Soon to be tanker yanker seeking advice

[ohiomohawk]

So I passed a road test with a small tanker company pulling an empty tank!! No problems except the tester told me I was taking my turns as if I was driving a 53 ft trailer. The tanks are 40 ft long. I have been pulling a 53 ft for 2 years.

I also found it awkward trying to back the tanker because I was use to looking straight down the wall of a trailer to line myself up. It will take some time getting use to looking at the rear tires to become lined up.

I also am not use to the landing gear handle being on the right (passenger) side of the trailer, I will probably walk to the left side of the tanker for a good 3 weeks before getting use to going to the opposite side.

I will be hauling HAZMAT.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[mike3fan]

Customers want the product in their tank and not in some ditch somewhere along the side of the road, slow down extra for curves, ramps (good rule of thumb 10mph under suggested ramp speed) and never swerve to miss an object or animal in the road. Liquid products are very unforgiving when handled or driven improperly, go slow and don't let anyone else force you into driving any other way than the way you need to.

[Skywalker]

When you get a chance.....take 4 tin cans and set up an "alley" in a parking lot... use either a loaded or empty tank....and practice backing it into that alley. Might sound silly, but I can assure you that an empty tank will handle a bit different than a loaded one.... especially when backing... and you have to remember that you are backing a 42' tank with about a 38' rear axle setting....its track is going to be much tighter, and it will respond very fast....

When you are backing into a loading rack....take your time. Get out and look, if it is not familiar to you....take a close look at things. You don't want to hit anything...especially in a hazmat environment. Take your time! Take your time!! In the hazmat environment...the loaders and unloaders at the plants will not be in a hurry...so don't you be in a hurry.

Keep in mind....when you are making sharp turns...as in a u-turn in a parking lot....your trailer tandems are going to be much heavier than you think. You can destroy not only the asphalt if you turn too sharp, but also the tires on the tank.

As far as the landing gear handle....if your company has more than one brand or model of tanks...the handle could be either right or left....we have both.

Never, never, take a tank to be loaded after its been cleaned, or ever for that matter, until YOU personally have been up top and taken a rubber mallet and spanner wrench and made absolutely certain that all "washout caps" and such are secured. NEVER USE A STEEL HAMMER on a tanker!! All valves, especially the air inlet valve on the "christmas tree" is closed and secured with a chicago fitting cap. You do not want to be leaking or slopping any hazmat products...with flammables...you have a prime ignition source....the trailer brakes.

Have someone in your shop teach you how to dismantle both the "pressure relief valve" and the "vacuum relief valve" and how to install the bushings and gaskets. It will save you much grief. Oh....NEVER remove either and work on them if the tank is loaded with a Class 6 poison....let someone else do it. Carry spare 2"' and 3" bushings/gaskets....as well as a product outlet valve handle, and a spare washout/dust cover cap.... you will eventually need them.

Make sure that you are familiar with the hazmat rules....and that you always have a copy of the FMCSR's and ERG in the vehicle. Check and double check your paperwork for its accuracy and compliance to requirements. Do not move a hazmat placarded tank either empty or loaded....unless everything is 100% correct. Its your butt in the wind if its not and you are on the road.

I also agree with what Mike said, speed wise.....and especially on ramps, and more so on those that curve. SLOW way DOWN.....below the posted speed for the ramp. Your load, in an unbaffled tank is always in motion and you do not want it going vertical in a curve....that's the first step in a rollover. If the tank exceeds 18 degrees in tilt....

Also....never, never ever....pull off on a soft shoulder.... stay on pavement.

Last but not least..... Have fun!!

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

I do food grade, not hazmat.

I'm not sure if all hazmat tanks are baffled or not. If you pull a tube- watch out for surge, especially with thicker products. Start slow, shift smooth, time the surge- you don't want to roll on the throttle as the stuff gets to the rear of the tank, wait for it to start moving forward.

Try to creep throgh intersections & congestion without stopping, if you do stop, leave extra distance between you the car ahead. Keep your foot on the brake while you're stopped- surge can move you ahead when it hits the front bulkhead.

Get ready for a rough ride. Tanks don't flex.

These other guys know more than I do & they've given you some great pointers.

Good Luck!

[ohiomohawk]

Thanks for the responses.

[bandits44x]

You will learn to love backing a tanker compared to a 53' box. You never have to worry about taking off someone's hood in a truck stop again. Lining up the tank does take a little getting used to when backing...but u will get the hang of it. Take it slow and easy around all turns...it's much easier to turn a tank on its side. You might notice some of the boys driving a box up your butt on on/off ramps...pay no mind to them. They might have a problem with you taking the turns slow...but they won't be the one looking for a new job after you turn the rubber side up.

