🗺 Location & Routes
- Base city: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Route type: Regional chemical tanker network
- Freight: Industrial chemicals, fertilizer liquids, food-grade liquids
- Schedule: Appointment-based plant deliveries with fixed loading windows
📋 Job Description
- Execute scheduled pickups and deliveries of regulated liquid bulk freight between plants, terminals, and ag distribution sites with strict appointment windows.
- Perform DOT pre-trip and post-trip inspections with emphasis on tanker integrity, valves, and compartment seals before each load cycle.
- Maintain ELD logs and compliance records aligned with hazardous material transport regulations and facility check-in requirements.
- Handle loading/unloading operations at chemical and fertilizer facilities using controlled transfer procedures and site safety protocols.
- Secure load verification, placarding, and documentation checks at every terminal gate and shipper facility.
- Manage hazmat compliance handling including shipping papers, routing restrictions, and weather-adjusted safety adjustments.
✅ Requirements
CDL Class A
Valid CDL-A license required
Experience
2+ years tanker experience preferred
Age
Minimum 21 years old
MVR
Clean driving record, no major violations
Physical
Climbing, hose handling, and securement tasks required
Endorsements
Tanker + Hazmat required, TWIC preferred
🚛 Equipment & Fleet
- Truck assignment: Rotational dispatch-based unit assignment (no fixed truck per driver)
- Fleet average age: 3–8 years mixed regional tanker fleet
- Features: Stainless steel multi-compartment tanks, automatic transmission, safety monitoring telematics
🏠 Home Time
- Home weekly based on regional loop completion cycles
- Schedule may shift during peak agricultural and refinery demand periods
📍 Real Routes Our Drivers Take
- Minneapolis, MN → Cedar Rapids, IA (refinery-to-plant chemical transfer via I-35 corridor)
- St. Paul, MN → Milwaukee, WI (industrial liquid delivery across I-94 freight spine)
- Fargo, ND → Rochester, MN (agricultural fertilizer cycle routing with seasonal load spikes)
🎁 Benefits & Bonus Structure
📝 Hiring Process
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is hazmat required?
Yes, Hazmat endorsement is mandatory due to chemical freight classification.
How often am I home?
Drivers return home weekly based on regional loop completion.
What kind of freight is hauled?
Industrial chemicals, fertilizer liquids, and select food-grade bulk loads.
Is detention common?
Yes, facility wait times occur at loading and unloading terminals and are compensated hourly.
Do I need tanker experience?
Preferred but not always required; training is available for qualified CDL-A drivers.
What equipment is used?
Modern stainless steel tanker trailers with compartment control systems.
💼 Career Opportunities
This tanker operation in the Upper Midwest runs steady chemical and agricultural freight cycles tied to refinery output and seasonal farming demand. Drivers entering this system typically stay within regional loops that balance plant-to-plant transfers and scheduled bulk distribution. Over time, drivers can move into higher-paying specialty lanes such as dedicated chemical accounts or long-haul hazmat corridors. The freight base remains stable due to consistent industrial output across Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, with additional volume spikes during planting and harvest cycles. Advancement paths include trainer positions for new tanker operators, safety compliance roles focused on hazmat procedures, and dedicated fleet assignments for experienced drivers. The operation favors consistency, with predictable dispatch cycles for qualified drivers who maintain safety and delivery performance standards.
🚛 Dispatch Operations & Freight Flow Intelligence (NEW)
Chemical freight is dispatched through fixed appointment blocks tied to plant production schedules and agricultural demand cycles. Load availability is concentrated around refinery output windows and fertilizer distribution peaks, creating clustered dispatch waves rather than continuous flow. Yard staging at Minneapolis-area terminals often introduces queueing before loading due to compartmented tanker preparation and safety verification procedures. Rail-adjacent transfer points occasionally cause staggered release timing, which impacts route sequencing. Drivers are assigned loads dynamically based on hazmat qualification match, trailer availability, and facility clearance timing. Appointment compression occurs during peak agricultural months, increasing dwell variability at both origin and destination sites. Dispatch prioritizes compliance sequencing over mileage optimization, meaning routing is adjusted to match legal hazmat corridors and plant acceptance windows rather than shortest-path logic.
🔗 CDL-A Regional Chemical Tanker Driver – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis-area chemical tanker operations are driven by refinery output cycles, agricultural distribution demand, and regulated hazmat freight movement across the Upper Midwest corridor. Drivers operate within structured regional loops that balance plant scheduling requirements with strict DOT compliance and facility appointment timing. The system runs consistent weekly freight volume with variability during seasonal fertilizer peaks and winter routing adjustments. Most assignments rotate between Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin terminals, with occasional extensions into Dakotas depending on load availability. The role offers structured regional consistency, with controlled dispatch sequencing and regulated loading procedures across industrial and agricultural facilities.
🚀 Apply for This CDL-A Position
Complete the form below to apply for CDL-A Regional Chemical Tanker Driver in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
