Getting Your First Entry Level Tanker Truck Driving Jobs Without Experience

Driving a heavy tanker truck requires more experience and skills involved with normal freight trucks, but the income is higher as well with many local entry level tanker driving jobs available at the oil and gas companies.

Most of the time, companies that provide long haul tanker truck services train their own drivers. At these companies, you can get an entry level tanker truck driving job with no experience, although having a CDL and some prior heavy vehicle driving experience will help to make your resume more outstanding among other applicants. All the other necessary training will then be provided to ensure you can perform your job well.

Usually for new tanker carrier drivers, you will be partnered with a more senior driver on several trips where you can co-drive a portion of the distance. This helps inexperienced tanker drivers to build confidence and get familiar with the routes he or she will be responsible for in future. You can get tips and guidances on certain things to take note of such as traffic conditions or places which are more accident prone. These on the job training and mentoring helps to quickly make up for the inadequacies of new tanker drivers that have just gotten their CDL certifications.

If you already have some heavy vehicle driving experience, the best way to get started in the job is to find an entry level big rig driving position with a long distance tanker carrier company instead of the oil and gas companies. The latter tend to employ only those with years of experience and do not offer new drivers any training opportunities.

To get your first tanker trucking job, you need to have a Commercial Drivers' License (CDL), which involves theory lessons in the classroom as well as practical training on the roads. For new commercial vehicle drivers that wanted to be certified for driving big commercial tank vehicles, you need to receive additional Tank Vehicle Endorsement, Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HazMat) etc on your CDL. You need to pass several exams to qualify, and should pay special attention to the CDL Tank Vehicle Test.

Many local community colleges and truck driving schools provide CDL certifications as well as other more advanced training to prepare inexperienced drivers for tanker driving employment. When choosing a good truck school, check out their training facilities and learning trucks used. Make sure these vehicles are up to date so that you learn to use the latest equipment that are on par with the tank trucks that you will be handling at work in future.

According to the Professional Truck Driving Institute (PTDI), qualified tanker truck training programs must have a minimum of 44 hours on-road experience for new tanker drivers. The curriculum should also cover night driving, handling of cargo, emergency tanker maneuvers and vehicle maintenance. These skills will help you on the job with any type of tanker driving jobs without experience when you are starting out.

The expected pay for entry level tanker truck driver jobs depend on the state and the type of materials transported. Generally, most truck drivers earn an annual salary around $45,000 while working an equivalent of 40 hour weeks for long distance transport companies. If you are an independent driver owning your own tanker truck, you can expect to earn more up to $100,000 a year although your income can be more unstable. There are a lot more rig maintenance and tax issues involved, which is why many drivers choose to remain as company drivers instead of becoming an owner operator.

To find your first tanker trucking job after completing your CDL but has no actual work experience, you can ask your driving school for employment assistance. Many schools offer guaranteed job placement upon completion of the CDL program, however some are only using these as marketing gimmicks to attract more people to sign up. The employment terms may be so unfavorable that you are better off trying to find an entry level company driver for tanker trucks on your own.

You need to accept that the materials you are transporting are usually of a hazardous nature so safety measures are very important. You will need to strictly comply with safety regulations and know what are the potential emergencies that can arise with the cargo you are handling. Due to the high risks involved, not many people are interested in driving big commercial tank vehicles carrying oil, gas and other flammable liquids (HAZMAT Class 3), and hence entry level tanker truck driving jobs without experience needed are readily available throughout the year.