Profile For Justin C.

Tanker Man,

I'm so excited to get a year of experience truck driving no matter what I do. I just want more experience. I want to live the lifestyle. I want to be there to help out my fellow truckers. I want to take pride in my safety record. I'll bet all my savings that the tanker trucking company that my friend has is going to be there in a year. I'm glad I came to this forum and got the advice I got because in one year of hauling dry van for swift I'll have a deep reflection on what I've experienced and if I feel ready to hual tankers.

Thanks all for the insight, advice, and answers. I'll keep updating anyone who's interested in my progress.

Only government jobs do the hair tests. It's more expensive than a urine test and you know trucking companies try and keep their costs down. You will be fine going to any company that is not in the govt. field once your urine is clean. Some companies might not like an inconclusive test so don't try and block it. I know for a fact TMC doesn't hire you with an inconclusive urine test....

I just applied at swift and they told me that they do hair follicle drug screening.

So I feel the need to preface, I have tiny amount of backing experience since I work as a mechanic at a beverage company. However , not much. Hopefully I can pick it up really quick with 53' trailers when I start at swift.

Like NaeNaeInNC said above, depending on how busy F street is I'd try a blind side back. I'd start with the nose of the truck facing in the left direction of F street based on the picture orientation. Definitely would be doing a lot of G. O. A. L.! It kind of looks like it could be a back in the shape of a big C.

I'm really curious to see what others say!

Thank you for the reply a and the tip to search for dollar account here on the website. I see how what you all are saying. That would definitely be an overwhelming challenge for me as a rookie. The videos I was watching were of a swift driver in a dedicated account doing all drop and hook from distribution centers... That what I understood anyways. I'll make it clear and ask how much of a certain dedicated account is drop and hook. That feels like the best way for me to gain experience and keep the wheels rolling.

Avoid any dedicated accounts with the word "Dollar" in the title. With Swift, you may be able to get onto a dedicated Walmart account, which I would highly recommend after successfully completing your road training.

I'm sorry for bringing the thread back to life. I couldn't see how to send a direct message to you Packrat.

Can you elaborate on why you say to avoid any dedicated accounts with the name dollar in them? I've seen some videos on YouTube of a Swift driver running the Dollar Tree dedicated account and it seemed great! He seemed happy but left to get a job that got him home more than 2 days a week. I'd be ok with this though. I also don't think I'd mind driving I5. I'm pretty excited actually.

Thanks again and sorry for bringing this thread back up.

I’ll throw my .02 cents in here since I have right at 6 years experience hauling tankers.

G and others are spot on, it’s not something for brand new drivers. I hauled resins and products for the paper industry alot. Hercobond, Hercon and several other products. It tends to be heavy per gallon. Most of the time the tank was between 65-75% full. This means more surge. Hauling latex was much better because it was light and the tank was full, much less surge.

Your talking running the western 11. Lots and lots of grades and variable weather conditions.

If the company is solid it will be there in a year. Get at least 1 yr exp running a truck and that first year steep learning curve under your belt. Then you can move over.

I’ve seen plenty of drivers with 1 yr driving experience really struggle with tanks. Some eventually made it, others didn’t.

I loved it, but have slowed down some and made changes toward that.

Thank you for sharing your experience and advice. Thank you to everyone else as well.

I thought about everything you guys have said and will be sticking with swift. If this company is a good as they say it is and they need drivers that bad, I'll revisit their offer to drover tankers after at least 1 year of dry van OTR experience.

I didn't know they had that knick name...

It's a nickname given by fuel haulers to themselves to make them seem tough for doing a dangerous job. Use it at the rack, and you'll be laughed out of the county. About as bad as "tanker yanker."

Ah, I gotcha. I'm sorry, but what is the rack?

Justin, did you hear about that terrible tanker roll over and explosion under I95 in Philadelphia recently? That driver very likely burned to death. Had he been driving a dry van or reefer, he would probably have survived a roll over.

There is a reason that tanker drivers are sometimes called suicide jockeys. I respect tanker drivers greatly but I know it’s a dangerous occupation.

I didn't know they had that knick name...

You guys have given me a lot to think about. I have even more questions for the interview. Perhaps I misunderstood and tanker is something I'd eventually work my way up to, but they did say I need to get all the required credentials. I have to admit I don't know much more about the company. They do seem to have a couple of locations in different states.

3 Months solo today!!!! Got my CDL been on the road a little while and I am loving the lifestyle out here! Hope everyone is doing well!

Congratulations!

May I ask what parts of the country you drive through?