From Chemical Tanker to Food Grade Tanker

It’s a whole different kind of customer. They are always happy to see you, get you unloaded and send you on your way. I’ve never had a delivery between 6pm and 6am. I deliver lubricants from Shell, BP, Valvoline, and ConocoPhillips. Usually to oil distributors. It’s just a whole different world which seems detached from the rat race. Bulk pays better as well.

These are just my observations. I couldn’t see myself ever pulling a van or reefer again with the rare exception of filling in on a dedicated account we have. Those are gas cylinders that are transported at 0°.

 

Know any companies? Plus I assume bulk dry Tankers are easier to drive because there are fewer surges right?

 

Agreed, that's one of the reasons why I want to get into Tanker.

 

Where are you located?

 

Florida but I'm gonna move to Texas in the distant future.

 

You done went backwards driva!

 

That area is out of my wheelhouse. I’m in northwestern Ohio. However I’ve heard decent things from most of the Foodliner pneumatic drivers I’ve spoken with, I think they’ve a national footprint but not sure if they have a presence in Florida . Another thing would be try and find a mill doing food grade product and get some info on smaller local companies running for them. The mill I run for has about 20 full on company drivers employed directly by the mill. Then there’s about 20 “owner operators” leased on to the mill and running under the mill’s DOT and MC number. Some of the “owner operators” are true o/o one truck deals while others have 4 or 5 trucks leased on. The owner gets paid by the mill then he pays me. Then the mill used true outside carriers for anything we don’t want to or can’t cover. Regardless I’d try that route. The guy I run for runs Pete 379’s and a few T660’s. Owner op specd and geared and we can step out when we want to and run. Another upside is the trailers are all owned by the mill and they only want their products in it so when we empty out we immediately head back to the mill for another load. And yes the rates are set such that he turns a nice profit even with 50% deadhead. He has a wait list of guys wanting to come here.

 

Cool, thanks, man.

 

I did both and would take dry van any day over tanker. Everything leaked, it took longer to get loaded, seals everywhere, surging, frozen pumps and hoses were the main reasons I disliked food grade tankers but I could come up with more if I thought about it.

 

Foodliner has a small terminal in Tampa but their not hiring out of FL
..Tampa is local deliveries from what I gathered from talking to them