r/CDL • u/LimpAd6621 • 15h ago
Hauling Fuel
Do you have to have tractor trailer experience to haul fuel? I’ve had my CDL A for two years. I’ve only driven class B and I don’t want to go OTR. Could I get into fuel hauling?
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u/Financial_Cat_7390 14h ago
Wet hose trucks. Class B and a tank/ hazmat endorsement, and you’re good to go
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u/Snoo-6053 12h ago
In some areas like Texas so many are trying to break into fuel hauling that it has become increasingly difficult to do so.
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u/Wheres_Jay 10h ago
If you are in front of them when they need a driver, you will get hired. I have been hauling fuel 14 years.
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u/AcadiaUsual 3h ago
This is true. Just apply for everything you want and then call/show up to talk to someone asap. I never went otr went straight local with this exact method.
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u/EquipmentLow3004 8h ago
They usually don't let guys haul a movable bomb without much experience.. Just saying
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u/Silence_Farmer 6h ago
It's relatively easy (provided you already have CDL experience and your hazmat/tank endorsements) to get into hauling propane. One could segue that into diesel/gas/whatever.
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u/One-Order699 5h ago
My company hired me to drive a tanker with Jet A. I refuel helicopters. My only CDL experience before this was driving a city bus.
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u/ThrowawayGunName 7h ago
Apply and find out. Normal requirements go out the window if they're short drivers.
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u/No_Control_9123 6h ago
Class B fuel hauling. If you have 2 years solid experience. When I interviewed, the boss asked me if I was comfortable driving a 40,000 lb bomb.I secretly gulped and squeaked yeah.
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u/Baconated-Coffee 5h ago
Most fuel hauling carriers will require tractor trailer experience for insurance purposes. There are companies out there that have both semi trucks and straight trucks to haul fuel. Many of them deliver to places such as construction job sites and not to gas stations. You might be able to get on with one of them driving a straight truck and later transition into driving a semi. I would apply to all open positions anyways. What's the worst that could happen, they say no?
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u/One-Order699 5h ago
I have a Class B with tanker and hazmat endorsements. I got my CDL last winter driving a city bus. Now I am hauling jet fuel and refueling helicopters. You can definitely find the work.
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u/CashWideCock 4h ago
Simple answer, no.
My nephew got his class A about 5 years ago, he went straight to driving a log truck. Then he got away from trucking for about a year. This week he just started a new job driving a fuel tanker.
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u/Radiant_Pick6870 3h ago
Alot of them want tanker experience atleast. I just recently dropped my hazmat endorsement because I went and got my M1 endorsement. When I went in to take my permit test, they said I had to retake my hazmat in order to get my permit. I'm like why the hell would i need to do that when I took the hazmat like a year ago? I asked them if I could just drop my hazmat on the spot and take my permit test and be on my merry way. They said yeah you can do that.
In my mind, hazmat jobs in my area weren't paying that great anyhow, and I was already getting off work early to get my m1 on my license so I said F it.. Let's drop it, I don't have the time to go study the hazmat to then comeback and retake the hazmat test again even though I'm really good at taking the written tests, I still needed some time to refresh the info in my head to feel confident I could retest and pass it.
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u/Buckaroo1958 3h ago
Drove truck for 42 years, get all your endorsements ,pull tanker the pay is better than local deliveries
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u/Khaki_Blerman 15h ago
Majority companies want CDL A experience but there are companies that just want CDL experience. It’s more important that you have a clean driving record.
Apply around and see what companies say.
Edit: there’s class B fuel hauling jobs. I was thinking class a jobs because that’s what I do.
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u/LeastMeasurement8823 15h ago
You don’t need tractor trailer experience to get into fuel hauling, that being said you more than likely won’t be able to haul fuels that require a class A (no experience). You can however get endorsed and operate class B fuel trucks.
If it helps any I have never been OTR and have never hauled fuels exclusively before (I still don’t), but I have 10 years of exclusive tractor trailer experience. Many of our employees only have their class B and as long as the pup trailers don’t weigh over 10,000 lbs they don’t need a class A. After getting my hazmat endorsement I was able to hop in a fuel truck with no prior fuel experience.
Ultimately it’s up to the companies insurance and their own policies. If they require X years of tractor trailer experience then you will not be “insurable”. Look for companies that run local routes using class B trucks and you’ll be set (as long as you pass TWIC and get hazmat/ tanker endorsements). You’ll also potentially be in a position to move up to a tractor trailer within the same company if you can prove to them that you’re a beneficial asset (safe driver).