CDL-A Petroleum Fuel Tanker Driver Jobs in Minneapolis, MN

Job Snapshot

Position Overview

A mid-sized regional fuel transportation company is hiring experienced CDL-A drivers for Petroleum Fuel Tanker positions based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This role supports fuel distribution throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area and surrounding regional markets.

Drivers supply retail fuel stations, commercial fleet facilities, municipal agencies, agricultural cooperatives, and bulk fuel customers. Operations focus on scheduled customer deliveries with flexibility for same-day dispatch adjustments due to inventory changes, terminal loading delays, severe weather, or emergency fuel requests. Safety, product integrity, and regulatory compliance are the primary operational priorities on every load.

Why Drivers Choose This Position

• Steady year-round petroleum freight demand across the Upper Midwest with consistent dispatch priorities.
• Home most days with only occasional overnight runs depending on customer demand.
• Newer Kenworth, Peterbilt, and Freightliner tractors with automated manual transmissions, Samsara ELD, forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and roll stability control.
• Multi-compartment MC-406 aluminum fuel tankers equipped with vapor recovery, bottom loading, and emergency systems.
• Predictable customer inventory-based scheduling with pre-planned deliveries.
• Dedicated support including company maintenance facilities, roadside assistance, and safety department available seven days a week.

Equipment & Fleet

The fleet consists of Kenworth T680 day cabs (2022–2024), Peterbilt 579 day cabs and regional sleepers (2021–2023), and well-maintained Freightliner Cascadia units (2020–2022). Fleet equipment includes automated manual transmissions, Samsara electronic logging devices, forward collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, roll stability control, dash cameras, onboard communication tablets, and GPS routing integrated with dispatch.

Drivers operate MC-406 petroleum cargo tank trailers in multi-compartment aluminum configurations (4- and 5-compartment) equipped with vapor recovery systems, bottom loading equipment, emergency shutoff systems, API loading adapters, overfill protection, hose reels, grounding cables, spill response kits, and required PPE supplied by the company. Trailers are primarily 2020–2024 models with reserve units for peak demand. Assigned tractors are available whenever practical.

Home Time

Most drivers return home daily or after completing their final scheduled delivery. During periods of increased regional demand or extended delivery assignments into northern Minnesota or western Wisconsin, occasional overnight stays may be required.

Schedules generally consist of a five-day workweek with rotating weekend coverage and early morning dispatch. Home time requests are coordinated with fleet management whenever operationally possible.

Real Routes Our Drivers Take

Typical freight lanes include Minneapolis, MN to Rochester, MN; Minneapolis, MN to St. Cloud, MN; Minneapolis, MN to Mankato, MN; Minneapolis, MN to Duluth, MN; Minneapolis, MN to Eau Claire, WI; and Minneapolis, MN to Red Wing, MN. Primary travel corridors include I-35W, I-35E, I-94, I-394, US-52, US-169, MN-610, and I-494 beltway.

Most loads originate from petroleum terminals serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul market before delivering directly to customer fuel facilities. Backhaul freight generally consists of returning empty tankers to Minneapolis loading terminals.

Requirements

Ability to safely handle petroleum transfer equipment and wear required PPE. Strong understanding of Hours-of-Service regulations and hazardous materials transportation requirements.

Hiring Process

Ability to pass DOT drug screening and background requirements for HazMat endorsement.

Typical Day

Drivers typically begin their shift between 3:30 AM and 6:00 AM depending on customer delivery schedules. Dispatch assignments are usually available before reporting to the terminal.

A normal day begins with pre-trip inspection, terminal check-in, loading authorization, product loading, and first customer delivery. Most shifts include three to six fuel deliveries depending on customer tank size and geographic distribution. Urban deliveries require careful scheduling around Twin Cities traffic.

