Industry Spotlight

Happy ‘Tanksgiving’

Question: What do you call a truck driver pulling a tanker filled with gasoline in the middle of a gas shortage?
Answer: The word “hero” comes to mind, or maybe “rock star,” given what happened in late September and early October, when regional gas shortages nearly brought Atlanta to its knees. During the mini-crisis, it was not unusual to see a gas tanker truck followed around town by a flock of desperate motorists and then greeted by another 30 or more motorists – many of whom had been waiting in line for an hour or more – at the service station. From the cheers that sounded when the gas started flowing, you would have thought Bruce Springsteen had just jumped on stage and played the opening riff of “Born to Run.”
     Tanker and bulk freight drivers aren’t usually treated like rock stars, but they do tend to deliver material that is vital to the customer, whether it’s chemical products for the manufacturing sector, dry bulk products for the food sector or, yes, fuel for your local gas station. Because tanker products are almost always time-sensitive, deliveries are not only welcomed at the receiving end, they are generally accompanied with a specific appointment time and unloaded immediately.
     “People who come into the bulk industry realize they should have done it earlier because you don’t have to fingerprint freight, you don’t have to deal with lumpers, your pick-up and delivery times are scheduled, the product is almost always 100 percent loaded for you and offloading can be as simple as engaging a pump or an air compressor,” says Greg Laird, a senior analyst in the Quality Assurance Department at Superior Carriers.
     Tanker drivers, however, face several challenges that drivers of dry vans and flatbeds don’t. For example, the tanker driver might have several thousand gallons of liquid sloshing around behind him, and the driver has to understand that the laws of physics and gravity can wreak havoc at any moment. In addition, while virtually all tanker freight is “no-touch,” drivers need to have knowledge of the hydraulics, compressors and pump systems required to load and unload liquids and bulk products.
     “Hauling bulk is fascinating, interesting and complex,” says Mike Hinz of Schneider National. Hinz, the former director of Schneider’s Bulk Division and now the vice president of recruiting for the mega-carrier, adds, “We refer to our bulk drivers as ‘delivery specialists’ because it’s not just about getting from Point A to Point B without spilling a drop. There’s the whole issue of loading and unloading liquid from one vessel to another vessel. There’s also HAZMAT requirements and security issues. In a sense, they have to be safety engineers, construction engineers, mechanical engineers and transportation engineers. It’s so much more than just driving a truck.”
     For that reason, Hinz says tank truck drivers consider themselves a breed apart. “They are the fabric of America,” he says. “Our most successful guys show sound judgment, they’re very disciplined and they don’t take shortcuts.
     “They check and double-check everything; they are independent-minded, yet they are also team players and leaders. There is an esprit de corps among our Bulk Division drivers because of the unique challenges they encounter, challenges that are constantly evolving.”
          “Tank truck drivers drive with their brains,” adds John Jackson, vice president of Bulk Logistics for the Trincon Group. “They’re respected by their peers, companies, shippers, law enforcement and the public. They’re expected to be the best, and they are.”
     Daryl Hopkins of the Tanker Division at Prime inc. maintains that tanker drivers are among the most skilled drivers in the Prime fleet. “We only have 150 trucks in our Tanker Division, so we’re small compared to our reefer and flatbed operations, but the drivers who come here from one of our other divisions or from another carrier have to take their skills up another notch, just because of the complexity of the job.”
     In these uncertain economic times, how does the tanker/bulk segment hold up in terms of freight compared to dry van or flatbed?
     “The bulk side is interesting because we have such a diverse base,” says Kevin Roycraft, vice president of operations at Liquid Transport, a part of the Dana Companies. “We have lost some revenue possibilities on the chemicals that go into the house-building market, but the petroleum side has
really been booming. That’s driving con- tractors to us.”
     “You hear manufacturing has slowed down, but to be honest with you, we have not seen much of a slowdown,” adds Laird of Superior Carriers. “I just put a report together and was surprised to see our load count was very similar to what it has been in years past.”
     Alan Lowe, president of the Tanker Division at McIvaine International, says flexibility is a big plus for its tank drivers. The average run at the regional carrier based in Wooster, OH is just over 100 miles, many of them out and back. “You’re not going to be home every night, but you’ll be home most nights,” he says. “We’re a perfect choice for someone who wants to stick fairly close to home, but doesn’t want the monotony of a dedicated run.” Propane and asphalt comprise the bulk of the company’s business – asphalt during the warmer months when road construction peaks and propane during the colder months.
     Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the tank and bulk segment has come under increased scrutiny, including more thorough background checks of drivers. Some experts consider a tanker filled with 7,500 gallons of explosive product one of the weakest links in the U.S. security net. As one trucking official put it, “If terrorists wanted to do something, a tanker filled with gasoline would be an easy target. For that reason, we want to make sure we have the right guy behind the wheel.”
     Enough said.