Sorry to leave a thread on here like this but i know there is an issue with the dm’s.
I did my tanks today and passed thanks to both of you for your encouragement.
Congratulations 
You should get your new, upgraded ADR certificate by this time next week; I redid my ADR exams last Friday and the new card came today (Yes, we instructors have to resit our exams every five years too)
Well done coops, what’s the plan? Will you start using it straight away or just keep it in your pocket for when it might come in handy?
Im going to approach a few companies in my area see if i get any nibbles
Good luck, remember they are obliged to provide on-the-job training for specific loads and specific types of tankers. The legal minimum is 1.5 hours (your Tanks instructor should have mentioned this, potentially in terms of “two training unit’s worth of practical training”) but it’s reasonable to expect a great deal more than that.
And bear one thing in mind, when it comes to tanks there’s no messing about with the rules, it’s done by the book or you will be out the door, so present yourself as “a safe pair of hands” who will take everything seriously.
Dave has extensive tanks experience, but I think all the gripes about the new forum are taking up much of the time he might otherwise have been able to devote to sharing his knowledge.
The instructor explained that we would need training on the particular tanker for the job we went for even the guys that had a tanker job. There is way too many different types and different quirks. Not to mention different amounts of ullage? for different products.
One thing that struck me was the video of a tanker being pumped out and they hadn’t opened the vents and how little warning they got before the tank collapsed
Yeah, blink and you miss it 
Assuming you’re referring to the standard video used by NDGTC (featuring a rail tanker) I’m not certain it was being pumped out though, I’d been told way back that this was merely the result of a gravity discharge, which makes it all the more shocking.
i assumed pumping because i would of guessed that the vacuum would of overcome gravity but i know we were told to always open the vents
It’s not gravity that does the damage, it is the difference in air pressure.
15 psi doesn’t sound much, until you work out how many square inches there are on the tank surface and then it looks very different.
Venting applies when bottom filling tanks too. The air inside has to go somewhere rather than be compressed in the top. Depending on the product it may be vented to atmosphere, but in some cases it will be piped away.
Again though, this should all be covered by specific product and equipment training.
For those who might like to see what we’re talking about, this is the video
Hi cooper1203,
Sorry for the late reply.
Yes, there are issues with the DM system, but I don’t see the point of doing DMs for a general (non private) question or advice that others would equally benefit from, or simply be curious about reading.
I agree with ncooper00’s explanation and reasoning, as well as zac_a’s point about the extra obligatory training on the exact tank and substance that the employer wants you to carry. From experience, I’d say that a decent tanker firm may take about a month before they sign you off as fit to fly solo.
One of my comments when teaching an ADR tnker course is to say that the training and ADR tanks being on your ADR card will get you in to the interview, but it’s up to you how you come across to the employer in the interview. Attitude is key here.
More general advice for a budding ADR tanker driver…
1.) A tanker is a very safe piece of kit in the hands of somebody who is well trained and has the self discipline to follow company rules and site procedures. If you follow rules and procedures and something goes wrong, then there’s either something wrong with the rule or procedure (not usually likely) OR it’s due to a failure of a piece of equipment. Anything in this paragraph can’t then be held to be your fault.
2.) The alternative is the type of person who cuts corners or is generally negligent or careless. Anything that goes wrong is then very probably the driver’s own fault and a driver can then expect a swift dismissal.
As you probably saw and heard on your tanker course, the results of a chemical spillage involving a tanker, whether it’s road accident, or a loading/discharge issue, can be quite catastrophic, so there’s a clear choice to be made as to whether a driver follows paragraph #1 or paragraph #2.
My last tip is that (hopefully following a successful interview) as well as learning the sage advice of your driver trainer, you take good notice of how to use your brakes and how to get your approach speed for various obstacles correct, because that’s the best ‘free’ tanker driving lesson out there.
Good luck in your quest!!