Fuel and tanker drivers and staff
ADR tanker drivers for fuel and bulk liquids: terminal loading, depot and forecourt deliveries, compartmented loads and dangerous goods rules.
The work
Tanker work carries liquids in bulk. Fuel tankers load petrol, diesel and heating oil at terminals and take them to filling stations, depots, farms and businesses. Other tankers carry chemicals and industrial liquids. The load is pumped on and off the vehicle, and it is usually split between compartments in the tank.
The driver checks the vehicle and its safety equipment before loading, loads to the terminal’s procedure, and on delivery checks that the receiving tank has room before discharging. Because the load is split, the driver works out the order of delivery and keeps the weight balanced between drops.
A tanker driver carries the documents for the load and the ADR card, and needs to know what to do if something goes wrong, because the load is a hazard in an incident. Terminals and depots run their own safety rules, and each new site starts with an induction.
Vehicles and loads
- Rigid and articulated road tankers with one or several compartments
- Fuel tankers for petrol, diesel and heating oil
- Bulk tankers for chemicals and industrial liquids
- Safety equipment carried on the vehicle and checked before loading
Licences, cards and tickets
- Category C (Class 2) for rigid tankers, and category C+E (Class 1) for articulated tankers.
- An ADR card that covers tanks, for drivers carrying dangerous goods in a tank. GOV.UK says the card shows which dangerous goods the driver may carry.
- Driver CPC and a digital tachograph driver card.
- An induction at each terminal and depot, which run their own safety rules.
- Protective equipment for the load, supplied or named by the client.
Shift patterns
- Days
- Forecourt and depot deliveries in daylight, with drop times set by the customer.
- Nights
- Overnight loading and deliveries, including to forecourts that take deliveries out of hours. Night work follows the working time rules.
- Tramping
- Long-distance bulk moves can keep a driver out for the working week, where the booking says so.
- Weekends
- Fuel is delivered every day, so weekend shifts cover rest days and busy periods.
Checks we run for fuel and tanker
ADR card
We check that the card covers tanks and is in date, and ask which loads the driver has carried.
Licence and cards
Licence, Driver CPC and digi card are checked before the first shift.
Terminal rules
We tell the driver which terminals and depots need their own induction or pass, and when it has to be done.
References
We ask referees about safe working with hazardous loads and about following procedures.
The full list of checks is on the compliance checks page.
Roles in fuel and tanker
Where we cover it
Questions about fuel and tanker work
- Do I need ADR to drive a tanker?
For dangerous goods, yes. GOV.UK says the ADR card must be held to drive any dangerous goods. A fuel tanker driver needs the card with the tanks module, and GOV.UK says a Petroleum Driver Passport is needed as well for fuel terminals where petroleum products are loaded into tankers. A tanker of something that is not dangerous goods, such as milk, does not need ADR.
- Can I drive a fuel tanker with only a C+E licence?
No. The lorry licence lets you drive the vehicle, and the ADR card lets you carry the load. You need both, plus the Driver CPC.
- How long does an ADR card last?
GOV.UK says the ADR qualification lasts 5 years, and the expiry date is printed on the card. Refresher training can start one year before the card expires, and the refresher exam must be taken at least 2 weeks before expiry. We check the expiry date on every booking.
- What does a tanker driver do at a terminal?
Follows the terminal’s loading procedure, loads the compartments the job needs, closes and checks the vehicle, collects the documents and leaves through the gate. Each terminal runs its own rules.
Book an ADR tanker driver
Give us the tanker type, the loads, the terminal, the licence category, the ADR requirement and the start time. We come back on who can cover it.