How to Choose Chemical Transport Truck?

Chemical transportation in bulk tanks and trailers is a different world from dry van and other types of truck transport. There are a host of regulations as well as product and equipment concerns that need to be navigated for product to move safely and without damage.

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As such, a simple call or to a transportation provider saying, “I have a product to ship, how much will it cost?” isn’t going to cut it. There’s a greater level detail required to match your load to the right provider and to get an accurate rate quote.

In this article, we’ll examine the ins and outs of chemical transport – from the product itself to the provider you choose to haul it – to help you cover all the bases before booking your next load.

Know Your Product

The first important piece of the chemical transportation puzzle happens before your load actually ships – it’s all about knowing your chemical product. To the extent possible, you will need to provide the following information to your transportation provider in order for it to match your load to the proper equipment and qualified driver.

Product information. Is the product dry or liquid? What are its safe temperature ranges? Is it hazmat or non-hazmat? If it’s hazmat shipping, there are additional concerns involved such as acquiring placards and hiring a driver with the appropriate endorsements.

Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Most chemical (and all hazardous chemical) products should have a Safety Data Sheet that details the product’s chemical characteristics and information related to its safe handling and transport. Recently updated regulations now require shippers to ensure SDS documentation is consistently up to date and digitally accessible.

Key information for transportation providers includes:

• Density: The weight per gallon will help determine the number of trucks required to handle a shipment
• pH: The product’s pH level will determine the types of tanks or trailers in which it can be safely transported (e.g., low pH items will require rubber-lined tanks which are harder to come by than stainless steel and aluminum)
• Viscosity: The product’s viscosity will determine whether the product can be pumped or if an air compressor can be used

Equipment information. Your transportation provider will need to know what special equipment requirements the product has, if any, as well as SOP details on loading and unloading (e.g., rear or center unload required; hose length needed; driver responsibilities and requirements). This also pertains to ‘incompatible prior products’ – a list of products that cannot have previously shipped in the tank or trailer used for your product.

Scale information. In order to get an accurate record of the amount of product being shipped, the truck will be weighed before and after your product is loaded. The difference equals the weight of your product. Your transportation provider will need to know if you have a scale onsite or if a visit to one must be factored into the driver’s route.

Hazmat vs Non-Hazmat Transportation

Chemical products can either be hazardous or non-hazardous. Of course, hazardous material transportation is subject to more regulations. Regulatory highlights include:

• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires carriers of certain types of hazardous materials to register for a Hazardous Materials Safety Permit (HMSP). It is illegal to haul affected chemicals without the HMSP.
• Under its Hazard Communication Standard, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires chemical manufacturers, distributors or importers to provide specific information about hazardous chemical products to downstream users. This information is broken up into the 16 sections of the product’s Safety Data Sheet.
• The FMCSA requires that hazmat drivers have the hazmat endorsement (H) on their Commercial Drivers Licenses (CDL). Liquid tanker drivers will also need the tanker endorsement (N). Both endorsements can be combined into a single “X” endorsement.
• The Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that cargo tanks be inspected on an ongoing basis to ensure their safety. For most tanks, these inspections occur according to schedule (e.g., every 5 years) and include visual, thickness, pressure, and leakage tests.
• The FMCSA requires that any tank or trailer hauling hazardous materials includes appropriate placards on the equipment that clearly identifies the chemical class being shipped.
• The FMCSA requires liquid tanks that are shipping hazardous materials to have an internal valve to prevent the contents of the trailer from being released accidentally.
• Emergency response information listed in the SDS must accompany hazmat loads, clearly outlining actions in case of spills or accidents.

There are myriad other regulations affecting chemicals, truck drivers, trucks and bulk equipment at both the federal and state level.

Hazardous materials generally require greater freight carrier insurance coverage. Carriers are required to have both liability and cargo insurance policies, and you will want to make sure that both are current before handing your product over.

