It’s December, which means the colder weather is coming and our propane trucks will be in high demand. You’ll see them quite often – we’re sure of it! While you may have seen them in action on a delivery or two, we thought we’d share the “ins and outs” of what parts make up our propane trucks, which are referred to as bobtails within the industry.
Outside the Tank –
Tank
The tank itself is the most well-known and recognizable part of our trucks. It does have a giant Tri Gas & Oil logo on it, making it easily noticeable! The tank is what holds the liquid propane (or LP) that will then come through the hose reel and into your tank to heat your home or power your appliances.
Hose Reel/Delivery Hose
The hose reel is where the hose is stored. The hose is what you see your friendly delivery driver pulling from the delivery truck to your tank and allows the propane to travel from the truck’s storage tank to your tank.
Hose End Valve Filling Connector
This is the point at which the hose from the delivery truck is attached to your tank for filling. The valve has a lever that the driver will turn upward to begin fueling and will turn down when completed. This is the true connection between our propane and your heating needs.
Excess Flow Valve
The in-line valve is the mechanism through which pressurized gas or liquid flows in either direction. These valves only close when the flow through the valve exceeds the closing flow rate.
Meter
Mounted on the deck of the truck, the meter houses the technology that our drivers use to ensure proper gallon amounts are delivered safely and then noted on your account and delivery ticket. While the image above displays the meter uncovered, when the truck is in action out on deliveries it is covered with an aluminum steel box to keep the meter and other working parts protected.
Tank Percentage Gauge
This gauge is mounted on the back of the propane tank and allows the driver to easily monitor the propane levels in the truck tank.
Emergency Shut Off
A switch near the back tail light to immediately shut off the system in the event of an emergency. This switch is directly connected to the vehicle’s electrical controls. The driver also carries a portable emergency shut down device which allows them to remotely shut down the truck in case of an emergency and they are a distance away from the vehicle.
1075 Placard
The 1075 placard is placed on all four sides of the truck to alert emergency responders of the product (Propane) that the truck is transporting. This number is often mistaken as the truck number.
Inside The Tank –
Internal Valve & Pump
This is the part that pumps the actual propane through the meter to the hose so our drivers can deliver propane to your home.
Ticket Meter
Inside the propane truck are digital tablets that allow a feed from the meter box on the rear of the truck (called an LCRRII meter) with the gallons used. It then communicates that information back to the box to print out a ticket as well as connects with our customer relationship management system to note the delivery on your account.
Our tanks are equipped with the highest level of safety to ensure safe transportation and handling for our drivers and efficient deliveries to our customers. Our drivers go through in-depth safety training before ever hitting the road. Every driver must be CDL Hazmat certified, have tanker endorsements and air brakes endorsements. Per industry and safety regulations, our tanks are tested and recertified every 10 years. Safety is the utmost important thing here at Tri Gas & Oil off and on the road. To learn more about our delivery process or how propane can benefit your home, contact one of our expert team members today.