[jburd]

That's a great education for all of us.
Thanks Ohiomohawk for posting the question.
I went and got my tanker endorsement several days ago.
Don't need it for Swift,but I'm bored waiting on orientation to start.

[Orangetxguy]

So I passed a road test with a small tanker company pulling an empty tank!! No problems except the tester told me I was taking my turns as if I was driving a 53 ft trailer. The tanks are 40 ft long. I have been pulling a 53 ft for 2 years.

I also found it awkward trying to back the tanker because I was use to looking straight down the wall of a trailer to line myself up. It will take some time getting use to looking at the rear tires to become lined up.

I also am not use to the landing gear handle being on the right (passenger) side of the trailer, I will probably walk to the left side of the tanker for a good 3 weeks before getting use to going to the opposite side.

I will be hauling HAZMAT.

Any advice would be appreciated.

You got some good advice from everyone. Take all of it to heart!

The tanks you are going to be pulling are all "Smooth-bore", which means that you will never have baffles slowing down the product.

When your driving, take all the time you need, as has already been suggested. Your the "Captain" of the ship every moment.

When you are loading, ask questions of the loaders. 99.9% are very knowledgeable about the product, and they all can tell you within a few gallons, of how much you have in the tank. 99.9% of the time, you will never see the interior of the tank during and after the loading process. Heavy products use less space in the tank, therefore leave larger areas for slosh and surge. Slosh is when the liquid is going up the sides of the tank. Surge is when the product is traveling the length of the barrel of the tank. The two combined can be a major problem.

Do not be afraid to tell plant operator's that you are "New" at this. They handle the product daily and have knowledge you can use. Ask questions, all the time. There will be products that you haul, that are innocuous by their name, but are deadly. If a shipping agent does not offer you an MSDS at the time paperwork is being handled, ask for one.

Treat all the products you haul, like it is the absolute worst thing you have ever handled, and you will be safe.

And....The really bad stuff....you let the plant operators handle it. Your not paid too.


As for backing the tank. Watch the fenders and the tires as much as possible. Check your back by looking across the rear of the fender on each side. That will keep you out of trouble. Don't spend a lot of time looking down the side of the tank itself, since that sucker is 2 or 3 feet off the mark. The sidewall of the trailer's tires are the true mark.

Who is this small outfit? LOL.....If it is a fuel hauler, then you will be pulling baffled tanks.

[Matcron33]

with any tanker. when it's loaded. when you use the brakes. you hold the brakes. a common mistake people make with a tanker.. the first time you feel the surge hit you in the back. will be the last time you don't wear a seat belt. use the swing lever on the seat. it will help take some of the shock out of the surge hitting you in the back. when you are going around curves. go more to 20mph slower. when you are in rush hour traffic. slow down. give plenty of room... the surge will keep hitting you for a few minutes.. and the first time you feel 50,000 pound surge hit you in the back. it will wake you to what volume and weight will do... when you are in stop and go traffic. the liquid in the tank will keep moving and punching you in the back...

[ohiomohawk]

Well I have began yard training. Climbing on top of tanker and opening dome lids and pumpin water from one compartment to the next compartment. I hooked a hose to tractor and operated the pump. One hose from tanker to tractor then another hose from tractor to tanker.

They also showed me how to hook airline to chicago fitting and let pressure build up to unload chemicals. I prefer to crawl when up on top of tanker.

A bunch of new stuff thrown at me at once, internal valve, external valve, female end, male end, 2 inch fitting, checking for gaskets, surge and a lot of climbing and wrestling heavy hoses and wearing face masks gloves

I will keep updating.

[Blacksheep]

Tanker is the best gig, 99 % of the receivers are happy to see you, unlike gocery warehouses.

[Matcron33]

I agree! tank yanking is alot better. I liked going to the ice cream dairies. all the ice cream you want free. but i don't think he will be seeing any dairies with a hazmat tanker.. soon enoungh he will be standing up on top of the tank. walking around and enjoying the view.. every body gets nervous the first time on top of the tank.. it's nothing when it's dry. wait until it is wet or iced over. gets fun then... take care. and i wish you the best of luck..

[ohiomohawk]

Thanks for the responses

Well they let me pull my my first loaded tank and it rattled my nerves just a little. It was a smooth bore load. I pulled out of shipper and had to climb a steep hill and stalled. It felt like some one was tugging on the trailer. My trainer just sat there kind of staring at me. I finally got it moving again. Then we had to go down a big hill and it felt like someone was pushing me down the hill!! That LOUD boom when the product hits the back of tank will take me a while to get use to.

I was sweating pretty hard during the first 5 minutes of the trip.

I don't smoke but I asked my trainer for one of his cigarrettes after this first trip. I was use to pulling light trailers on my previous job. You hit the brakes and it takes a while for these things to stop.

This is almost like starting all over again, learning how to shift and everything else. I have been driving two years, but it sure didn't look like it this week.

