Old Man Thinking of Driving A Tanker

Hello folks! I’m 64, a retired computer analyst, been driving school buses for over 3 years, don’t smoke or drink, always been pretty active and in pretty good shape. My knees are my weakest part.

I’m looking to go to Rist Transportation CDL training in upstate NY. Rist will train you and hire you with no contract. Thinking seriously about driving gas tankers, primarily because that pays the most, especially after the first year. It also seems that tankers don’t have to deal with those long waits to load or unload. I’m concerned is the job is too much for my old body and especially my knees. Do all tanker drivers have to climb up top? I also wonder how bad hooking up the hoses, etc. is in our northeast winters.

I’m not against dry vans, just want to try to get the biggest bang for my buck and realism of how many years I’ll be able to do this.

TIA!

 

Give it a try; maybe it's what's best for you.
If it doesn't work out, then apply with Leonard's Express in Farmington, NY

 

I see alot of older folks pulling tankers.. It shouldnt be that hard . i say go for it and see if ya like it. If it doesnt work out then u could always go some place else

 

If you have a spine, there is no reason you cannot do tanker. In gasoline that is.

The big thing is staying awake. If the gas sloshing back there does not then I don't know what to tell you. (Slight dark humor...bear with me)

In Baltimore in two particular places about once a year we lose a gas tanker at 4 in the morning. Go to fast, sleepy and miss the curve. Cremate a bridge pillar or a house or three.

You will be learning the color codes of different grades of gas. Many gas stations have gone to straight copper covers as a security measure so no one knows what cap holds what. The colors are under those covers.

You will be running really good trucks, there is no room for hee haw in gas tankers. Probably disc braking and such.

You cannot have cell phones or anything electronic on you up top a tanker when filling. A static spark is enough to hurt you really bad. *Riung, Hewwo! POOF! ow. etc.

I can go on. But age is no barrier to tanker work, it is almost in some ways very little labor. When I did milk tanking the worst of it is mental, detail state required work evaluating the milk, weigh it, pick up a two inch hose and pull the product out of the farmers milk room which is essentially their holy of holies. Everything depends on a quality milk. You can almost take a sip as it is. (Thats verboten.)

Less labor as opposed to reefer, van or even flatbed.

You will be minding the unloading hoses, valves and so on. No time for #### chat. 8800 gallons gurgling down. One eye always to the public at the pumps.

The money will take care of itself, maybe so profitable you can hold off SS until 72 and then collect really well. Who knows.

 

Fuel tankers don't have waiting times to unload but they can have wait times getting loaded at the petroleum loading racks. Most fuel tankers unload in less than an hour, heck maybe less than 30 minutes. But loading racks can sometimes have you waiting for a couple of hours depending on how many trucks are ahead of you.

 

If my body ever gives out from tarping and other flatbed related stress, tankers I'd where I'm going. A lot of older guys do it, you only have to be in shape enough to climb a ladder and drag a hose.

 

Most of the guys on my fleet are 60+ (I'm 34).... Pneumatics, dry bulk. We load & unload ourselves. Climbing is only necessary to get up the stairs to the rack. My previous company sawed the ladders off the side of the tank because they didn't want you up there.




*** Bob, Take everything X1 says with a grain of salt. He hasn't driven anything, not even a nail, in probably 20 years.

 

Go for it!

Now now now.... Just because X1 can remember the dinosaur days. That don’t mean he don’t know...

BTW... Whatever you do. Don’t drive for BillyBob’s Alligator Eatery. Their drivers disappear.

 

Fuel tankers load at fuel loading racks and are loaded from the bottom. Racks are run by various companys , but most rules are basic safety.

As far as training for cdl , the ones in NM do not do that , but if you have one Coastal will hire you w 9 months exp.

( most won’t till at least 2 years exp)