Questions about what it's like to drive a tank

Good luck to you!

 

The asphalt I pull is hot, but not hazmat....pretty much just the stuff for the pavers. We offload at the small depots that the pavers pick up at. Only ONCE did I do a live delivery to an actual county truck for them to do their roads. (<<that was a long arsk day!!) We don't have to mess with a tankwash until after the season, but we have a few 'secrets' for keeping the hose fittings clean for the pump on and offs.

Like someone said above; it doesn't move in the winter, and y'all have longer winters there than we do, @Adrienna Brown ...... I used to pull precast in the winter, but pulled a box this past year. One thing to think about. Some guys draw unemployment during the off season, but that's not a 'me' thing.

Me and flatbedding don't get along too well, haha!! I'm older and not down (or up?) with the climbing, LoL.

Best wishes however it turns out; tank yanking is awesome however!!

 

For a good laugh, watch this "safety" video.

 

lol I seen this before. I wouldn't mind the safety videos. I am used to them as I worked in the chemical industry where those safety videos were watched every week.

 

Most plants make you view one if it is your first time. You usually get a card that is good for one year. They are a useless waste of time but safety managers love them. Nothing better than digging through your card collection trying to find the right one.

 

So I've been exhausted but quick update: I got burned by the asphalt pipe and it's just a small area on my arm but Doc says it's second degree. It happened because I was borrowing a jumpsuit that was too big and when I reached up the sleeves slid up. The plant manager called Groendyke and said there's no point in wearing PPE if it's the improper size because it can't protect you. So now I'm wearing this guy named Mitchell's shirt. But I only get the one shirt and I may not see a uniform for months. They don't know what they're going to do about it. Also, they told me to pick a pair of Jean's that I don't care about and wear those. Well I care about all of my clothes because I paid for them. But I picked a pair to wear and they're already destroyed. I just don't understand why they don't have standby uniforms of varying sizes. Not to offend anyone on here, but everyone isn't a big, huge dude. I just find this whole uniform debacle unacceptable. Anyways, I'm not fazed. It's what happens when you play outside.

I finally got a "certified" instructor today. He seems ok. But it's kind of like I have to start all the way over. I was already at the point with the other guy where I had started practicing while he watched. Now, I have to go back to watching for a while and that's just not how I learn. I need this training period to go by faster because my living situation is temporary. In training I have to be local, and I wasn't made aware of that until the evening before I started. I've been over the road for 2.5 years, and I had decided not to get a place because I was hardly ever home. So, right now I'm between a rock and a hard place. I don't need to be local and I certainly don't need to be starting ALL the way over again. I need to be on the road.

On a positive note, I got a call from my driver advocate this morning. She says it's a newer program they've started. The want to grow and become a better company so their job is to see what concerns you have and try to fix them and advocate for you, instead of you talking to so and so and they say they'll fix it and then do nothing. She'll call once a week, then after the first month, once a month. She doesn't know what they'll do at the one year mark yet. I was happy to talk to her about the concerns I have.

Another positive note, I found out that Groendyke will pay you to clean your own truck once you get assigned one. If you don't want to clean it, they will hire a detailing company but I prefer to clean it myself anyway, as long as it's not for free. The truck is a company truck so I don't feel like I have to clean up behind whoever just got out of it. But in the same token, most detailing companies either half clean it or just don't clean it to my standards. So that's a plus for me.

Anyways, gotta go back in like 8 hours so I'm gonna hit the hay. I'm so tired these letters I'm typing look like unicorns. Night y'all and be safe out there.

 

Go to a goodwill or thrift store and buy work pants there. I can get jeans for $5 near me. I always have some throw away jeans somewhere lol.

 

Welcome to tanking! I wish you the best of luck just take your time and double and triple check before you open those valves, also always make sure your cam locks are secured and strapped and in the proper receiving tank. Again best of luck

 

If you like having your hand held and people constantly watching over your shoulder then Groendyke could be for you. Followed by bi-weekly pay that they constantly mess up so it takes a month to get all your money from a load. They should be called Groan-dyke.

 

Greatly appreciate your posting about how it's going. I had talked with them and the beeping stuff in the cab turned me off. But a clean cab would be a nice upgrade.