Tanker Driving

Who you driving for?

 

Food or chem? I've ran both, but back to van as I'm only part time. Tanker will beat you up until you learn to shift without surging, and take every turn 15mph slower than posted. I preferred chem and crude for the baffles, food grade made me sea sick with the cab rocking all the time. Is either worth the money? Absolutely, but it's a give/take scenario. Backing is easier, more visibility, higher pay, etc. But you'll hate your choice going down a rough highway, and the surge starts knocking you around the cab, and wait until the joy of a live fill in 110* weather in Freeport TX that takes 3hrs while you sweat to death in your fluorescent chem suit . All kidding aside, tanker is where the money is at for company drivers. Move close to a port or rail loading yard and you'll be home a lot of nights and still be able to pull a great living. And no matter where you live, a few years if tanker and you can get on hauling fuel locally and be home after every shift.

 

I'm actually part time with Schneider running vans out of Dallas, @Thull runs tankers right now for Schneider. I've never met a tanker driver that wanted to go back to vans, I'd go back in a heartbeat if a local opportunity opened up that fit my schedule. Go local if you can, others have their own opinion but I personally love being able to shower barefoot and take my daily constitutional without fear of infection lol.

 

There are a few tanker drivers for Schneider in this site, post your questions in the actual tanker forum.

 

Good luck with your new adventure.

 

You'll never go back to bumping docks again