Perhaps the most
specialized sector of trucking, the tank truck industry specializes in
bulk transportation services for four prime customer groups: Petroleum
products (including liquefied petroleum gases); chemicals (including
industrial gases); food grade products (such as sugar solutions,
beverages, dry flour, etc.) and intermediate products (such as paints,
solvents, plastic pellets, cement and other building materials).
Every retail gasoline service station is dependent on tank truck
deliveries to serve its customers and thousands of domestic
manufacturers and suppliers rely on safe and efficient tank truck
service to supply their production facilities.
Given the nature of the industry's customer base, it is reasonable to
estimate that over 70 percent of tank trucks are laden with hazardous
materials (as defined by the U.S. Department of Transportation).
Resultantly, carrier personnel -- from the driver corps through the
ranks of management -- must have singular and specialized knowledge of
the operational and regulatory requirements imposed by the agencies of
the Federal government.
For example, cargo tank vehicles must be constructed, tested and
maintained in compliance with strict engineering specifications
authored by the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Drivers, mechanics and safety specialists must
be trained in accordance with "hazmat training" regulations. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency demands compliance with requirements
centering on vapor recovery, engine emissions, spill reporting and
clean up as well as the control of pollutants from internal tank
cleaning operations.
No single entity of the transportation industry bears a greater
responsibility for safety and environmental stewardship, and tank truck
carriers meet those obligations, daily.