• Liability insurance. This type of insurance covers damages to people and property in the event of an accident or other mishap. Most carriers are required by the FMCSA to have a liability insurance policy that covers between $750,000 (typical for non-hazardous dry van shipments) and $5,000,000 (typical for hazmat shipping). The exact minimum coverage amount will depend on the type of transportation being performed.
• Cargo insurance. This type of insurance covers damages to the cargo being shipped. The FMCSA requires most carriers to have cargo policies with a minimum amount of $5,000 per vehicle. As a shipper, you will want to make sure that your carrier’s cargo policy includes adequate coverage for the value of your products (e.g., if you’re shipping $250,000 worth of products, your carrier’s cargo policy should cover at least that amount).

Carriers often hold both policies with the same insurance provider – but this is not always the case.

Chemical Transportation Basics

Bulk chemical freight is generally shipped in one of three ways:

Liquid bulk tanks. Bulk liquid freight is shipped in liquid bulk tankers that are typically made from stainless steel or aluminum and hold 6,000-7,000 gallons. The tank may consist of a single compartment or be divided into two to four compartments for hauling different commodities at once. Air compressors or pumps are used to load and unload bulk liquids to and from the tank. Liquid bulk tanks can be insulated to protect temperature-sensitive products, or non-insulated. Some insulated tanks will also be equipped with an in-transit heating system to further protect against temperature degradation.

Dry bulk trailers. A dry bulk trailer is basically a metal cylinder with a series of cone-shaped hoppers at the bottom. At the bottom of each hopper is a valve, opening into a pipe that runs below the trailer. Those valves are closed when a shipper loads the truck. When it comes time to unload, the driver opens them, letting product run out of the hopper and into the pipe.

However, some loads may require a vacuum unit for loading, and/or a blower for unloading. Dry bulk trailers come in different sizes. For example, Polar Tank Trailer sells models that range in capacity from 550 cubic feet with a single hopper to 2,800 cubic feet with six hoppers.

Totes within a dry van. Chemical products, whether raw goods or finished products, can also be loaded into containers and shipped in a regular dry van trailer. The types of containers commonly used for chemical transport include drums and intermediate bulk containers (IBC). These IBC totes can handle large quantities of liquids or granulate materials, and range in carrying capacity from 180 to 550 gallons. They are available in plastic or stainless steel and can be stacked.

Chemical Transportation Cost

The cost of shipping liquid or dry bulk chemicals in bulk tanks or trailers is going to be higher than regular dry van shipments for a number of reasons.

• The equipment is more expensive. A regular dry van trailer will cost a carrier up to $40,000 to purchase whereas a liquid bulk tank will cost up to $125,000, plus the cost of special equipment.
• Deadhead miles are commonly baked into a carrier’s rate as each delivery requires the truck to visit a tank wash for cleaning prior to its next load.
• Hazardous loads are likely going to be more expensive than non-hazardous because of the higher insurance requirements and increased driver training associated with hazmat.

Choosing a Chemical Transportation Provider

You can ship your liquid and dry bulk chemical products by working directly with a carrier that has the appropriate equipment, drivers, certifications, licenses, and insurance. Or you can work with a bulk freight broker who has relationships with such carriers and can match your load to the most qualified provider. Unlike carriers, freight brokers do not own equipment and instead rely on their carrier network to move your loads.

Whether you choose to work with a carrier or freight broker, the most important thing to look for is experience with your product (or similar products). Chemical products can be temperamental, and a transportation provider that has experience handling it can make all the difference between a successful and unsuccessful load.

Most freight brokers don’t specialize in chemical transportation, but there are a select few who do. If you ship chemicals and want the convenience of working with a freight broker, it may pay to partner with one of these chemical-focused freight brokers.

The following are some of the advantages of entrusting your chemical loads to a freight broker that specializes in bulk freight.

