Saturday 6 December 2008

Fuel 0.759/litre

Orientation has been going well, although getting bored of it now. I am hoping that Monday will be the last day in class. The other driver on orientation has never worked on tankers before so orientation has been at his pace and I think he is struggling with some of it.
Most of the tanks are around 7500 us gallon capacity but the thing that really surprised me is that they are single compartment and don't have any baffles, prepare for a rough ride! The other main difference from the UK is the fittings, most of them are all cam lock couplings, even for corrosives. The reason for having no baffles is they only have 1 lid so it would make cleaning inside almost impossible if they had baffles fitted. One good thing in North America though is the shipper is responsible for supplying all the diamonds and placards for dangerous goods and the driver is not allowed to carry any spares.
Stopped to fuel the car on the way to Winnipeg yesterday and filled it up for $50, it was 0.759c per litre. That is now less than we were paying when we came on our research trip in January 2007. It was a little warmer back then too, -34c with wind chill last night.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish someone would tell our oil companies to reduce the price. I filled up today at £1.03ppl for diesel, that's despite oil being the lowest price for 4 years. Rip off Britain, don't you just love it??????

Trkrjim said...

I haul some Hazmat in a reefer and my experience is (US experience) that the driver is always given 5 placards so there will be a spare in case wind or some other calamity befalls one on the truck. Just revently I had to use one of my spares; the placards I was giving were the kind you could stick on if you wished to, but we have holders for them. They were pretty thin and not very strong, the wind just tore one of them right out of the holder. They sell them in a lot of the truckstops as well, but good luck finding something besides the obvious dangerous of flamable.

Dave Caldwell said...

Andy,it's still more expensive here than in the states too.

Dave Caldwell said...

Thanks for that Jim, I have never hauled dangerous goods here in N America but have lots of experience in the UK. Just applied for my "FAST" card too and will then apply for my "TWIC" card. Jade Transport are paying for both of these ;0)

Anonymous said...

crivens a fast card.... is this something in Canada that lets you go faster than the speed limit :)
do you get a lose card as well?


I am still paying (well the company is) 1.10pp for diesel in this part of the UK...


still think you are better off there then here

Anonymous said...

btw how does one find the caldwell blog when not on your own machine....you ask google....fame at last eh!

Dave Caldwell said...

Hi Ian, "FAST" is an acronym for "Free And Secure Trade". A car is issued to truck drivers ater all the necessary security checks have been made. It is an agreement between USA and Canadian border protetion and customs officials to tighten security and a direct result of 09/11.

I will try not to let the fame affect me lol

Dave Caldwell said...

Oh boy, I wish they did issue a car but I think I will only get a card ;0)

Anonymous said...

Single compartment tankers with no baffles, you never drove a milk tanker then! No baffles because of the hygene. I now drive fuel tankers in the UK, so well baffled and with small compartments I never feel a thing. I am coming out to work for H&R in Lethbridge next year. Will give it a go, got to be better than Brown's Britian.

Dave Caldwell said...

Oh yes, plenty of experience with unbaffled tanks but not at 45ft long with a 7500 us gallon capacity, especially when you can't even carry the same weights as in UK!!! I too have experience on eliptical multi compartment tanks, much more stable as long as loaded properly. It will be a challenge to begin with ;0)
Good luck at H&R next year, let me know how you get on.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the new job mate, and who knows, we may meet up down the road seeing you will be doing long haul.
We arrived in Lethbridge this week and I am out on my training for H&R tomorrow.

Tony T said...

Hi ya dave,
See u went for the change then eh ?
Good Luck, & petrol back here is now 0.88.9 pence per litre, Santa Has come, But the Car Tax has gone up DER>>>> in one hand & Out of the other...
All the best Tony T

Dave Caldwell said...

Mick, good luck with the training, hopefully we will meet sometime.

Dave Caldwell said...

Thanks Tony, fill your car up before the prices rise again lol