Dry Van Hauler Thinking About Switching to Tanker

Call and ask if you're in the hiring area.

 

there's always dry bulk also.

no sloshing! and no tanker endorsement for many.

 

Very rarely does it take longer than 2 hours to unload a tanker. Unless there's some problem, usually, it's drop and go, at least the tanker jobs I had.

 

Definitely something else to look into. I'm betting the facilities the chem tankers deliver to are mainly just "employees only". While my current job is alright, there's definitely a few places I still get sent to I like to avoid due to constantly having to duck the "subcontractors" that just like to "chat to much". Worked with these people the first time I moved to the area back in 2012 and more or less outgrew/got tired of them for various reasons after a few years. Could be politics, could be the fact that they're all "locals" and I'll always be the "introverted outsider".

That said, I'm definitely trying to keep any future job jumps into HAZMat tanking within the state, or close enough to it to where I don't need to change my license/oath-of-allegiance again. I've got my eye on some Pilot T/S fuel jobs up in either Santa Rosa or Tucumcari NM. Or putting in again with Reliant gases over at a dinky little terminal outside of Muleshoe.

Of course being one of the few people in trucking taking the whole pandemic seriously as I can, I'll probably be sticking to where I'm at until the numbers finally fall into a seemingly more controllable territory. When I first got trained on how to load dairy barns, it was usually the trainee following another truck out to a dairy to learn the ropes and get their own truck loaded in the process. I talk to the people at Pilot and it's a trainer and trainee in "Training Day/Ride-Along" mode in a single truck for 10-12 hours. That's too close for comfort even during regular times.

So, looks like I'll be sticking to my 2-4 days out on these TX-to-CO-and back runs for the duration. At least I've learned to live like a "van lifer"/stealth camper for what little time I do spend out on the road. Freeze dried stews and coffee made by the light of a Max Burton or Jetboil stove. Might actually look into getting one of those wood twig burning, BioLite stoves after not too long.

 

Before TTR, talking to the drivers was the best way to find out what a company was like. Of course, you needed a CB radio for that.

 

I usually catch drivers at fuel pumps or at shippers or receivers and bend their ear learning about their company.

 

The length of time loading and unloading was something I didn't realize until I started with tankers. They are nothing like dry van or reefer where a good forklift driver can have you done in10 mins.

With tanker, if you get to your location and there are 3 or 4 trucks ahead of you might as well change into your jammies and hit the bunk.

 

Definitely the feeling when I'm waiting on a trailer at some spots. Usually up at the Platteville spot, I park over at the truck parking 7-11 and pull out the bicycle. Keeps me away from everyone else and nothing calms the nerves more than a nice ride out to Longmont and back.