• Freight brokers are equipment agnostic. Asset-based carriers have their own equipment and are going to want to use it to service your load. Freight brokers, as mentioned above, have no equipment of their own. What they do have, however, is a large network of carriers that they can choose from to meet your needs. This model ensures that only the most qualified carrier will haul your product.
• Freight brokers have capacity during tight markets. Another advantage of freight brokers is that they are not restricted by a finite number of trucks, drivers and trailers. Their capacity is as big as their carrier network. So, when one carrier lacks capacity, the broker can turn to another in its network to get your load on the move.
• Freight brokers can offer one-stop pricing. Let’s say you have product that can be shipped in a bulk trailer or in totes. With one call to your freight broker, you can receive quotes for each mode of transport to help guide your decision. This saves you the time of hopping from carrier to carrier and going through repeated input processes to receive quotes for each mode.
• Freight brokers can augment a bulk shipment with dry van. In cases where you have more product than you can ship in a single bulk tank or trailer – but not enough to fill up a second tank or trailer – your chemical freight broker can ship the remaining product via dry van. As with the one-stop pricing benefit, this augmentation would be part of one single shipping process, allowing you to handle all shipping details one time with one single freight broker.
• Freight brokers handle the vetting for you. Another one-stop benefit of shipping with a freight broker is that quality freight brokers vet their carriers thoroughly so that you don’t have to. Licensing, insurance, and regulatory compliance information for every carrier in a freight broker’s network is managed and kept current – saving you the headache of acquiring and maintaining this information for multiple carriers on your own.
• (Some) freight brokers are available 24/7.       Bulk freight 3PLs like Bulk Connection have actual people available to you day or night to assist with any aspect of your load. This availability and responsiveness is critical, particularly for emergency or time-sensitive shipments.

Chemical Transportation Mistakes to Avoid

The following are some potentially costly chemical shipping mistakes to avoid.

1. DON’T book a load without sharing required details with the carrier

Without some requisite information, carriers and freight brokers won’t fully understand your needs. Even if a quote was provided based on limited information, it would be much higher than normal because all that uncertainty will be baked into the price.

Your chemical transportation provider needs information to ensure that it can move your load safely and efficiently. The more information you can provide, the better your carrier’s or broker’s ability to quote you accurately. This includes timing/delivery requirements as well as loading and unloading requirements.

2. DON’T hire a carrier without vetting it first

When entrusting a load to a carrier, it is not uncommon for shippers to fast track or even skip the carrier-vetting process in order to get product on the move faster. This can be a costly mistake. For example, if something goes wrong with the shipment and your carrier doesn’t have adequate insurance, you may be on the hook for a lot more than you bargained for.

The company is the world’s best Chemical Transport Truck supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

Thoroughly vet your carriers – or turn to a freight broker instead. Some freight brokers have dedicated personnel tasked with maintaining the necessary information for every carrier in their networks.

3. DON’T get blindsided by supply chain interruptions

Whether caused by bad weather or seasonal shortages, supply chain interruptions can cripple your supply lines. When such interruptions hit, shippers scramble to find a carrier that can move product immediately to replenish a stock shortage. But when highways are closed due to a blizzard, “immediate” Is not an option.

You must prepare in advance for interruptions by setting aside emergency stock. While some interruptions occur without warning, others – like those caused by severe weather – can be forecasted several days out. Those forecasts should be the impetus to kick your supply chain into high gear and move your product before the bad weather strikes. It’s also an opportunity to build up an emergency stock in case an interruption takes longer than anticipated.

4. DON’T put all your eggs in one (carrier) basket

Some shippers are content to funnel most freight with one carrier they like. There are downsides to this. First, carriers tend to get complacent. While they value your business, they might not mind raising your rates from time to time. Next, there are times when a carrier may experience capacity shortages. If you haven’t built a relationship with other carriers or freight brokers, you’ll essentially need to pause your supply chain while you set up a new account with a new provider.

Get your eggs out of the one-carrier basket by establishing relationships with other carriers. Or, better yet, establish relationships with hundreds of carriers by partnering with just one freight broker that has a national carrier network.

