backing in tanker

yes the money is better than dry van, expecially if you haul haz-mat (gasoline). responsibility is also higher. you have to watch that liquid surge when you turn, or come to a stop (the liquid will surge, and push you in a direction you dont want to go due to the center of gravity) chances of rollover is greater because of the liquid surge.

i don't pull tanks but my coworkers do. i have seen our guys get loaded with liquids, and can say you won't need to back into docks as much because, why do we go into docks? to open the back doors of the dry van or reefer and unload/load freight. since a tank trailer doesn't require loading like this, you'll probably be pulling up to whatever vessel is loading you with your liquid products. does that make sense? you only back into docks because there are people in that dock to unload dry or refrigerated freight. this isn't an absolute though, so you better know how to dock that truck

 

Sometimes with tanker you have to do some creative backing!

 

There are some places we have to back, and they can be just as interesting as anything else

 

A lot of times, you do just pull in, but there are many times where I envy guys who just have to back into a dock.

 

If you do cryogenics you'll get better at going backwards than forwards. Most places you go are not meant for trucks at all and the tanks you deliver into are always in places that are hard to get in to.

 

Driving a tanker has other challenges to consider apart from just backing. Fluid moves. You get slosh. Even with a baffled tank, if you have to stop too quickly or go into a curve too fast, things could end badly. There's nothing like underestimating a curve and feeling everything *luuuuuurch.*

 

Yeah. Many of the places we go were built 40, 50, even 100 years ago. They really weren't built with the size of modern trucks in mind. Add to that things that have been built on and "improved", and you tend to find yourself in some very tight places.