Gas hauling

I noticed my first 2 years there were slow times, maybe 3 weeks a year at most. But when ethanol took off as 10% blending, it seemed we were always running behind and working the bottoms of tanks.

 

** I probably should have explained what I meant with the ethanol. Ethanol cannot be moved to terminals through pipelines, so It is trucked. Some companies haul gas out and ethanol back to the terminals.

 

Fuel hauler here. No, bad credit shouldn't be an issue. It's not like you really have the capacity to steal enough fuel to sell. It's not like it's pallets of goods you could just steal off the truck.

Most gas hauling terminals operate a day shift and a night shift, both running 12 hours. Night shift is what it's all about, no traffic, no wait at the rack, no idiots blocking the fill site at the gas station. The only issue is that the crackheads come out at night and congregate at gas stations like moths to a fluorescent lamp.

 

you won't get days at first. Days are stressful as hell man. You think nights are bad... try having 20 irritated gas station customers trying to push you around as you bring your 60+' vehicle "in their way" and block "their" pumps. The gas station is weird, the people are half in driver mode (which can lead to road rage) and half in "civilized" mode. I've seen fights almost break out at busy stations. There is nothing more peaceful than pulling up to a desolate station, having no cars blocking your way, having nobody interfere in your delivery, and driving out in under 35 minutes.

This job will give you a thick skin. You learn a new form of assertiveness when the general public tries to push you around while you're doing your job. Just remember, it's not your job to give them a delightful customer service experience that will ensure their repeat business. Your job, is to get that fuel into the ground as quickly and safely as possible, with no spills, mixes, or incidents. Customers will engage you and you have to stand your ground. I get people flipping out on me because I won't help them jumpstart their vehicles, or because I tell them they can't smoke around me during an active delivery. They try to force me to move my cones and my delivery hoses because they "don't want to back out." The mentality you need to have going into this, is that this is their own personal problem, you're going to do nothing at all, that could jeopardize the delivery.

You'll also learn quickly, that you need to be aggressive when blocking customers and cars off. If they're blocking your fills, you have to actually get out of the car and tell them, I'm making a fuel delivery here. If they get angry with you, and half of them will, screw them. That's the mentality you need to have, and you have to get on the same page as your boss before you even go to your first station.

 

I dont haul tanks but yes this is what I deal with everyday. People dont care if you are there to deliver their goods. You are in there way. They hate you. You have to be aggressive but more so passive on these pricks. Big city left hand turn. Let them all pass and work your way over . They will pass your truck like a train when you flick a blinker. Like a gate opening with wild animals running out of it. Most of my experience is charlotte city,greensboro, winston salem,durham,raleigh,myrtle beach,spartanburg,greensboro. Hampton roads. Thick skin is a must. You wont be able to make that right hand turn. Sit and wait driver! If your home life is messed up too
#### you are in for a experience. If all you have done is otr. You will be highly inexperienced doing city runs and probably run into a lot of problems. Google map satellite is your best friend. I use satellite before all my stops and I can see the entire area and layout. Over the road is huge peterbilts and kws driving in straight lines. City is freights volvos trashionals and macs taking turns all day. Basically over the road is easy compared to what you are in for. Tons of red lights. Construction zones. A lot of ####. Not driving in a straight line in wyoming for 5 hours and 300 miles.

 

First off do you have all your endorsements? You need tanker,hazmat, get doubles and triples also. Go on google or apple play store and download cdl tests. Study those. Pass them at dmv. You have to pay $85 for your hazmat background check. If you have criminal holding you back you cannot haul tankers with tsa. If you just want a home life and looking to get out of otr. Go into ltl. Old domionion,estes,saia,ups,fedex,sefl,abf,yrc,yellow,pitt ohio,wilson,ward trucks. Those jobs are home every night. U need hazmat and tanker for all those carriers as well. I want to haul bulk containers for $ im looking for.

 

You should probably get some experience hauling vans locally before you even think about hauling containers of hazardous explosive freight around town. Just my advice.

 

TWIC card may also needed if loading at a rack with a marine access.

 

the stop and go of city driving will drive you insane, especially on the day shift. at night, not so much. but a 35 mile one-way can easily become a 6 hour turnaround for that load of fuel if you hit all the lights and traffic.