The Fuel Hauler Thread

Not all...I am out of it right now, but hauled up here in the Northeast. Company driver and O/O. 5 compartment....12,000

 

It's been a while. I really hate these mudslides in the Santa Cruz region. So NB HWY 17 is closed going back into San Jose and I got lost in the Santa Cruz mountains at 2AM. Can you even fathom how horrible this is? I ended up in a wooded area, residential area, with power lines hanging so low, I couldn't go any further. Barely any cell phone reception.

I had to get two of the coolest CHP officers ever, to come out and help me. After 2 hours of looking for a place to turn around, I drove a mile up the winding, one-lane road, and then the real test of grit began.

had to back up a truck and trailer, at a 90 degree alley dock, into a paved driveway going UPHILL. It was on a winding single-lane road between HWY 9 and HWY 17. It took 20 minutes to pull off this backing maneuver with at least 15 pull-ups . The cops were amazed, they were sure nobody could back the doubles like that. It was my secret, that it wasn't exactly a true set of doubles; this probably saved me a horrendous fine , being on a "no truck route.." Then I descended the hill onto HWY 9. Nobody told me NB17 was closed and we could only get back to San Jose through Hollister. It was an 18 hour day, longest day of my life, violated HOS, everything just sucked yesterday. Gotta love flash floods..

 

I did a 16 too working because of the slides. Stuck in SJ doing 5 loads. California sucks this week

 

I also did that 16 hour exemption, but it was more like a 18 hour exemption. We're all using the exemption this week because of the weather. I personally hate that 16 hour exemption, I always refuse it. But this is what it was made for...

 

*checks into forum*

*goes back to working 10-12 hour shifts in 70 degree clear florida nights*

 

Hey fuel haulers. Can you guys give me some insight on this?

I need some professional insight on why it is a bad idea to drive a truck/trailer in this way.

What would you do if your dispatcher instructed you to drive a t/t with an empty tub, but loaded compartments on the trailer? What about at highway speeds, down the freeway? What about at highway speeds, down the freeway, in the rain?

Would you guys think it is unsafe to retain product on the trailer, and drive down the road with an empty tub?

Could this even violate DOT weight limits in some way, related to the gross axle weight?

I'm going to need some professional opinions on this ASAP. I have a dispatcher who is "new" to the industry, trying to push this situation on me over and over lately, and I'm having a battle of the wits over it. By that, I mean I'm not trying to roll the truck and go home in a body bag.

 

Nope would never drive it like that not in the rain anyway maybe sunny day short very short distance .also we had a driver get stuck with a loaded trailer and empty truck climbing a small hill he couldn't make it up it had to be towed and pumped into truck

 

Driving with one compartment loaded and the rest of the compartments mt is part of the job..... split drop loads etc. slow down and drive.