Odd way into Hazmat

I don’t know if it’s just blind luck or I called the right people at the right time.

I was stuck in a rut trying to continue into getting my experience as a truck driver and was after everything I went through with dry van trying to enter flatbed, nobody ever called so just went back to looking local.

I started recently at this local bottled gas company, hired me off the street not even having a hazmat endorsement nor any experience at all with natural gas, propane gas systems for residential and commercial. Most per hour I’ve made this far in my life and they are refreshing their benefit book to make it easier to understand before handing it to me but there’s A LOT they give me. While it’s not as fun or explorative as driving a semi the hazmat side means I need a CDL still. Biggest thing I’m driving is an F-650 with a giant tank on its back and not even air brakes.

The owner is looking to hire on two more beyond me who are going to stick around for a while due to his main 3 techs all retiring by December next year, it seems really laid back honestly and everyone likes a laugh. I’ve been talking with the three techs retiring and all said the only negative is the health insurance, something like a 5k deductible which isn’t even half what I had to pay in Florida. I’ve been told by them and the owner there is a pension I want to know more but it’s my first week and I’m trying to focus on learning though I’m going to ask some questions on it tomorrow.

It is most definitely not the kind of job I thought I’d wind up doing with a CDL but hey, winter is coming and they said overtime is as much as I can handle plus bonuses for end of year. He interviewed me and this was the first company I’ve ever had call all my references and previous jobs and the hired me within 24 hours of the interview, even paying for me to get my hazmat done. I’ve never seen vehicles run on propane gas before this place and it’s the most wild thing I’m learning about, their entire fleet is Bi fuel.

I get all the free propane I want and much more, so definitely an interesting industry a CDL gets you into, if anyone is close to the Floyd County Indiana area and is interested.

 

It is a small outfit that has been family owned and operated since the 40s. I would love to name it but I have had people from the internet call my employer before and try to get me fired. I’m talking less than 11 people small and it’d be very easy to figure out this was me and I’m not sure how they’d view me talking about them.

I don’t think I’ve said anything negative, but people up here have this odd feeling about discussing pay.

I will ask the owner if I can put the name up today when I get there and if he’s cool and hey it leads to people coming he seems like an enjoyable guy, they had a meeting to determine my nickname before my first day lol.

I’ll keep you all posted.

 

Talked with the owner, he said throw that name out there.

Pearce Bottled Gas is the company name, near New Albany Indiana.

They like to joke and have fun, and lots of knowledge is soon walking out the door into retirement. It is not just a driving job however, you will be installing gas systems at homes and businesses among other things, most driving you will do is the days they exchange company tanks for forklifts.

All three techs have said their only regret is not being here sooner.