Questions about what it's like to drive a tank

I've been pulling tankers (chemical only...no food grade) going on 3 yrs now. It took me 6 months to learn how to drive and control the surge but once I did, it got much easier. I rarely have much of a surge now, if any. Love doing it and can't imagine doing anything else now.
The chem suit sucks ###, but otherwise I don't have much to complain about. I'm rarely rushed, the ppl I deal with are good, there's rarely any waiting, and like another driver said, I get paid for everything I do.
Good luck driver!

 

There are three ways to unload a tank. Pump, Air or gravity. Gravity means you just hook the hoses, open the valves and that is it. Air means you take an air hose and using a compressor you put pressurized air into the tank. This help push the product out. Pump offs mean you have to use your pump on your truck. It sucks because you have to run hoses to your trailer and then to the customer fill line. It takes at least 2 more hoses l, 3 if your valve is in the rear.

A discharge valve is where the product comes out. Every tank has one, just look for them next time you see a tanker.

A customer has a tank that you are putting product into. If you have 5,000 gallons of products and he has a 6,000 gallon capacity tank that has 2,000 gallons in it already then he doesn't have room to take all of your load. Means either you have to wait, or you have to split the load which is just not fun.
HIT Heat in Transit. Some products have to be kept at a certain temperature range. We use coolant lines from the tractors engine to accomplish this. The problem is that some trailers have had the coolant in them drained and are empty. Which means you have to fill them up with coolant from the tractor which of course means you have to add some. What happens is this. You add the coolant while at the truckstop and it's not big deal. Everything seems full, the HIT lines are nice and hot and you take off. Without fail the coolant system will burp and the air pocket will go out and your coolant level will drop again forcing you to the side of the road. That is why HIT sucks.

 

Most are decent really. I've worked for Schneider Bulk and now Trimac. I would recommend both to a rookie.

 

I've only had to use the tractor pump and wear the monkey suit maybe 3 times in the past year. I'll gladly put up with all of that stuff and safety videos because we don't have to worry about tandems, Cat scales, waiting to load/unload for ages, etc. It's easier to see around a tank when backing into a parking spot. Only thing that still bothers me every day is walking on top of the tank.

 

take that curve, nice and slow. Whether it wet or dry.

 

It's easy. Just use common sense. Smooth bores are kind of sucky
We have a female driver and she is great. Nice lady too.

 

Wait a second..., do you mean having CDL allows me to actually DRIVE A TANK?!?

 

Combat Destruction License

 

If you make $10 a barrel to the truck for a 260 Barrel load and you get paid 26% of that for 5 hours worth of work not being able to load anymore puts a cap on how much you are able to earn. Some of the best paying jobs pay percentage

 

Pros:
1. The money (if chemical, I hear foodgrade doesn't pay well).
2. No lumpers.
3. No pallets, load locks, tarps, chains, straps, binders, dunnage, etc.
4. Rarely wait to unload.
5. You'll never be asked to pull up onto the portables.
6. Accessorial pay.
7. Your chances of having a DOT officer ask to inspect your load are almost zero.

The cons:
Unloading into totes sucks.
Unloading into drums REALLY, REALLY sucks.
Caustic soda is nasty stuff.
Plant safety videos are about as much fun as defensive driving videos.