade and our trucks grossed over 100,000lbs. Sharpen your defensive driving skills and stay away from trouble. Don't stop close to any vehicle at lights and stay back about 6 feet. That's anytime you stop around vehicles. You don't want any surge pushing into a car or whatever.

Oil is combustible but you still need to know all the extra environmental laws. Make sure you go over that with your trainer and if he or she doesn't cover any come back here and we'll set you straight.

 

That's think and you'll have to heat it to get it off.

 

Shut the dump valves before loading. Open the dome before unloading.