Question about the Mega carriers.

They have a food grade option?

 

I don't know.

 

Cool.

 

I got into tanker late in my career. Like every other tanker driver I wish I had got to tankers sooner. Tanker is the more civilized section of trucking.
It's not that Megas or Schneider doesn't want to keep drivers it's that once a driver gets 1-2 years experience at a mega there is usually one or more other trucking companies that will pay that same driver more than the mega so the driver leaves.

If I was a newbie and had the chance to start in tanker, and I knew I had the character to drive like the boss and a cop were sitting in my passenger seat, I would jump all over the Schneider tanker job. Tanker does not tolerate a sloppy driver who thinks he's too cool to follow the rules. Tanker is easier to back, even blind-side, than a van/reefer. Many tanker customers have ancient facilities so you will probably do a little more blind-side backing than for van/reefer. The surge will roll you over if you misbehave. But the surge, the movement of the product in the tank, feels like a freight train running into you when you are slow, and the danger is less. At speed the surge feels less dangerous, but it is actually more dangerous than it feels. One of the main dangers is off-ramp curves. My rule was to be AT or BELOW that posted advisory speed on the ramp before I got to the sign. You can go around a curve too slow a million times without a problem. But you can only go too fast around a curve once. Most newbies on the forum and on the roads are not at all careful enough. They drive with an attitude that once they wreck this truck or trailer the company will just give them a new truck and trailer and nothing will change. If you have the attitude that all you Safety Sallies need to calm down, do not drive tankers. Tanker trips usually are not rush, rush, rush. More tanker customers will often have on-site parking available if you arrive early than van/reefer customers.

IMO, whether you take this tanker job or not, you need to get a tanker endorsement and HazMat, even if you never ever pull a tanker. Tanker endorsement is required for certain freight like liquid totes carried in/on van, reefer, or flatbed.

 

If it's based close by, you should jump on it. Commuting a long distance to home after a long week or three is no fun at all and eats up your home time.

 

If your CDL doesn't have the restriction it's no big deal. Yeah, it would be more ideal if you got a few months of manual truck experience as a newbie and then drove automatic. Even if you worked for years and never shifted gears, the shifting skill comes back to you very quick once you start doing it again. I would not pass up a pretty good job opportunity just because of driving an automatic truck. IMO, it's like refusing a job because the truck doesn't have the right cup-holder. It's too minor to make such a big decision.

 

I’ll chime in on this. After school I went to a semi mega carrier. Was great experience, learned what I needed. Well they only have autos, the place I’m at now 2 manuals one auto. Well it’s like riding a bike, you don’t forget just get rusty. I agree with the guy above. Don’t pass up a good job simply because of automatics. Besides the industry is moving towards them anyway. And I miss it. One less thing to worry about.

 

You don't even necessarily have to leave at 1 or 2 years if you're happy there. If you stay at just about any company for a while, you'll make good money. Every company would love to retain as many drivers as possible. That is not all that simple.

 

For their tanker fleet -- Schneider will expect you to acquire BOTH -- a hazmat endorsement, as well as a TWIC card.

Some tanker loads will be hazmat...& some won't.

Expect 3 - 5 loads per week, on average.

-- L