Air Gas or USPS: Which Would You Choose?

@Dennixx just retired as a tanker driver and has been around many good jobs in his career to compare it to.
I would have thought that AirGas would have a pension but maybe it’s a non union location. A pension is hard to beat but a well funded 401K and living below one’s means is also.

 

You can't go wrong with Airgas. USPS, in our lifetime, will undergo vast changes as their net loss for 2025 was almost 9 BILLION dollars ALONE. Airgas does not disclose their profits, but Air Liquide posted a 3.3 Billion dollar gain in 2024. I've known drivers that worked for Airgas and would never leave.

 

USPS doesn't have to make money but it's been intentionally sabotaged anyway to destroy a very valuable institution.

 

Air Liquide is another one to look at; do some research on.
Just recently built a huge plant here in Las Vegas. It's a worldwide company.

 

Air Liquide inaugurates in the U.S. its largest liquid hydrogen ...
Air Liquide officially opened its largest liquid hydrogen production and logistics infrastructure facility in North Las Vegas, Nevada.
Maybe there's something near where you live.

 

I got hired twice by the USPS and turned it down. I couldn’t figure out if there would be enough OT. Management won’t tell you in the interviews cause they don’t like giving OT. But this was before they kicked out all the major outside carriers so I’ve heard they are trying to move their own stuff. Eventually between towns and cities. It’s definitely a retirement job and it will pay you well. Extremely hard to get fired unless you steal mail. Very easy job too why people don’t retire. You can decline the job with no repercussions and reapply and they’ll hire you. It’s comes down to if your financial situation. For me financially it wouldn’t work.

 

I'd go Airgas and get into bulk asap.
We are mid 40s per hour in MN.
OT and decent benefits.

Not sure where USPS is headed.
All it takes is a large customer loss or and a email future so who knows.

Until the government figures out how to tax cryogenic companies for the air they use, I dont see the industry in decline like I may see the US mail.

Both entail shift work till seniority builds.
Hard to get fired at the post office..
Easy to get fired in cryogenics

Given the choice go cryo.

 

Cryo is more brain than braun.
Bulk liquid delivery requires you follow your companies procedures.
There really is nothing physically demanding to it so no toll on the body.
As long as you vary your hand grips for turning valves and your hammer swings for breaking and securing copler connections.

Retired first of the year and I worked out just because there wasn't enough exercise at work..lol
Treat it like a 9 to 5 and have a life independent of a trucking job....
Well maybe a 9 to 9.