Transition: chemical to fuel

Hauling gas I really like, The work is nice up here in the Northeast. I can't speak on behalf of the rest of the country. I don't think much really can go wrong if you are careful at what you do.. You have experience pulling hazardous materials and tanks which is a half the battle alone. I'm not sure how your loading and unload procedures work but it's fairly simple here.. Once your training is done at the terminals it's a pretty easy and you go in load and take off.. Most of the time a straight load it can be loaded in about 10-15 minutes if everything goes correctly.. Unload times tend to vary depending on the station, For example the cars in the way, The amount of tanks and size of them.. And sometimes you have split loads that can go to more than one location. One big thing that my father and uncles company face is the general public, Most people are not aware of the danger in delivering a load of gas and they can be careless.. For example I think we have replaced about 4 drop elbows this year alone from people hitting them with cars. All when there were cones out in the area people are still not aware. All of this has happened when setting up and getting ready to deliver or when picking up the hoses and just finishing up.. As a driver it's important be on guard ready for the worst to happen.. Also I come across people who come walking over to you while smoking quite frequently which amazes me but people just don't have a clue. I guess when everything goes well we can drop a straight load of 12,000 gallons to one station in about 15-20 minutes given perfect circumstances.

I'm sure I missed a couple key points and when I remember I will post them.. It's really nice and clean work.. Like I mentioned once already, This is all based on my experiences with doing it and some guys may disagree.

 

Gas is a little faster pace than chemicals . And you will do all the loading and unloading. Just take your time. Lots of weekend and holiday work, that part kinda sucks.

But no more tank washes, and you should be home every night!

Good luck....

 

You sure Tree Top is the right choice? ( Texas Trans Eastern ) Why not talk to Suncoast ?

I load beside these guys at several terminals and live near corporate. Dad has stepped back and the boy is in charge. ( Dad may have died, not sure ) with the point being I have a birds eye view of the co. and I don't like the way they do business. Sure, drivers seem happy enough having the usual driver grumbles but i doubt any of them are grossing a grand bumping 70. The hands here also hump gas, diesel and ethanol under the same placard. I'm pretty sure that's not legal and a direct reflection on mgmt.

Here's another point to ponder: the boy is flamboyant and the family is politically connected. The boy bought his girlfriend a $19,000. engagement ring that turned out to a flawed POS and was sold to him by a famous Houston jeweler. The ripoff was reported by Houston news so that's where I got it with my point being where did the $19,000 come from...... had to be from the trucks....but wait, there's no money in trucking, or is there? The family has had their hands slapped hard more than once. Daddy was in the hot seat on a corruption matter some years back too. I'd have to dig it up.....

Granted your local terminal may be different , I can't say. I believe the hands run 6/2 /70 here and brother no grass grows especially on the Ethanol side. The hands keep the fire to it and that just confirms their commission driven low checks.

Only positive thing i can say is they are better than Coastal given a choice . I'd do a heavy recon on these guys before I committed to make sure it's not more than you want. Get a look at the safety rating too, give you a better picture of how mgmt. runs the place.

Good luck
JMO

 

Gas , Ulsd and E10 can go under the 1203 flag. E85 needs it's own flag. It would take me all night to post a link.

Everyone around here does it this way....

 

Wasn't sure....no such liberty in chemicals........go both ways on gas and ULSD ? 1203 or 1993 combustible ? Sure looks like a good way to get a ticket hauling a combustible under a flammable flag......just sayin.....I know some responders that would be pissed if they saw a flammable placard and it was really combustible. That changes your entire approach to a scene.

 

It doesn't go both ways. 1203 covers ulsd but 1993 does not cover gas. So worst case you have a load of ulsd that has 1203 on it.

 

Know a few locals that would love to write you for that. Sure you could beat it in court but the time off to fight it..........

 

If they increase the Ethanol content by more than 10% we will have to change placards all together from my understanding.. All the Gulf trailers now have 2 placards on them for this reason such as when they have regular gasohol and E85.