Hey guys, thanks for all of the great information as all of this is new to me. I decided to start a new career, I was in highrise maint/operations for the past 20 years, I am now completing my driving school, I already had my cdl but have never driven a semi/tractor. I have a job offer in the dry bulk tanker field and have been trying to get as much info as possible, I am looking for a drawing or diagram of a dry bulk sand/cement tanker that is labeled, valves, inlets, outlets, safety's, guages etc... I have searched high and low and cannot find a single labled drawing, thanks.
Pneumatic Tanks loading/unloading
- Thread starter FlatBroke
- Start date
Well it has been 6 weeks now since I started doing the powder tanks.
I am not sure I like it. In fact, I have had a few bad experiences.
1st of all, can I ask how much you get paid? As a company driver I make .34 a mile. Now I know flatbed drivers can make 40 cents a mile, and get paid for tarping and strapping as well...I don't even get paid for unloading. Just my 34 cents a mile. With what I hear they are making per mile to haul this stuff, I figure they would be in a better position to pay their drivers a little better.....
One week I went to Green River, WY twice and got a bunch of miles, and it was easy loading and unloading. I netted over $1,000 for that week. But that was pretty much the exception.
The trailers they have are old. Their shop manager told me my trailer is one of the new ones we have...and it's 10 years old. I had taken it in to be fixed. Well that didn't happen. I dropped it and got a different trailer, which I later found out that it was leaking air and the hoses were crap. The equipment was old, falling apart, one night unloading cement I actually got plugged up in 15 degree 30mph winds, cement got into my eyeballs and everything...it was horrible. I had never been plugged up before until that point. Tank wasn't keeping pressure, gauges weren't working right, that was the worst moment I had probably ever had in my entire trucking career.
Most of the time, things went ok. It would take me 2 - 2.5 hours to unload. That was with a 4-hopper that unloaded into the product line from a side angle. The other trailer I had was a 3-hopper and that one unloaded almost twice as fast, when it was working right.
Anyway, I just don't think this job is for me. I think that if I were paid more and had better equipment to work with, then I might think about staying with these guys. But having to take 2 hours to unload is 2 hours I dont get paid. There are no drop and hooks. And there are no 1500 mile trips. Mostly 400-600 miles, sometimes 800-1000 at the most. I could not dry my trailers out, so it was always stressful when I had to get trailer wash, worrying about getting to the shipper with a wet trailer. Stressing about things that go wrong with my equipment, valves breaking, hoses leaking, and they don't have anyone at the office after 5:30pm. You have to call the afterhours number, which goes to someone's personal cell, and it was awkward for me to call someone with a problem while they are at home yelling at their children or trying to eat dinner with their family, etcetera.
My experience with this type of work I would rate 2 out of 5.
I hope maybe my experiences are not the norm for this kind of job, because I really don't mind it...if I had good equipment and got paid a little better, there are a few things about the industry that I really do like. It is different than pulling a dry van and just holding a steering wheel. I like to work...I just don't like having issues and problems every other day.
BW
I am not sure I like it. In fact, I have had a few bad experiences.
1st of all, can I ask how much you get paid? As a company driver I make .34 a mile. Now I know flatbed drivers can make 40 cents a mile, and get paid for tarping and strapping as well...I don't even get paid for unloading. Just my 34 cents a mile. With what I hear they are making per mile to haul this stuff, I figure they would be in a better position to pay their drivers a little better.....
One week I went to Green River, WY twice and got a bunch of miles, and it was easy loading and unloading. I netted over $1,000 for that week. But that was pretty much the exception.
The trailers they have are old. Their shop manager told me my trailer is one of the new ones we have...and it's 10 years old. I had taken it in to be fixed. Well that didn't happen. I dropped it and got a different trailer, which I later found out that it was leaking air and the hoses were crap. The equipment was old, falling apart, one night unloading cement I actually got plugged up in 15 degree 30mph winds, cement got into my eyeballs and everything...it was horrible. I had never been plugged up before until that point. Tank wasn't keeping pressure, gauges weren't working right, that was the worst moment I had probably ever had in my entire trucking career.
Most of the time, things went ok. It would take me 2 - 2.5 hours to unload. That was with a 4-hopper that unloaded into the product line from a side angle. The other trailer I had was a 3-hopper and that one unloaded almost twice as fast, when it was working right.
