tanker experience

i've driven a double tanker with oil. and i've driven double bellies.

this week i had my first experience with a single tank and NO baffles.
let's just say i'm seriously contemplating no more tanker endorsement on my license.

 

But that's the thing about fuel. It's mostly local. In sw Missouri, there are basically 4 terminals: Magellan in Springfield, Magellan in Jasper (25 miles north of Joplin), Conoco and TPSI in Mount Vernon (20 miles west of Springfield). Pretty much all the fuel sold in all of sw Missouri is pulled from these 4 terminals with pretty much everything in and around Springfield coming from Springfield MPL or Conoco MTV. With that in mind, most loads are less than 40 miles. Because of this and the need to stay supplied with fuel, most local loads pay very well.

Because most loads come out of the same terminal, you usually have a lot of deadhead. Around half your miles or slightly less. For example, tonight I'm hauling 6 loads, a 70 mile load, a 40 mile load, and 4 loads into Springfield around 15 miles each all out of Springfield MPL. My total miles will be around 350 with half of that being deadhead. This will take me every bit of 12 hours to do.

 

If you already have hazmat the TWIC will cost you about $105.

 

The most challenging part of driving a tanker for me is parking at a crowded Pilot or performing some type of backing maneuver. It took some time before I got used to the shorter wheelbase and not having a solid square wall to "lineup" in a parking spot. It just looks way different seeing a round object behind you rather than a huge box. The other difficult part is when backing the load starts to surge. Trying to squeeze between to extended hood Pete's at night and the back end of your tank is bouncing around makes it a delicate procedure.

 

I agree 100%. Once you get used to backing with your rear tires and line-of-sight, then all it takes from there is a lot of applied brake pressure to keep from surging into the hood the that $150k new Pete next to you