Local CDL-A Position Bulk Propane / Tanker

CDL-A Local Bulk Propane Delivery Driver

Hiring Area: Albuquerque Metro & Surrounding Communities • Terminal: Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque, NM Home Daily 2–6 Year Bobtails

Run local bulk propane bobtail routes out of Albuquerque, earning $1,250–$1,750 per week with daily home time. Load at supply points and deliver directly to residential, commercial, agricultural and light-industrial customer tanks across the metro and nearby communities.

Typical Weekly Gross
$1,250–$1,750
Estimated Annual: $80,600
Sign-On Bonus $1,500
Home Time Home Daily
Driver Type Company Driver
Weekly Hours 42–52
Freight Type Bulk Propane

Position Overview

Work centers on live bulk transfers at individual customer properties rather than warehouse docks. Drivers handle both keep-full automatic accounts and will-call orders while navigating metro neighborhoods and rural access points throughout the Albuquerque service area.

  • Load at approved bulk plants and complete required transfer documentation.
  • Position the bobtail safely at residential and commercial tank locations.
  • Connect hose, verify remaining capacity and monitor the fill process.
  • Manage rural driveways, gates and uneven surfaces during deliveries.
  • Coordinate reloads and priority changes with local dispatch.
  • Document gallons delivered and handle basic customer communication on site.
  • Perform daily inspections of hose, reel, grounding gear and safety equipment.

Pay & Compensation Breakdown

Compensation follows a straightforward hourly model with overtime after 40 hours, reflecting the mix of driving, loading and customer-site transfer time.

Regular Rate $30.00 per hour
Overtime Rate $45.00 per hour after 40 hours
Weekly Range $1,250–$1,750
Typical Weekly Gross $1,550 (based on roughly 48 hours)
Estimated Annual $80,600
Sign-On Bonus $1,500 paid at 30 / 90 / 180 days

Schedule, Home Time & Routes

Home Time Home daily – no planned overnight dispatch
Primary Schedule Monday–Friday; seasonal Saturday coverage during high demand
Typical Hours 42–52 hours per week
Operating Area Roughly 50–100 road miles of the Albuquerque terminal, varying by customer density and season
Dispatch Window Typical start between 5:00–7:00 AM

Equipment & Cabin Specs

Chassis Freightliner and International day-cab bobtails
Equipment Age Primarily 2–6 years
Transmission Automatic
Safety Systems Forward-facing dash camera; collision mitigation and lane-departure on newer units
Assignment Assigned unit when available; spare bobtail used during maintenance or service intervals

Each bobtail is equipped with product transfer hose and reel, grounding/bonding equipment, emergency shutoffs, fire extinguishers, DOT-compliant placarding, ELD and mobile communications. Preventive maintenance is handled through the local terminal.

Real Routes

Product moves from local bulk plants directly into stationary customer tanks. Daily sequences are built around tank levels, keep-full schedules and will-call demand rather than fixed linehaul lanes.

  • Metro and northside runs covering Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Bernalillo and Corrales
  • South valley corridor serving Los Lunas, Belen and Bosque Farms
  • East Mountain deliveries toward Edgewood, Moriarty and Tijeras
  • Occasional northbound extensions toward Santa Fe when volume requires it
  • Primary roadways include I-25, I-40, US-550 and local arterials
  • Combination of automatic keep-full accounts and will-call customers

Typical Week & Daily Workflow

  • Complete pre-trip inspection of hose, transfer equipment, placards and vehicle systems.
  • Receive initial route and head out for the first residential or commercial cluster.
  • Perform live tank fills, then return to a bulk plant for reload when needed.
  • Adjust stop order when dispatch inserts higher-priority or access-restricted customers.
  • Finish remaining deliveries and return to the Albuquerque terminal the same day.
  • Winter periods often increase residential heating priority and overall daily volume.

About the Carrier

Homes, restaurants, farms and light industrial sites across central New Mexico rely on regular bulk propane deliveries to keep heating, cooking and process equipment running. This regional operation focuses on bobtail service from approved bulk plants to individual customer tanks, balancing automatic keep-full accounts with will-call demand. Routes are rebuilt daily around tank levels, weather and access conditions while staying inside the local Albuquerque service territory.