5. DON’T forget to inform your transportation provider of blind shipment products.

While it’s relatively common practice within the chemical industry to have one product marketed under different names, it’s important that you notify your chemical transport provider of any variations. To illustrate, a driver once arrived at a plant to load a liquid chemical. However, the product listed on the SDS sheet, the product listed on the paperwork given to the driver at the loading facility, and the original product name given when the load was booked were three different product names. The driver was pulled over during a random DOT stop and he was written up due to these discrepancies.

Ensure that your transportation provider fully understands the product it is carrying, along with any variations in the product’s names. This will help protect the safety of everyone who encounters the product downstream and will help you avoid potential fines caused by naming discrepancies.

Get Your Chemical Products on the Move with Bulk Connection

Bulk Connection specializes in the complexities of chemical transportation, offering decades of expertise and an extensive, carefully vetted network of carriers across North America. By partnering with Bulk Connection, you leverage a dedicated team that ensures compliance, safety, and efficiency at every step—from product evaluation and equipment selection to meticulous planning and proactive risk management. Our personalized service means you'll always have support, guidance, and reliable capacity even in the tightest markets.

Shipping bulk volumes of chemicals around the country is no simple feat. While safely transporting large quantities of potentially hazardous chemical products or solutions, the most important things you need to know are the local, state and federal regulations.

When it comes to shipping chemical products, knowledge is key. Start by learning how the overall process works, what regulations exist and how the best chemical fulfillment companies get the job done correctly, and the transport process becomes much easier.

Bulk trucks or tankers are semi-truck cabs and trailers that carry various chemical products and solutions around the country. There are a few different types of bulk trucks that chemical transportation companies use for specific solutions:

• Liquid bulk tanks: These large stainless steel tanker trucks store large amounts of liquid chemical solutions during transport. The tanker itself is usually made of stainless steel or aluminum and can hold upwards of 3,000 to 7,500 gallons, depending on product density. Some tanks may just be one large compartment, while others have two to four compartments to transport multiple different solutions at one time. Stainless steel tankers are often rubber-lined for protection against corrosive chemicals. Temperature-sensitive products can even be shipped in an insulated tanker or in one with a built-in heating system.

• Dry bulk tankers: This type of tanker, also known as a pneumatic trailer, carts around dry powdered solutions and typically aren’t used to transport hazardous materials. These tankers have an aluminum barrel with one or more compartments to store different solutions. Capacities range from 500 to cu.ft. or upwards of 45,000 pounds.
• Dry vans: You can also have your product loaded into chemical-safe containers, such as plastic or steel drums and intermediate bulk containers (IBC), and shipped using a regular dry van trailer.

All three of these transportation types allow for secure storage and shipment of your chemical products in large quantities, which reduces the time it takes for your products to get to market.

How Chemical Products Are Shipped

If the thought of transporting large quantities of your own product across the country leaves you stumped, you can always work instead with a third party transport company to get the job done. Companies that specialize in chemical warehousing, transport and fulfillment can assist in meeting shipping deadlines and getting your product distributed with little stress on your end. 

How do they do it? There is a standard process companies (like Royal Chemical) use to determine what kind of tanker or trailer you need, the route the truck will take and how to handle the little details you may have missed.

The following six-step process shows how the process works, from transmitting product information to the chemical transport company to weighing your product and setting out on the road.

1. Gathering Basic Information on Your Product

One of the first things you will discuss with your chemical transport company are the specifics of your product. Have this information ready:

• Are you transporting dry or liquid goods?
• Is it a raw material or a finished product?
• What are the safe temperature ranges for the product or materials?
• Is it a hazardous material or non-hazmat?

2. Reviewing the Product’s Safety Data Sheet

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all employees who handle hazmat chemicals in the workplace to have access to a chemical’s Safety Data Sheet (SDS). That means your organization must provide the SDS to the transportation company of your choice so that the driver knows what chemical they’re transporting and any potential hazards it may pose. 

Information the shipping company uses includes:

• Density: This is the chemical’s weight per gallon, which helps the transport company determine how much space is needed to make the shipment.

