switching to Tankers from Dry Van?

I worked for schneider for 3.5 years myself. I know first hand what is like there.

 

I was just teasing you. I spent a while there in dryvan. I was going to try their tanker side, but never heard a single good thing

 

It must be Schneider because you're the first driver that's disliked tankers so much. It's a big world out there, you should try it.

 

Who are you referring to?

 

That was written for scythe08. Sorry I didn't respond with scythe08 in the post.

 

I have a lot of respect for you, so please don't take my response as a personal attack. I in no way shape or form mean it to be.




Moving to tankers was the best move of my career. I wish I had started with them I just have horrible luck or with companies. Or I'm just stupid to think that people will keep their word.

My first company , I was supposed to local and they changed it to a regional position. I waited 8 months and they flat out refused to put me local, I politely tried, but to no avail, so I gave 2 week notice and so I left(among other reasons) .

with L.W. Miller. I spent a year and a half trying to help them build their Texas fleet, only being home 5 times in a year, taking care of customers, drivers, and equipment for no extra money. When I asked for a raise, even just to be comparable to other companies that were running out of the same plants, with whom their drivers gave me flyers with their pay on, try to recruit me, which I never got in over a year, despite also being their number 1 runner, I was told to pound sand, so I gave a 2 week notice and did.

I moved to Phoenix and This third tanker company hired me to do local work and it was supposed to be 5 days, 10 hour days making 330 a day sunday through Thursday. 4 months later that hasnt happened and I was informed it wasn't going to happen, that the position is 4 days(12 -20 hours a day) making 1320, which is now going to drop to $1240.

So you tell me what you would do. You're hired to fill a position, then 4 months later that position isn't availble to you and wont be and now you're making $400 PER WEEK less than the job offer you accepted and working up to 20 hour days with no detention. I'm still here as I dont know what my next move will be. I'm not going to get what they promised

I think I have every right to dislike the tanker side because never in my career have I been lied to and all but spit at, than I have the tanker company side of things.

But I love the work. I love the customers. For the most part, I love my colleagues.
There is a company out there , for me, that will want someone with a spotless record, with 15 years experience in multiple areas and references.

I just haven't found one yet that's honest and doesn't consider drivers "a meat bag in a seat"

 

Sorry, I didn't mean for it to be derogatory. What would I do? I know there's bad and good companies to pull from. I also know that the better jobs are going away. The major oil companies hire some hot shot grad from Harvard, Yale, and other prestigious school and they come up with the idea that contracting loads is cheaper if they hire someone. Not knowing the full history behind the benefits of having your own drivers. Advertisement alone generates a benefit when that truck pulls into the station with the name of the company plastered all over the truck. Not to count all the spills and contams you'll have from hired drivers. So the major oil companies decide to sell all their downstream operations which left the drivers high and dry. When they did this most of the drivers stayed where they were and went to work for the common carriers. Those are the guys that got the high paying jobs which makes it tough on drivers like yourself. Most of those drivers will retire soon so the jobs may open up. I'd just stay where your at and build your reputation. In this business your name goes along way. Check out all the companies and find out which company you would like to work for. You can do this without contacting any company. Just ask the drivers at the loading rack and they'll tell you. Don't believe what you hear from the company, they all lie. Good luck and I hope you find the job that you'll retire from.

note; A major oil company is one that has oil in the ground, pumped to their refineries where they make the product. Then they ship it to their own terminals where they load the product on their trucks and deliver it to their own stations.

 

One good thing about tankers is that when you arrive at the customer especially the receiver, they are usually glad to see you.
Unlike grocery warehouses.
And no lumpers to deal with.

 

That's a fact. Most drivers do not recognize the power they hold. When I pulled into a station and there was a car or something else blocking the fills I'd tell the manager he's got fifteen minutes or I drive off. The stations know when a delivery is coming and they should look out once in awhile to ensure we can get into their station. That's on rough day and most of the time I'd wait.