Struggling with training for fuel delivery

I just had to respond to this because this was me when I first started hauling hazmat chemicals to factories. I hauled nasty stuff that required full hazmat rubber suits and inhalers. To complicate matters, we used pressurized systems to offload---forget to vent properly and you can cause the whole tanker to collapse like a crushed aluminum can.

Anyway, I was on pins and needles all the time in beginning. Because I was so worried I'd make a mistake, I MADE MISTAKES ! That's right, if you have too much fear that you'll screw up your mind gets "tight" and you overlook the big picture. This causes you to make mistakes.

What I finally did was develop a mantra of sorts. I would say to myself, "Go slow. Step one is_____....Step two is______....relax, get the the big picture....what are you trying to do? Empty stuff from a big can....simple....easy....relax.....double check....is that valve open? Is the vent hooked up and open?.....relax.....next step.....double check....relax.....and so on.

I found that I knew how to do the stuff but my fear of making a costly error was paralyzing me and MAKING me make mistakes. Once I began to relax and flow with the process I did just fine. My mind opened and I saw the whole process---start to finish---before I began.

Have you ever watched a great athlete in action? Michael Jordon or Venus Williams come to mind. They move so effortlessly and smoothly in the midst of wild chaos. They keep their heads and relax while they are in motion. Their actions reflect a calm mind. That's the key to success---stay cool when everything around you is insane. Be the eye of the storm.

 

You'll get it man. You are right though, it is very easy to make a mistake, and mistakes dealing with fuel are never small. The key is having a system of your own. The trainer might be showing you a system that doesn't click with you ... not everyone is the same. Once you're on your own you can find your own system. There is a lot of stuff to learn when your coming fresh into fuel hauling, I know cause I've been right there with you. It's not easy when you first start. You will not be fast and don't try to be. Take your time and stay busy keeping your job. Speed comes later. Someone else said to maybe just work on single hosing your drops for now. I like that idea, it's much easier to be confident on your drop when you have only one product at a time flowing.

You'll get it though dude. Just don't roll the truck, and don't make any major spills.

 

That's real good advice that applies to just about any situation imaginable.

 

The company would not have hired you if they thought you couldn't do the job. That's a big deal right there. I'm sure you're going to make it, everyday you'll get better, go slow, take your time. You're over confidence, became under confidence, now you find that sweet spot somewhere in the middle.

Always remain vigilant, that cargo is unforgiving!

Think about a cop or a fireman, they have to be as sharp on their first day, as their last day in the job.

If you need more training, let the company know. Make a deck of flash cards, get a tattoo on your the back of your hand, with your way of remembering the steps.

If you find yourself rushing, just STOP! Then start over.

I wish you the best of luck, and a thankful shoutout to #PattyJ, for her words of encouragement.

 

When I started hauling crude oil, I got into the habit of talking to all my valves and connections: "you're open, you're open, you're open" while pointing at each of them. Then "you're closed, you're closed, you're closed" when all was said and done. I still do it 10 years later... It helps me to visualize the flow of the product.

 

The company likes you, or REALLY needs you, otherwise they would've canned you after the cross drop.

Speed comes from repeated accuracy. Do the same steps in the same order, all the time every time. Once you develop your own system, you will feel more comfortable and a lot less confused.

 

He dropped premium in the regular, the easiest cross drop to deal with. No need to shut down the station or pump out a tank. People got a little bump in octane for a couple of days.

Since January we've had four trainees start, three didn't make it.

If the OP is still hauling fuel with a trainer ask him to stop training and just be an observer. I would think after 3-4 weeks you have enough info in your head to do the job, it's just a question of getting it out when you need it.

 

Part of me wants to say get out of gas and go haul something less busy.

Another part of me is saying hang in there, keep doing over and over until you get it.

If you are going to stay in, write down the exact steps in a ledger pad that you will do to complete a entire cycle of unloading. Check each step before proceeding to the next. Do it over and over and over. LEDGER pad yourself through many unloadings.

I have visions of 1000 gallons of gas escaping to the pavement and going straight to the pumps where hot engine blocks are ready to make a lake of fire and brimstone before the big kaboom.

Maybe you should get out of gas. No offense.

One poster said a many trainees infilterating the gas side of hauling... I rather not. If anything I would do it at desiel first. Im not the first in my family in trucking, one of my uncles hauled gas after the red ball in ww2.

 

True, but now the station is selling 1200 gallons of PNL at a loss. Some companies are touchier than others about that. I've seen guys fired for exactly that, especially during training.

Anyway, they're still working with the OP, so it seems to me they see his potential, when it all finally jells in his brain.

 

OP here. I neglected this post for a bit and i apologize. I want to say thank you to all who replied even those who were not optimistic.

It is too early to say i will be a success as i am and will always be one screw up away from being fired, and as you all know mistakes can be easy to make and happen very fast.

I am now running solo and your input helped tremendously.

I made a detailed breakdown of every step in the process. I reread it frequently.

I have cards with the steps i need to double check both at the rack and at the drops. That i can reference if i sense that i might be forgetting something before i start flow.

I double check everything. Correct product? Correct container? Correct tank? Enough room in tank? All connections secure? Internals open? Vapor recovery?

Bucket discipline great as long as i dont try to double hose. Baby steps. I will gain that time back at a later date.

I talk myself through the steps out loud constantly. I do not rush. I make sure im doing it right. i know i will gain speed over time.

3 and a half weeks of training. Your input got my head focused on the task. I displayed a slow, methodical, efficient routine after your feedback.

Thank you.