Online CDL Course: Tank Vehicle Endorsement

A tank endorsement is required for certain vehicles that transport liquids or gases. The liquid or gas does not have to be a hazardous material. A tank en-dorsement is only required if your vehicle needs a Class A or B CDL and you want to haul a liquid or liquid gas in a permanently mounted cargo tank rated at 119 gallons or more or a portable tank rated at 1,000 gallons or more.

Tanker

A tank endorsement is required for certain vehicles that transport liquids or gases. The liquid or gas does not have to be a hazardous material. A tank en-dorsement is only required if your vehicle needs a class a or b cdl and you want to haul a liquid or liquid gas in a permanently mounted cargo tank rated at 119 gallons or more or a portable tank rated at 1,000 gallons or more.

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CDL Tank Endorsement

Tank Vehicles. This section covers inspecting tank vehicles, driving tank vehicles, and safe driving rules. This section has information needed to pass the CDL knowledge test for driving a tank vehicle. You should also study sections two, six, and seven. A tank endorsement is required for certain vehicles that transport liquids or gases. The liquid or gas does not have to be a hazardous material.

A tank endorsement is only required if your vehicle needs a class A or B CDL, and you want to haul liquid or liquid gas in a permanently mounted cargo tank rated at 119 gallons or more, or a portable tank, rated at 1000 gallons or more. Before loading, unloading, or driving a tanker inspect the vehicle. This makes sure that the vehicle is safe to carry the liquid or gas and is safe to drive. Tank vehicles have special items that you need to check. Tank vehicles come in many types and sizes. You need to check the vehicles operator manual to make sure you know how to inspect your tank vehicle.

Leaks. On all tank vehicles the most important item to check for is leaks. Check under and around the vehicle for signs of any leaking. Don't carry liquids or gases in a leaking tank. To do so is a crime. You will be cited and prevented for driving further.

You may be also liable for the cleanup of any spill in general. Check the following. Check the tank's body or shell for dents or leaks. Check the intake, discharge, and cut-off valves. Make sure the valves are in the correct position before loading, unloading, or moving the vehicle.

Check pipes, connections, and hoses for leaks, especially around joints. Check manhole covers and vents. Make sure the covers have gaskets and they close correctly. Keep the vents clear so they work correctly. Check special purpose equipment. If your vehicle has any of the following equipment, make sure it works. Vapor recovery kits, grounding and bonding cables, emergency shut off systems, built in fire extinguisher. Never drive a tank vehicle with open valves or manhole covers.

High center of gravity. High center of gravity means that much of the load's weight is carried high up off the road. This makes the vehicle top heavy and easy to roll over. Liquid tankers are especially easy to roll over. Tests have shown that tankers can turn over at the speed limits posted for curves. Take highway curves and on-ramp off-ramp curves well below the posted speeds.

Bulk heads. Some liquid tanks are divided into several smaller tanks by bulk heads. When loading and unloading smaller tanks the driver must pay attention to weight distribution. Don't put too much weight on the front or the rear of the vehicle.

Baffled tanks. Baffled liquid tanks have bulk heads in them with holes that let the liquid flow through. The baffles help to control the forward and backward liquid surge. Side to side surge can still occur.This can cause a roll over.

Unbaffled tanks. Unbaffled liquid tankers, sometimes called smooth bore tanks have nothing inside to slow down the flow of the liquid. Therefore, forward and back-surge is very strong. Unbaffled tanks are usually those that transport food products, such as milk for example. Sanitation regulations forbid the use of baffles because of the difficulty in cleaning the inside of the tank. Be extremely cautious, slow, and careful in driving smooth bore tanks especially when starting and stopping.

Outage. Never load a cargo tank totally full. Liquids expand as they warm and you must leave room for the expanding liquid. This is called outage. Since different liquids expand by different amounts, they require different amounts of outage. You must know the outage requirement when hauling liquids in bulk.

How much to load. A full tank of dense liquid such as some acids, may exceed legal weight limits. For that reason you may often only partially fill tanks with heavy liquids. The amount of liquid to load into a tank depends on the amount the liquid will expand in transit, the weight of the liquid, and the legal weight limits.

Danger of surge. Liquid surge results from the movement of the liquid in partially filled tanks. This movement can have bad effects on handling. For example, when coming to a stop the liquid will surge back and forth. When the wave hits the end of the tank, it tends to push the truck in the direction the wave is moving. If the truck is on a slippery surface, such as ice, the wave can shove a stopped truck out into the intersection. The driver of a liquid tanker must be very familiar with the handling of the vehicle.