• pH level: This is the level of acidity or basicity of your chemical, which is used to determine the type of tanker or shipping containers needed. 
• Viscosity: A chemical’s “thickness” is needed to determine how the product will be loaded and unloaded, such as by a mechanical pump or air compressor.

This information is vital when choosing the right type of tanker, trailer and shipping containers (if needed). It also helps the transportation company create an efficient and accurate shipping route and timeline to make sure everyone is on the same page regarding logistical expectations. 

3. Accounting for Hazmat Requirements, If Relevant

If your chemical is a hazardous material, then the transportation company must take extra measures to ensure the shipment’s safety and meet local, state and federal hazmat transport regulations.

Multiple government institutions, including OSHA, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) have regulations for shipping chemicals. Here are some of the regulations you and your shipping company must take into consideration:

• Hazard Communication Standard: You and your carrier should make sure that all relevant parties have access to the SDS before shipping so that you uphold this OSHA protocol.
• Hazardous Materials Safety Permit (HMSP): The FMCSA requires shippers of certain hazardous chemicals to have this permit. Transporting these chemicals without a permit is illegal. Some chemicals that require an HMSP include those that are explosive, “poisonous by inhalation,” ammonia, methane and natural gas all at certain capacities, according to the FMCSA. Carriers can only apply for this permit just before transporting these materials and can only maintain the permit if they are actively shipping these materials.
• Hazmat endorsement: The FMCSA also requires hazmat drivers to have the hazmat endorsement (H) on their CDL license, and liquid tanker drivers must have the tanker endorsement (N). Drivers qualified to do both may have the combined endorsement, (X).
• Public identification during shipping: The FMCSA requires all shipping vehicles and containers to be accurately labeled with the chemical’s class, better known as placards.
• Tanker safety features: The FMCSA also requires liquid tanks to have features like internal valves that prevent accidental releases and leaks.
• Inspection: The DOT requires that all cargo tanks, including chemical shipping tankers, be regularly inspected for leaks, defects and safety requirements.
• Insurance: Hauling hazardous material typically means more extensive freight carrier insurance coverage, including liability and cargo insurance policies. Your organization may need to purchase this coverage. The carrier organization should have it as well.

4. Choosing the Right Type of Tanker or Trailer

5. Determining Additional Equipment Needs

Other factors to consider when working with a shipping company include:

• Equipment requirements, such as temperature control or loading/unloading equipment sizes.
• Specific loading and unloading processes, such as rear loading and unloading.
• Incompatible prior products, which refers to a list of previously shipped chemicals that were in a tanker before that could cause an adverse reaction or contaminate your product.

6. Weighing the Truck Before and After Loading Product

Before loading the tanker with your product, the driver must weigh the truck first. They can do so on-site at the pickup location, if available, or they may need to stop at a weighing station en route. Once the solution is loaded into the tanker, the driver weighs the truck again to find the difference in weight, which is the weight of your product being hauled.

This information is vital for drivers because they must follow weight restrictions when accessing certain roads and to make sure all of your product is transported where it needs to go safely and without breaking any laws.

It’s important to note that this whole process is collaborative since you know your product and chemical shipping companies know how to get products where they need to go. After your chemical transport company of choice has the information about your product, you should work together to determine other logistical elements, like shipping costs, timelines and storage.

How to Choose the Right Chemical Transport Company

You want to choose a chemical transport company with the experience, equipment, licenses and insurance coverage needed to get the job done. Here are the features and qualities you should look for in a chemical transportation company so you know you’re getting the best service possible:

• Full freight insurance, including liability and cargo coverage
• Expertise in shipping many types of chemicals
• Knowledgeable of proper shipping practices, tools and vehicles
• Efficiency with transportation logistics
• Flexibility of shipping services
• Government certifications
• Dedication to safety

The experienced team at Royal Chemical is well-equipped to manage hauling logistics and heavy lifting so you can free up time, energy and space to focus on your business. We can help you assess your chemical transport needs and identify the most effective solutions for your organization.

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