Anyway, I just don't think this job is for me. I think that if I were paid more and had better equipment to work with, then I might think about staying with these guys. But having to take 2 hours to unload is 2 hours I dont get paid. There are no drop and hooks. And there are no 1500 mile trips. Mostly 400-600 miles, sometimes 800-1000 at the most. I could not dry my trailers out, so it was always stressful when I had to get trailer wash, worrying about getting to the shipper with a wet trailer. Stressing about things that go wrong with my equipment, valves breaking, hoses leaking, and they don't have anyone at the office after 5:30pm. You have to call the afterhours number, which goes to someone's personal cell, and it was awkward for me to call someone with a problem while they are at home yelling at their children or trying to eat dinner with their family, etcetera.
My experience with this type of work I would rate 2 out of 5.
I hope maybe my experiences are not the norm for this kind of job, because I really don't mind it...if I had good equipment and got paid a little better, there are a few things about the industry that I really do like. It is different than pulling a dry van and just holding a steering wheel. I like to work...I just don't like having issues and problems every other day.
BW
2xR
******* Derelict *******
Tanks are not ALL created the same. Meaning, the owner of the tank will specify the configurations of the valves, piping, and, any additional features their loads may require. Don't get too involved trying to figure out how to work a tank beforehand, because you can bet a carrier will make sure you are proficient with their equipment before they turn you loose with it.
I have been driving the tanker for six weeks now also, we get 24% of the load. I was told we would make $750 to $900 per week, so far it's been $400 to $650 at 14+ hours days. I was told after two hours waiting we would get $13.65 per hour, but that's two hours free per load they don't have to pay you and it happens all the time, twice today, so that 4 hours of no pay sitting & waiting to be loaded.
I was told we almost never be out over night and if we were, they would pay for a hotel, I am about to sack out in my truck now (again), so that was BS.
I was never told we would be on call only for loads, so you always need to be rested for a 14 hour call out...how do you do that ? Stay in bed always until they call you ?
We get every other weekend off, that is... You work late Friday, off on Sat and go back on call ready to work Sun at midnight, is that the weekend off ?
Hey, but everyone has been really nice so it must be worth it, right ?
Tankstar Schwerman, if you see the name and you don't need much money, have plenty of time to give away for free and like friendly people, give them a call, the'll TAKE you.
I was told we almost never be out over night and if we were, they would pay for a hotel, I am about to sack out in my truck now (again), so that was BS.
I was never told we would be on call only for loads, so you always need to be rested for a 14 hour call out...how do you do that ? Stay in bed always until they call you ?
We get every other weekend off, that is... You work late Friday, off on Sat and go back on call ready to work Sun at midnight, is that the weekend off ?
Hey, but everyone has been really nice so it must be worth it, right ?
Tankstar Schwerman, if you see the name and you don't need much money, have plenty of time to give away for free and like friendly people, give them a call, the'll TAKE you.
2xR
******* Derelict *******
Kinda' makes you wanna' bitch-slap the recruiter... yup, I thought so.
Hang tough. With experience you'll learn how to work the system to your advantage. Meanwhile, you've got a job, getting paid something, and, are racking up the experience points toward working for a better company.
Oddball
Pro Driver
I got hired by a pneumatic tank company...I went to training, day 1 of training we were back at the yard at 1700, trainer hands me his logbook and tells me to copy it, were meeting back at the yard at midnight to do a run, i called the safety doode that hired me and was told that thats is normal to 'do whatever it takes..' and i reminded him of the dedicated acct he hired me for and told him if that mean that i have to run illegal tell me now, and ill drop off your equipment right now...that was my 1 day experience pulling a tanker. my advice- run!
HELP NEEDED
hi guys. im fixing to buy two new 1979 dry bulk. i need help on how to get them coverted to sand ready use, plus what do i need to look for when buying them since they are old. please help asap. thank you
.
hi guys. im fixing to buy two new 1979 dry bulk. i need help on how to get them coverted to sand ready use, plus what do i need to look for when buying them since they are old. please help asap. thank you
been blowwing off sand for the gas fields out here in pa. ALL OF A SUDDEN it takes me forever to blow off the sand.i tried a different truck with its blower on my trailer and it blows off very fast.
So i had my blower rebuilt on my truck...hooked to my trailer and it still blows off slow!!!! The line preasure jumps high and holdsfor a few second as if air is stopping sand then you can hear and feel the sand push through. The line preasure does this every 3-4 seconds.
