What are the pros and cons of Tanker driving

I'm on a dedicated run from Bryan Texas to Fargo North Dakota. I drop my empty on Tuesday from last week, pick up a preloaded and deliver in Fargo Thursday morning. The unload takes about 40 minutes. After that I head back home to Dallas by Friday afternoon. Even when I hauled lubricants to different customers it was way better than dry vans or reefers. After unloading I would head back towards home.

There is no down time while pulling tanks. You leave home, perform a job, and head home.

Pay is better as well.

50% of your miles are empty and paid the same.

Backhauls are rare. I've never had one but there are a few.

The part about kicking yourself for not getting into tanks sooner is very true.

 

Same here driver! Love the deadhead home hammer down!
My farthest run is 2 days out and 2 back.....I do the trip in about 3 days because the 1 hour unload gives me a fresh 11 after I pump the load off..
Some of my stops I have the owners cell number and they come meet me if I get there later than 5pm..
Some I have the gate code so deliver it anytime I want.
I love it man!....Get the job done and roll it home.

The boss wonders sometime how I pound out a 3000 mile week and home Friday morning and done for the week....lol!

 

they have some really nice rigs, saw a bunch of em when I was in Ok and kansas -

 

So how does one approach changing over from Vans to Tanker? Get the Endorsements first I'm sure for Tanker and if the job requires it, Hazmat.

Otherwise, do you need to meet a certain amount of experience and also find a company to train you? Yeah I can pass the Tanker exam, but I still wouldn't feel prepared to drive with the surge.

I'm also wondering if there are tanker related jobs with better hometime.

 

This guy has got it in the bag. I'd know I've done oil,chem,fuel and now cryo and this is the cleanest and best of the best..

 

Love working cryo. Night and day from that nightmare that was Schneider.

 

Hauling hazardous goods would be the down side if its water, corn syrup or something non- toxic that'd be great.

 

I found some places want tanker experience and other will train you....not much to it actually.
Having Hazmat would be best as most places except food grade will need it.

The surge you just get used to...My trailer is a smooth bore,no baffles and hauls 42k.
You just learn to shift smoother and adjust the way you brake. There will still be times you have to jump on the brakes because of some idiot in front of you but you are prepared for the boom! It feels like someone rear ended the truck......

 

The surge is defiantly a wake up call. About once every 2500 miles or so I'll come to a stop and check my mirror to see if I just got rear ended.

My product is non haz mat and resembles a milkshake in appearance and density. It's hauled in a single compartment smooth bore trailer. Seems to be a little more solid in the dead of winter than it does in the warmer months.

I've hauled automotive anti freeze and that was a bit tricky as the surge was dramatic. Lubricants we hauled in four compartment baffles trailers. No surge to speak of with those and it being a solid product like motor oil.

The best for me is hitting huge dips in the road and immediately thinking that my load of bottled water or beer just lost a few pallets. Then remembering "oh yea my load isn't stacked!"

 

I've been dragging a smooth Bore recently. It's an antique at 53 years old lol
When I started I told em I don't know anything about tankers or lpg. They said come on out we'll show you. And they did. Been at it two years now.