Terminal arrival leads to pre-trip inspection, loading rack assignment, bottom loading, product verification, customer deliveries, return to terminal for reload if scheduled, final paperwork, and post-trip inspection. Dispatch coordinates revised appointment times and reroutes when delays occur.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schedule & Dispatch

Dispatch priorities shift throughout the week depending on terminal inventory, customer tank levels, weather events, and refinery supply schedules. Most customer deliveries are pre-planned one day in advance using inventory forecasting systems. Drivers normally receive first load assignment before reporting, terminal loading instructions electronically, updated delivery sequence when necessary, and customer-specific unloading notes.

Dispatch remains in contact throughout the shift using onboard communication systems. When delays occur, dispatch coordinates revised appointment times and reroutes remaining deliveries. Maintenance, safety, and dispatch departments communicate continuously regarding equipment availability, weather advisories, and Hours-of-Service compliance.

Freight Details

Drivers transport unleaded gasoline, premium gasoline, ultra low sulfur diesel, off-road dyed diesel, E85 ethanol blends, biodiesel blends, and winter diesel products. Typical customers include retail fuel stations, truck stops, municipal fueling facilities, construction companies, school transportation fleets, agricultural fuel distributors, and commercial fleet fueling locations.

Product compatibility often determines which trailer can receive the next assignment. Peak gasoline demand increases during summer weekends, while diesel deliveries increase during harvest season and winter weather operations.

Delivery Process

Drivers report directly to fuel terminals where every load begins with loading authorization verification, product assignment, compartment loading instructions, grounding procedures, PPE inspection, bottom loading connection, vapor recovery hookup, automated loading sequence, and bill of lading verification. Terminal loading generally requires 30–60 minutes.

Customer deliveries require confirming tank charts, verifying fuel grade, checking underground storage tank assignments, confirming available capacity, connecting delivery hoses, monitoring unloading, documenting delivered gallons, and obtaining customer signatures. Unloading remains the driver's responsibility. Most customer locations operate by scheduled delivery windows.

Compensation

Additional pay includes Safety Bonus up to $1,200 annually, Quarterly Performance Bonus based on safety, attendance, and customer service, paid HazMat refresher training, paid orientation, and driver referral bonus paid in installments.

Benefits

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage, company-paid life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability options. Retirement includes 401(k) with company matching contribution after eligibility period.

Additional benefits include paid vacation, paid holidays, personal time available after eligibility period, company-paid maintenance, fuel cards, roadside assistance, assigned tractor when available, ELD technical support, company-provided PPE and safety equipment, dedicated fleet dispatcher, safety department available seven days a week, maintenance hotline, payroll support, and ongoing compliance assistance. Training includes paid onboarding, terminal loading procedures, spill response training, annual HazMat compliance updates, and equipment refresher training.

Career Opportunities

This regional petroleum tanker position suits experienced CDL-A drivers who prefer consistent local and regional operations with technical responsibilities over long-haul general freight. The role involves steady fuel distribution supporting essential services that operate year-round regardless of broader freight market conditions.

Drivers manage pre-planned customer inventory deliveries with real-time dispatch coordination, terminal loading procedures, and direct customer unloading responsibilities. The operation combines structured scheduling with necessary flexibility for weather, inventory changes, and emergency requests typical of fuel transportation in the Upper Midwest.

CDL-A Truck Driving Jobs in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis serves as one of the Upper Midwest's primary petroleum distribution hubs. Multiple refined fuel terminals along the Mississippi River corridor and nearby refinery supply networks create steady year-round demand for qualified HazMat tanker drivers. Petroleum deliveries remain consistent regardless of broader freight market fluctuations, with seasonal gasoline demand, winter diesel usage, and agricultural fuel requirements influencing dispatch priorities.

CDL-A tanker drivers in the Minneapolis area operate on major corridors including I-35W, I-94, and I-494 while servicing the Twin Cities metro and regional markets in Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The local logistics environment supports reliable operations for professional drivers handling temperature-sensitive and regulated petroleum products through established terminal and customer networks.

Class A CDL drivers seeking regional tanker opportunities in Minnesota benefit from the area's role as a key fuel distribution center. Operations emphasize safety, regulatory compliance, and precise handling of multi-compartment tankers across varied customer sites from retail stations to agricultural cooperatives.