My trainer drove one load, he has been driving for a long time. He would fly around exit ramps at the posted speed limits even when we were fully loaded. I NEVER saw him take any exit ramp 10 MPH below posted speed limit. I will ALWAYS go 10-15 mph under the speed limit.

Could anyone share some advise on shifting when climbing hills, and in traffic?

[mike3fan]

Shift earlier as tanks pull harder up the hills, you don't want to get in a position where you need to make 2 shifts to catch up. Take a Coke bottle and pull it up a 45 degree angle and you can see why tanks pull harder, all that liquid sets right in the back almost pulling you backwards.

Always remember you can take a curve/turn too slow everytime, but you can only take it too fast once.

[wsyrob]

On a steep grade starting from a stop run the rpms up higher than you normally would then shift quickly. The international I drive is set up with the rpms governed at 1800 except in a hard pull. Then they will hit 2200 or so. On a steep hill the surg will still bring the truck to almost a stop when it hits the back wall but the transmission catches up on the front wall.

[Orangetxguy]

Young Lad, be patient. Liquid has a way of making olde time drivers look like rookies from time to time.

Mike and the rest have been giving you sound advise, as pertains to handling curves, stops, and starts. LOL....You learned one lesson in starting out with a load already!

Good luck...Be safe!!

[Matcron33]

Thanks for the responses

Well they let me pull my my first loaded tank and it rattled my nerves just a little. It was a smooth bore load. I pulled out of shipper and had to climb a steep hill and stalled. It felt like some one was tugging on the trailer. My trainer just sat there kind of staring at me. I finally got it moving again. Then we had to go down a big hill and it felt like someone was pushing me down the hill!! That LOUD boom when the product hits the back of tank will take me a while to get use to.

I was sweating pretty hard during the first 5 minutes of the trip.

I don't smoke but I asked my trainer for one of his cigarrettes after this first trip. I was use to pulling light trailers on my previous job. You hit the brakes and it takes a while for these things to stop.

This is almost like starting all over again, learning how to shift and everything else. I have been driving two years, but it sure didn't look like it this week.

My trainer drove one load, he has been driving for a long time. He would fly around exit ramps at the posted speed limits even when we were fully loaded. I NEVER saw him take any exit ramp 10 MPH below posted speed limit. I will ALWAYS go 10-15 mph under the speed limit.

Could anyone share some advise on shifting when climbing hills, and in traffic?

now you understand when i said the first time that load hits you in the back. will be the last time you don't wear a seatbelt... have found releasing the swing lever on the seat helps take the shock out of the surge??? lmfao... well be safe what the traffic. and plan how to to stop.. and enjoy the whiplash...

[ohiomohawk]

There is alot more to driving a tanker than I thought. I took a bath in methanol today. I connected a hose to the tank and had a hard time getting the ears to fit tight, I then had to get the right fitting to connect 2 hoses. My trainer is watching as I try to figure out what fitting goes where. I know I looked like an idiot while trying to figure out the correct fitting to use.

I walked the hoses out after we were done pumping and I disconnected the 2 hoses leading to the pump from the tank and took a bath in methanol (actually about 1 gallon). I did fine on the driving end but once we started working on unloading all hell broke loose. He gave me a little lecture on proper fittings after we got back to the terminal.

[wsyrob]

He gave me a little lecture on proper fittings after we got back to the terminal.

Sounds to me like he needs to do his lecturing before turning you loose unloading. Its called teaching.

[wimpy]

OHIO, I am personally glad I became part of the tanker yanker club!! Personally 53ft. boxes dont even compare to driving a tank. It did take me a couple weeks to finally realize what I'm doing wrong when backing into a bay to get unloaded but sure enough now I do blindside backins with maybe 1 pullup on a bad day. I'm sure you know now like everyone says, it's a different ball game than a 53fter, tanks handle so much differently. Even though sometimes the morning rush hour here in Phoenix may call for me to use my brakes and I get the famous "surge" Id rather be pulling a tanker than anything else. Another lesson I learned in my first few weeks, pay attention when your on top of the tanker! Like a dummy I pulled my phone out of my pocket to see what time it was and it caught my pocket liner and it fell all the way to the ground, some 9 or 10ft! I was pretty surprised to see that my phone still worked! Another fine tip from everyone that I highly agree with....take your time! Theres no grades or big curves here in Phoenix but when I do see a curve with a posted sign believe me I slow way down and gradually speed up as I get more comfortable with the turn and the way the product is handling during the turn. I dont haul any hazmat, all I haul is raw bulk milk from local dairies but I thoroughly enjoy this job and like I've said before on one of my threads, I consider myself very lucky to have a job that pays decent with benefits and a job that I actually look forward to doing...even after a weekend off. Good luck on your new job and hope everything works out for you.