Gasoline Tanker: Tips on how to make fast drops at stations

Im in upstate NY and the max permit you can get is 107,000lbs with a tri-axle. We run KW T800's 14.6k front axles and 44K rears with the triaxle Heil trailers.
Legal for our units is 11,500 gallons gas or 10,200 diesel.

 

I'm new member to the site ,but a 44yr trucker 28yrs in tankers. First of all when driving& coming up to a ramp ALWAYS be in the lower gear to take it safely. If you try downshifting etc. on the ramp you'll be overturned before you know it. There are NO SECOND CHANCES WITH TANKERS !! Tankers are "TOPHEAVY"- baffles or not- and will rollover quickly if not handled the right way. The other guys are right also. TAKE YOUR TIME UNLOADING with multi grades. It's YOU who will have to explain the screw/up to everyone (shipper,your boss the tank line operator,the station mgr,) It's just not worth it to "run". Do it right and you'll be around to tell your stories years from now. Best wishes, Ed

 

First thing I would do is focus on safety. If you don't focus on safety you wont be hauling gas in the LTL for very long. Your speed will come as you get better with the trade.

1) Organize your tray with the shortest hoses to the front of the tray. Long hoses in the back of the tray closest to the tanker itself. Pump side tray the same way if you progress to pumps.

2) Hang your bungees on the tray in one place every time and repeat at each drop.

2) Use two vapors and drop two products at a time but dont cross drop.

3) Grab two drop heads at a time from your box. Grab two vapor heads at a time. This will save you steps setting up your drop and breaking your drop down.

4) Use your tank chart. I used to save time buy knowing my tank sizes rather then walking into a store and using a veeter root. Much faster to stick a tank then to walk into a store and wait for Angle Cakes to get you a meter reading.

Your speed will come but its really just holding a steady pace loading and unloading. I hope this helps and be safe.

 

Welcome to the site. It's nice to have all your experience here. You're 100% right about being in gear before going into any curve. That's the way I was taught so long ago to be in the gear and do not apply power until you're straight. Just about every turnover I have heard about has been in the turns.

I found this check list for loading and unloading. There's a few points that have gone overboard but over all I believe a driver that is new to gasoline loading and unloading should take a look and know what to do. It should only be used as a information guide because when you get to the loading facility they will give you a handbook to get signed off on. Your company should also have written procedures on loading and unloading. http://www.ncpcm.org/pdf/NCPCMLoadingPet&APIColor.pdf

 

I'm with you on that chalupa. 12,200 @ 300 a minute equals 41 minutes one hose. What about setup time, checking tanks, pulling paper report, sticking with paste, checking you numbers, then the time to attach all your lines and throw the valve to drop. Anyone that says he is doing it in less than 30 minutes is cutting corners that now owner wants. 45 minutes to an hour period.

 

Not everywhere do the drivers paste the sticks. In the desert we did it twice a year unless there was a questionable tank. We also relied on our sticks and not getting a paper report on the level of product. With our stations we had the problem of crowds and you'd have to wait a long time for any store person to get the report. We never just used one hose to drop. There where times when I had three hoses going at the same time. Our trucks were set-up for that kind of transfer and at no time were there any violations with vapor recovery or safety. I could,on a good day, unload 12,450 gallons anywhere from 15 min. to 30 mins. and I assure you NO corners we ever cut. If you're taking an hour to unload then you have too many unnecessary requirements or you're just too slow. I can also guarantee you that our company drivers are safe, efficient, and used as examples of how to unload properly and not as examples of not what to do. All Major Oil Companies are like that and maybe that's why they pay so well.

 

GasHauler, While I respect your quote and the number of years in the business I feel like I have to clarify myself on this. I work for the largest petroleum hauler in NY state. We haul everything from aviation fuel, carbon back to propane,gas, and asphalt. My day could start with anyone of these products. The procedures at the twenty or so different refineries and the customer that I deliver to which could be my first time at the site or haven't seen in two years and the site map is different upon my arrival. I don't have the luxury of having to card into only one refinery, delivering to the same customers weekly and knowing them like the back of my hand. Sounds like a cake walk. The thing you probably fight everyday is complancy. As far as the pay goes I do very well but yes the majors do have great pay packages. Slow, never been called that. Safe, thorough, mistake free, no accidents, no tickets thats what I strive for. I joined this forum for output like yours that I respect. Thanks for that. Safe travels GasHauler.

 

I hope it doesn't take you 45 minutes to unload Jet-A. Unless you are pumping it with a 3 inch pump.

 

Experience is the only key to any job!