Graduated CDL school 1/2006 w/ Class A CDL X&T endorsements.
I did a little expediting, but lately been doing truck pickup/deliveries for a local International dealer for the past several months. Easy work, but it's spotty and doesn't pay that well.

I put an ad in my local paper looking for a job driving for a farmer.
Last Friday I got a call from a fertilizer company that had seen my ad.
The guy was busy and said to meet him at 9am on Monday, so I didn't get many details.
Saturday I drove past the place to see what kinda equipment was there.
Looked like there was maybe 50-75 of those small anhydrous tanks that looked like you'd pull them with a pickup truck. One tractor/trailer, and a couple straight trucks.

Has anyone here done this kinda work before? Whats all involved?
Is it likely they use the tractor/trailer to keep the fertilizer plant stocked or to cover large orders from the bigger farms?
Is a new hire usually put on delivering the little anhydrous tanks?

I guess I'll find out tomorrow, but just trying to get a lil heads up.

thanks for any info

 

Gorillasnot,

(BTW, just WHERE did you come up with that handle??? That's the best handle I've seen since "Stinkyfingers" last posted!!)

Contrary to what most everybody here will tell you, in order to haul fertilizer, you are NOT required to have a Haz-Mat endorsement, a tanker endorsement, or, for that matter, a CDL.

This relaxation in regulatory standards will be valid from now, through 2007, and up until November of 2008. You'll see a lot of fertilizer being peddled on television, on the Internet, and in the newspapers.

Be advised though, the competition will be fierce!!!

We already have The Bush Administration and Hillary Clinton hauling it by the ship-load. The good news is, that both the demand and the supply will be abundant and plentiful in the days to come, and a lot of money will be spent hauling it and spreading of it will flourish as well!!!!!

Hope this helps!!

BOL2U!! 8)

 

I've been know to abuse a guitar every now and then. Gorillasnot is a product that keeps a pick from slipping from between your thumb and finger when your playing and get sweaty.

thanks for your reply, but I was kinda hoping to get some detailed info on what's involved with hauling fertilizer.

 

my guess is he plays guitar. its a product that keeps you from dropping your pick

 

Sorry, Gs!!!

Sometimes, I just can't help myself!! ops: ops:

Hopefully, someone here can help, although I will say that in my time here, I don't think that the subject has ever been addressed!!

BOL2U!!

 

Sort of hard to explain, but here goes.

Straight trucks if they are tenders, usually haul to farmers or the company floaters to keep it broadcasting. If it's a dump type it might haul from the stock pile ware house to the mixing plant to keep it full.

The semi it depends what type of trailer was behind it. If it has a tender it will deliver to farmers. If it has a hopper it might be used to go from warehouse to mixing plant.

Will require you to read a county map, and probably find specific fields that the farmer is currently at.

It wouldn't surprize me if you were also told other aspects of the operation, like filling the tanks, mixing fertilizer for farmers, etc.

You'll have alot to learn in a short amount of time, especially if your not from a farm background.

 

Thanks for the info, Jorlee!!!

Seems that you have some knowledge of this aspect of the trucking industry; GREAT!!!

Can you tell us something about potential problens that could arise as result of protracted exposure??

Not simply thinking in terms of Haz-Mat regs here, but also about possible risks of organ damage (e.g: kidneys, liver, etc.) or potential risks to the skin, respiratory, or reproductive systems!!

Any insight would be helpfull!!

Thanks,
Useless

 

Well being a farmers son, and working for a few different farmers. I would say I know some about this area.

For the exposure part. Sorry to say there isn't much I can tell ya. Loading drills with it, wathcing the truck fill, etc. I've never been told any precautions to take when handling it. Most of it has a powder from the granules being rubbed together, and will cause irritation if it gets into your eyes, and if you breath it. Doesn't seem to be any more precaustions compared to household chemicals and lawn care stuff.

Anhydrous Ammonia though something you best respect or you will regret it. It looks for moisture. Goggles and gloves are to be used when hooking up tanks. That is some nasty crap. I have gotten to inhale that crap, due to not being upwind. It does take the breath right out of you. Makes my nose sting like heck.

If he so chooses to get into the chemical application part, then the worries about the chamicals getting on you and being absorbed into the skin comes into play, along with the fumes that come with the pesticides and insecticides.

Any other questions, I will certainly attempt to answer.

 

thanks for the info everyone.
The trailer for the semi was a tanker.

 

Be careful when working around Anhydrous. It can be very deadly. It's weird how that stuff works. I've been around it when sowing wheat. Just be careful. I would do some research on it before you start filling up tanks, etc.