Is Driving a Fuel Tanker Truck a Stressful Job?

Hauling fuel tankers requires patience, skill, and work ethic. Being able to control your emotions on the job is the difference between a smooth or stressful time at work. Are you wondering if pulling fuel in a tanker truck is worth the stress?

Hauling a fuel tanker is moderately stressful and challenging but rewarding. In comparison to other truck driving assignments, it is a relatively low-stress truck driving job. There is a lot to learn, but it's worth it. It allows you to manage yourself and requires minimal interaction with others.

I've been in the trucking industry for over a decade now, and in speaking to thousands of drivers, there are a few recurring complaints that might make some consider hauling fuel a stressful job.

From home time to benefits and, of course, compensation, every driver's needs are different, and in this article, we'll outline some of the good and the bad so that you can determine whether pulling fuel is stressful or not.

What is carried in a fuel tanker truck?

A fuel tanker truck transports gas and other petroleum products to local gas stations or other commercial fuel stations.

Since the products hauled are generally considered hazardous and high risk to the environment, drivers in this line of work require additional training to be able to complete the job safely.

Unlike other niches of trucking, pulling fuel takes hands-on work from drivers. As a fuel hauler, you may be required to help with offloading your cargo into holding tanks, overseeing the loading of your trailer, and following strict safety guidelines at the loading and unloading sites.

What does a fuel tanker truck driver do?

The loading and unloading process is part of a tanker truck driver's job, and it can be stressful.

If you're new to driving a tank, be ready to learn a unique set of skills separate from those that traditional trailers might require.

There are many steps you need to follow precisely, and as a fuel driver, you will have to learn on your own. There are hoses to watch, gauges to monitor, tanks to measure, and more. When one mishap can cost your job or your life, it's critical that you get comfortable with what you are doing.

As a tanker driver carrying fuel, the commodities you haul are usually classified as hazardous materials and are more dangerous than traditional chemicals. This means you need special training to handle any emergency situation that can happen during your route. 

Another challenge that comes with driving tankers is the act of driving itself. Hauling a liquid is significantly more challenging than driving with dry freight. Many drivers will tell you that the "surge" of liquid crashing to the front bore of a tank is one of the hardest aspects of tank driving to get used to.

Fortunately, all of this is easy to overcome, with the right training and time behind the wheel.

Is tanker truck driving more stressful than other jobs?

A 2018 study by careercast.com rated trucking number 17 of the 25 most stressful jobs.

Most people think their own jobs are the most special, but there are certainly those who have more of a right to complain than others.

The major stressors of any job include the number of people you have to deal with on the job, the strict deadlines, and the relative danger.

Here’s how the rest of the jobs measured up in the study:

What makes driving a tanker truck so dangerous?

Driving a tanker truck could be dangerous. Chemicals hauled in tankers can be classified as hazardous materials and carry risks to humans, animals, and the environment. This makes driving a tanker more dangerous than traditional trucking because there is added risk if something goes wrong and you get into an accident.

Other dangers of hauling tankers are:

Fires: Fuel tankers and general chemical trailers are at a high risk of catching fire during a traffic accident due to the flammable properties of the materials being hauled. The driver and anyone in the vicinity of a tanker crash are susceptible to serious burns and other injuries.

Explosions: If a tanker is involved in a high-speed collision, some materials may explode on impact. Unfortunately, this is a common cause of tank truck injuries, property damage, and, sadly, fatalities.

Chemical leaks & spills: Whether they are caused by faulty equipment, operator error, or a crash, some chemical materials with toxic properties can cause harmful fumes to be released into the air.

Rollovers: The additional movement of the liquid in a tanker makes the truck unstable during turns at high speeds, making a tank trailer hard to handle for a beginner or inexperienced driver.

Is being a fuel tank truck driver worth it?

At this point, you might be wondering, is it even worth it to be a tank truck driver. Veteran drivers will tell you that it depends on what you’re hauling. Different aspects of the job can appeal to different people, but there are some pros that most drivers can agree on when it comes to pulling fuel tankers.

Pros of driving a fuel tanker:

1. Drivers are home every night

Fuel delivery contracts are usually short-haul and regional routes. This means you will always be close to home. Some married drivers might see that as a con... but if you are someone who has a routine and likes to sleep in the same bed every night and can stick to a delivery schedule, driving a fuel tanker can be worthwhile for you.

2. Good driver compensation and benefits

Due to the added dangers of driving tanks and the lack of qualified drivers, tanker drivers usually enjoy above-average compensation and benefits. The median salary for tanker drivers is $47,000 on the low end and can go as high or higher than $90,500 gross.

Good companies will usually have a great benefits package to encourage employee retention.

3. Short loading and unloading times

Once a driver is trained and familiar with their equipment, picking up and delivering fuel products is typically hassle-free. While it might take up to 2-3 hours to unload a standard dry van or reefer trailer, unloading a tanker can be done in 45 minutes by yourself with one big hose.

As with any job, with all of the stress and dangers of driving a fuel truck comes a greater reward. If time at home and being paid well are a priority for you, then you might find that it’s worth enduring the little stress that comes with the job.  

Driving a fuel tanker truck is a job where patience and experience are rewarded. And from working closely with tanker drivers for over 10 years, I can promise you that most of them will never go back to driving anything else.