Fuel delivery help

There shouldn't be any air pressure, especially if the vapor recovery and tank vents are working. But if there is, you can release it by pulling the handle on the drop fitting after you've walked the hoses.

 

At first, I thought this was a troll. Then I noticed the KAG avatar photo. Ask for a better trainer. That’s just ridiculous.

 

Treat a fuel/chemical hose like a loaded gun.
Never point towards you while releasing the dog ears.

 

If you have trouble disconnecting hoses, your fittings have problems.
I walk out my hose to drain it, close handle, left hand holds hose while right hand pops the ears and I slide the hose half of the drop head. I reach down and grab my cap, orient the ears vertically, and in one smooth motion I bring the cap up under the hose and cap the head while removing the hose. It catches drips in the cap so they don’t hit the ground. Then walk out the hose again, let the hose end ride down my leg to the ground so it doesn’t get damaged, and repeat for the tank end.
A machinist rule to measure your hose ends can tell you exactly how egged a hose end is. You can beat them with a drop fitting enough to function, but once they’re egged, they’re trash . They’ll never seal right again.

 

The loading arms at the racks always suck. Wiping any dirt road grim off your heads will help a little . I’ve always held the back of the arm higher then the head on the trailer and kind of do it all in one motion. Down and in if that makes any sense….. and being lined up correctly in the loading rack is key. That takes time and loads out of said rack. Cause they are all different…..

 

Update:

I did get a new trainer and I took most of your tips / advice. I'm gonna be by myself next week, the rack arms are easy now for the most part and the hoses are coming off the compartments easier. I think my technique was just off but now it's really easy.

 

That’s awesome!
A couple more things….
Smooth is fast, fast is smooth. Rushing actually costs you time and money. Smooth makes you money, and you’re less spent at the end of the day.
Triple validate you’re putting the correct product into the correct tank. Trace your hose back and forth, ensure things are properly secured, and check one more time before pulling the handle.
Write down every load by compartment, what’s in it, and how much. If your dials change, or something that alters your label system for compartments, you have a written record of what you loaded, by compartment, as reference.
Gas tails are great for wetting a diaper and wiping down your heads.
Your equipment makes you money. Tear it up, you won’t make money. Take care of it well, and it’ll serve you well in kind. Goes for hoses, drops, trailer, and tractor.
Be organized. Everything in its place, every time, so when you’re tired, you’re still smooth.
Keep extra gaskets on board. At least 4 for each hose size, and 2 for heads. You’ll notice a hose end getting really easy to connect and disconnect, that’s when it’s time to swap the gasket. Gaskets are cheap, spills are expensive.
Develop your routine, and never ever disrupt it. Distractions are the bane of our profession. If you get distracted, just stop. Reevaluate, reverify everything is in order, validate your position and connections, before you proceed.
If you screw up, (and you will)…own it fully.
Avoiding responsibility is the fast lane to getting fired. Excuses are too. I promise you’ll grow faster by owning your mistakes than you will by avoiding them.
Learn from them.
Above all else, be safe.
Ask questions of other drivers, learn from others wherever you can.
and keep us apprised of your progress.
We suicide jockeys are a small but tight brotherhood. We take care of each other, help each other, and respect each other.
We also weed out the bad actors quickly.
Roll safe, driver. You got this!

 

Definitely I appreciate your help and everyone here who gave me advice. I'm still building a solid habit for everything but most of it is coming together smoothly.

Like for example, at the racks when I first started I had trouble putting the arms on,
remembering the compartment sizes, the correct steps for setting up, even hooking up the skully, but now it's easy. I go skully > vapor > arms > and internal valves. After the loading is complete I do the opposite. I put cow tags on prem or anything odd also just to remember (also always change the dials like you said but I have had them roll while driving). This simple step by step habit is pretty much automatic now and I don't even have to think about it, the only thing I have to focus on is the loading allocation itself and that's easy because I always print out a load preview sheet before I go into the booth

 

Exactly !! You do what he and the others said , you'll make it.
The first 90 days will be toughest .
If you make it ( ie- all the above and don 't cross-drop or wreck or damage anything , then you 'll be a hand.) .
Many try , but few make a year so do the above , look , listen , and watch.
Good luck and let us know how you do .
.... just remember , your just passing gas

 

The most dangerous time is when you think you got it all figured out!!! That's when you'll screw up! Overconfidence sux in this business.
ALWAYS double check everything. There's always time, or you need to make time, to do that.
FAR FAR better to take a little longer to make a drop than to have to explain, or clean up, an incident.
Also, keep your head into it, don't be daydreaming or thinking about other things. Sometimes you just have to stop and get your head right.
If you're having problems that occupy your mind, take a day or two off and figure it out.
Good luck, it's a pretty good gig, and once you get a few years into it, you can move to a better paying company with nicer equipment.