What is going on!!!!
thanks
jay
So i had my blower rebuilt on my truck...hooked to my trailer and it still blows off slow!!!! The line preasure jumps high and holdsfor a few second as if air is stopping sand then you can hear and feel the sand push through. The line preasure does this every 3-4 seconds.
What is going on!!!!
thanks
jay
Barnyard6099
New Member
Pneumatic tanks loading/unloading
Good day I am getting prepared to learn how to drive pneumatic tanker, with no exp any advice
Good day I am getting prepared to learn how to drive pneumatic tanker, with no exp any advice
Tim
U.S.Constitution
Yes.........make sure what ever your blowing a load into has room to hold the load.
Not guilty
New Member
It's not always about how fast you can unload... Make sure it's in the right silo also
If we didn't mix stuff once in a while, we would never discover things like Reece's peanut butter cups
WVtravlrr
Active Member
If your truck engine is turning 1000 RPM most blowers shafts will be turning around around 2000-2100 RPM..
I dont know of many blower companies that will honor a warranty on anything much faster than that..
17 yrs pulling Plastic Vac trailers..hooked to one now..
some things to remember about pneumatic tanks..
Air + product= pressure....
and when you compress air ..you make heat..
Heat is plastics enemy...some starts melting at 150 degrees.....polypropylene pellets for one..
Lead plugs in blowers melt at 400 degrees...safety..keeps from damaging blower...
when you hear that funky pishh pishhh pishh noise coming from the blower.....your plugged..dont panic..turn of product valve..you might get lucky and it will clear itself..
AND NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER... TAKE OFF A CAP...OPEN A HATCH...OR REMOVE A HOSE THAT IS UNDER PRESSURE...
5 pounds of pressure (per square inch) doesn't sound like much...but it can be a FATAL mistake.....
Always open pressure relief valves...turn off the pto too the blower..and check your gauges too make sure theres no pressure before you open anything..
when hauling plastics..contamination is your biggest concern..for example you cant load white plastic pellets on a trailer that just hauled black pellets..
or you end up with zebra striped milk jugs....
A good company will train you and have simple rules to follow to avoid alot of common mistakes
I dont know of many blower companies that will honor a warranty on anything much faster than that..
17 yrs pulling Plastic Vac trailers..hooked to one now..
some things to remember about pneumatic tanks..
Air + product= pressure....
and when you compress air ..you make heat..
Heat is plastics enemy...some starts melting at 150 degrees.....polypropylene pellets for one..
Lead plugs in blowers melt at 400 degrees...safety..keeps from damaging blower...
when you hear that funky pishh pishhh pishh noise coming from the blower.....your plugged..dont panic..turn of product valve..you might get lucky and it will clear itself..
AND NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER... TAKE OFF A CAP...OPEN A HATCH...OR REMOVE A HOSE THAT IS UNDER PRESSURE...
5 pounds of pressure (per square inch) doesn't sound like much...but it can be a FATAL mistake.....
Always open pressure relief valves...turn off the pto too the blower..and check your gauges too make sure theres no pressure before you open anything..
when hauling plastics..contamination is your biggest concern..for example you cant load white plastic pellets on a trailer that just hauled black pellets..
or you end up with zebra striped milk jugs....
A good company will train you and have simple rules to follow to avoid alot of common mistakes
Old thread but I will go for it ....
Thinking of doing it . cement . Wichita ks . offered .40 a mile out 5 days . independent contractor so more paper work to do . Claims I can make 1100 a week .
Is there anyone here that works for a kansas company hauling cement ? I used to see a lot of them when i ran end dumps but never asked them any questions . Trying to find out what the average pay is for around here.
EDIT :
Just talked to one driver who used to work for him . he said the runs go up from kansas to iowa . so 1000 a week is doable he said . He quit because the boss has only been in trucking for 9 months and driver came in at the beginning and did not like having to teach the boss how trucking works . Other than that he said it was all good.
Thinking of doing it . cement . Wichita ks . offered .40 a mile out 5 days . independent contractor so more paper work to do . Claims I can make 1100 a week .
Is there anyone here that works for a kansas company hauling cement ? I used to see a lot of them when i ran end dumps but never asked them any questions . Trying to find out what the average pay is for around here.
EDIT :
Just talked to one driver who used to work for him . he said the runs go up from kansas to iowa . so 1000 a week is doable he said . He quit because the boss has only been in trucking for 9 months and driver came in at the beginning and did not like having to teach the boss how trucking works . Other than that he said it was all good.
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