What are the pros and cons of Tanker driving

PROS:
1. You will never, EVER, again, write a lumper check.
2. You will never fingerprint a tanker load.
3. If you pull food grade, most of the commercial bakeries have an outlet store attached to them. Cheap cookies!!
4. If you pull chemicals, you will be loading and unloading in mostly secure facilities, although there are exceptions.
5. My worst day tanking was better than my best day in dry van.(Only did dry van about 6 months, though)
6. Stretching six lengths of 3-1/2 inch hose is easier than tossing 1500 floor loaded cases, IMO. (Both "loads from hell" in their respective trailer types. I have done both.)
7. Crossing the Canadian border is easier. One broker, one BOL, and CBSA can't pull your load all apart. They can make you wait, though, but hey....I love getting paid for sitting on my butt!!
8. All little kids love big trucks, but they think tankers are the COOLEST!!
9. If you work for a high end company with proven effective safety oversight, you will bypass a lot of scales. And the ones you get pulled into, you generally won't be there for long.
10. After successfully completing your orientation, you will receive a key and secret password to the exclusive "Tanker Driver's Steak-n-Whorehouse", which is underneath every Petro Stopping Center, accessible through a secret underground portal.

CONS:
1. A tank isn't empty until it's washed. Even if it's just residue, if it's placarded, hazmat attendance rules still apply.
2. You can't just drop that tank trailer and go bobtailing to the casino. Even if you're technically legal to do so, unhooked tankers sometimes make people nervous.
3. Four wheelers get nervous around tankers,too. "Hey, man, I saw Terminator 2. And Duel." I think the placards with the UN numbers freak them out. "Wow, the stuff in that trailer's so dangerous, they CAN'T EVEN SAY WHAT IT IS!!! I GOTTA GET AWAY FROM THIS GUY!!"
Reacting to "stupid car tricks" will happen all day, every day.
4. As TripleSix said, you have to actually know how to drive.Not good enough to just "react" anymore, you gotta ANTICIPATE.
5. If you approach this job like a steering wheel holder rather than a driver, you will die. And you will take innocent people with you.
6. Every day you pull a tank, you will kick yourself for not getting a tanker job sooner.
7. If you can't follow company, shipper, and receiver rules TO THE LETTER, you'll be out of a job. Their circus, their monkeys, they're signing your paychecks. Just do as you're told, ask for explanations later.
8. If you have a beard, you will probably have to shave it off. Some carriers will let you keep it as long as you have the means available to cut it off if you have to. But for most of the good outfits, CLEAN SHAVEN. Sucks in winter.

Good luck!!

 

The only negative thing I can think of is if you're not careful, you'll get fat doing tank work. My first year I gained 40 pounds. But I've lost most of it after realizing the error of my ways.

 

Trimac has a yard in Atlanta. I was just there last week to pick up a dry bulk tank my boss bought.

 

I did local/regional food grade tank for 5 years or so before going to haul steel. I've had the chance to go back but I have a good memory for middle of the night loading and delivery appointments. Having 2 hour del windows in the middle of snow storms. Cooling my heels inside an unloading bay @ 90 plus degrees while a sloooww pump unloads you for hours on end because they thought they had enough room and finally no exercise at all for me lol. I wouldn't say I'd never go back but I don't really miss it other than the clean truck and being clean. Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

Being curious here but, what tanker outfits are out of OKC? Hazmat especially?

 

The only level of tanker work that matters is cryogenics that's the best

 

You can try accord.

 

After going tanker I would NEVER go back to anything else...
No brokers,no waiting,and run back empty in my case....
I am on a dedicated deal with a private carrier...No BS at all.....I get a text or call when my trailer is being loaded,get in and the BOL is on the seat and truck ready to roll.

Like the others have said, There is a learning curve.
That liquid load moves all the time and in my case it is a smooth bore trailer so the sloshing affect can kill you!
Think of 42k rolling around in the trailer at all times.
Anticipate every move,watch all traffic farther out than you normally would and extra easy on the shifting and braking....Think 10 steps ahead of everything...Way different than pulling any other load.

 

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Truth. I'm only going back to box if I relocate and local LTL or line-haul are my only options..... Many of you know I've become vehemently opposed to OTR work.

I'm made to rock a beard net for maybe an hour a day... I'd rather look goofy for that hour that berid this growth upon my face... I'm also in Maine - where real men are bearded (lol).

Now, 'bout that exclusive whorehouse.......