do tanker drivers sit as often as van drivers?

I sit, paid per hour for all my time @ customers a lot.

 

I pulled tankers occasionally while employed by an agent taking loads from P.I.E. and then Matlack after Matlack bought P.I.E.'s bulk division. We were non-union and took the cheap loads that those unionized companies could not afford to haul. This was in the mid 1980s. I would say the empty tank had to go to a tank wash or back to a terminal. I never waited for a load after unloading. Some tanks are dedicated to one chemical or shipper. Some get washed. Those who haul food- grade may have a different experience. It may be cheaper to return empty for another load of the same product rather than washing the trailer and finding a load from a different shipper. When hauling asphalt components, we unloaded and reloaded at a refinery. That second load took us to an asphalt plant near home. 28% nitrogen fertilizer is another product with dedicated trailers. They are used only during planting season. Strict records are kept as to what a tank has hauled. This limits backhaul options, compared with vans or flatbeds.

 

You will not see too many tankers or flatbeds sitting in truckstops. They keep the wheels turning. I know, I've done tanker, flatbed, reefer, van. If money is important, go with flatbed or tanker for consistancy in pay. Reefer pay can be very good also, but can fluctuate wildly depending on the accounts the company has.

 

I haul hazmat tankers and never have to wait at customers unless some other tanker is unloading. If I do have to wait anywhere, it's hourly after 2 hours. Only got that a few times while waiting to load in longbeach in the last 4 years. Glad I don't go there much anymore.

 

I have had to wait for 24 hours or more - and paid for every hour of it . I've never stayed at the customer while paid either . I bobtail out and come back when they are ready for me . Deliveries are by appointment and billing time is from the appointment time until I finish unloading .
Trailers are dedicated to the shipper and go back empty . Hazmat trailers don't go to a tankwash .

 

Tanker drivers sitting? All depends what type of tanker you are pulling. Hauling a milk tanker, you don't sit at truck stops, but you certainly do sit at dairies trying to get unloaded and all this for the most part is without a cent of pay. Once unloaded, you roll. It is going to be very interesting when OBRs are put on trucks to see how the milk haulers are going to deal with the 14 hour rule.

 

If your new and you can get yourself into a tanker company right out of the bat, you will not be disappointed. Try to stay away from food grade haulers if you can as I have heard that the pay isn't much better than van companies, but on the chemical side I like it 100's of times better than pulling freight.

 

Don't count on chemical paying more . I'm guaranteed $.40 a mile . Several chemical loads I pull would pay less than that so I have to put in a written request for a pay boost .

 

I work for Schneider bulk and I don't sit very often. I sat for over 24hrs over the winter maybe three times. Of course I got layover pay. You may get more detention time at shippers or consignees but every product is different. Heck every plant is different. Having driven van, flat and tank, I would say tanking is the best and I make the most doing it. I have enjoyed it and would recommend it above all others.