1st Rookie Solo 80,000 Tanker OTR Trip

Well actually 79,960 , 5000 gallons, 43,500 lbs of product, in a smooth bore Tanker 2200 miles Chi town, Williston, Chi town in 4 days, including 28hrs of on site waiting, 10hr of duty/sleeper, and off loading. left 1:00AM Wed, returned Saturday midnight. It was a chalenging trip, weather, some snow and ice, schedule, getting to know what the load liked. the load in a smooth bore tanker has a mind of it's own. if you drive smooth enough, then it will be happy and so will you. but it's a sleeping giant that gets angry if you wake it up. you can read about surge but until you actually drive it your self you are'nt ready for that angry giant. you have to become one with the truck and the load. of course we're talking about very smooth steering, acceleration, and braking, trying to anticipate everything, slower that posted curves , exit ramps, ect. here's an example, start rolling a touch too fast and you start the wave of product going to the back of the tank, which then reverses foward, abouy the time you get into 3rd gear it hits the front bulkhead with enough force to feel like another 18 wheeler hit you from behind (almost feels like whiplash) then it reverses again and hits the back bulkhead so hard it feels like it's going to pull the truck to a stop. I learned alot this trip, not perfect, but I like the chalenge. driving home was great, empty trailer, truck is govenored at 70mph, speed and cruise. and the new (26,000 mile) 2014 Frieghtliner Cascadia has 455 hp plus ultra shift which made me look like a Pro. I'm looking forward to my next trip and this 65 year old race car driver is taking Tanker Driver off my bucket list, don't slow down, don't look back.

That's awesome Dan! Great pics!!!

I drove a food grade tanker for a year one time and absolutely loved it! That surge is incredible. There were times I had it hit so hard it knocked my hat off my head and everything on my shelves wound up on the floor. Looked like a tornado hit the inside of my cab!

The worst part is you know it's coming. You know when you've made a move too quickly and that liquid is moving fast. All you can do is hang on and wait for it.

Congrats and getting that first run out of the way. That's awesome! Tanker is a really neat way to roll. I really enjoyed it myself.

That's awesome Dan! Great pics!!!

I drove a food grade tanker for a year one time and absolutely loved it! That surge is incredible. There were times I had it hit so hard it knocked my hat off my head and everything on my shelves wound up on the floor. Looked like a tornado hit the inside of my cab!

The worst part is you know it's coming. You know when you've made a move too quickly and that liquid is moving fast. All you can do is hang on and wait for it.

Congrats and getting that first run out of the way. That's awesome! Tanker is a really neat way to roll. I really enjoyed it myself.

Brett, thanks for helping me post those pictures and the info on how to do it, Dan

No problem at all!