Hauling Tankers

You can learn to drive in a way to control the surge

 

Gas trailers are all multi compartment trailers with baffles….

 

4900 gallons in a 7200 gallon trailer. 2 compartments 3600 gallons each. I load 2575ish in the front 2200ish in the rear. Both smooth bore. Loading ruffly 61,500 pounds for a gross of 105,000 on 8 axles. 2 loads a day 6 days a week to paper mills. I’ll never ever swing a door unless its a dry van hauling totes which almost never happens. Riding the wave is the best trucking out there.

 

That's not true. I went back to hauling dry vans.

I'm a bonehead trucker.

 

We do it on 6………

 

I’d rather do 110+ on 8 but Oregon is a bunch of well you know.

 

117 on 7………

 

When I started in trucking, I hired on with a construction company, pulling dumpsters. That sucked. Stuck at least twice a day in famous Tennessee mud up to the axles, rough equipment, and weather limiting our ability to run more than 2 or 3 days a week.
Then I started hauling gas.
It's mildly unsettling driving an 80k pound molotov ####tail, especially with insane 4 wheelers all over the place, but you learn quick to leave extra space cushions, and drive with extreme patience.
I wouldn't trade it for anything.
Better money, better overall experience, and I'm home every night.
Getting accustomed to the liquid slosh takes some time, but as you learn to read the road, it gets easier quickly.
Eventually. I'll probably get into smooth bore chemical tankers... maybe...
I figure if I can handle a tanker safely, there's not much out there i can't safely operate.
Having the x endorsement makes you highly desirable to most companies, and often gets you more money out of the gate than not having it.
Even pulling van, often you'll see a pay scale that's 10 cents a mile more if you have hazmat.

 

Was pulled over and given a verbal warning by an officer. He said he respected fuel drivers and we were the best out there.
If he knew some of my coworkers he might have felt differently

Some of the good things.
Companies don't risk liability by having junk equipment.
You do your job quickly and efficiently but you never cut corners and rush.
Safety is not just a motto.
You're treated as a professional. Not just a steering wheel holder.
Since you are a professional you're left alone for the most part.

Never skip a safety rule. Walk your f'n hoses and triple check your tags and the job is easy.

Anyone who says they never almost contaminated a station is full of BS. The difference is they did their safety check and caught it before opening any valve. I almost did it a few times, it's better than a cup of coffee to wake ya up.