Benefits & Healthcare Coverage

Health Coverage Medical, dental and vision with employee contribution
Retirement 401(k) with company match
Time Off Paid holidays and paid vacation / PTO
Training & Safety Paid orientation, propane safety training and required PPE
Additional Uniforms after introductory period and winter work gear

Driver Qualification Requirements

  • Valid Class A CDL with current Tanker and Hazardous Materials endorsements
  • 1 year of CDL-A driving experience preferred; previous tanker, propane or bulk-liquid experience strongly preferred
  • Acceptable MVR, current DOT medical card and ability to pass required drug and alcohol screening
  • Ability to handle delivery hose and work outdoors in varying New Mexico weather conditions
  • Recent CDL graduates are generally not the primary target due to independent customer-site HazMat transfers

Operational Delays

  • Supply-point queues during cold-weather demand spikes
  • Locked gates, blocked tanks or restricted residential access
  • Muddy, uneven or narrow driveways on rural properties
  • Limited receiving windows at some commercial accounts
  • Traffic on I-25 / I-40 and weather impacts on East Mountain roads
  • Same-day resequencing when higher-priority tanks appear

Hiring Process

1
Application Review
Recruiter phone screen, usually within one business day
2
Background & Clearinghouse
MVR, employment verification, HazMat status and Clearinghouse query
3
Screening & Orientation
DOT drug test, equipment orientation and practical evaluation
4
First Independent Route
Assigned after all qualification and training steps are complete

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many stops are typical in a day? ▼
It varies. Tight metro clusters around Albuquerque and Rio Rancho can produce more stops than a few rural East Mountain or agricultural deliveries that take longer for travel and positioning.
Q: Is prior propane experience required? ▼
Preferred but not mandatory. A solid tanker or bulk-liquid background plus a clean safety record allows the company to provide product-transfer orientation and local route training.
Q: What do I do if a customer tank is blocked or inaccessible? ▼
Contact dispatch right away, document the condition, and wait for resequencing or further instructions. Do not attempt an unsafe approach.
Q: Do longer runs toward Santa Fe ever require overnight stays? ▼
No. Dispatch builds the day so the driver returns to the Albuquerque terminal within available hours.
Q: How does winter affect the work? ▼
Cold weather raises residential heating priority, can lengthen the day, and may add Saturday coverage, but the position remains home-daily.
Q: Will I have a permanently assigned truck? ▼
An assigned unit is standard when available. A spare bobtail is used during maintenance or service intervals.

CDL Job Market

Albuquerque’s location at the crossroads of I-25 and I-40 supports ongoing demand for CDL-A drivers across distribution, construction, foodservice, fuel and specialized fleets. The market is smaller than major national hubs but remains active for experienced local drivers, especially those with tanker or HazMat qualifications. Local specialized Class A positions in tanker, fuel and other regulated segments commonly advertise hourly rates around or above the $30 range. Propane delivery forms a distinct niche that combines driving with customer-site liquid transfer work. Clean-record tanker drivers stay in demand year-round, while recent graduates generally face a higher bar for regulated product roles. Residential and commercial heating needs, along with steady commercial accounts, help sustain local specialized hiring throughout the year.

Location & Freight Market

Central New Mexico’s freight activity concentrates around Albuquerque as the main population and distribution center. I-25 handles north-south movement toward Santa Fe, while I-40 carries east-west traffic across the state. Residential heating, restaurants, agricultural users, warehouses and light industry create dispersed propane demand across Bernalillo, Sandoval, Valencia and Torrance counties. Dense delivery clusters around Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Los Lunas sit alongside longer rural runs into the East Mountains and Rio Grande Valley. Heating season lifts residential volume, particularly at higher elevations, while commercial accounts provide steadier year-round demand. The geography favors local bobtail networks that feed individual customer tanks rather than large warehouse concentration points.

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