One inconvenience unique to bulk freight trucking is that bulk shipments require a tank wash after unloading. This is necessary to prevent contamination when the next product is loaded into the tank or dry bulk trailer. Tank washes are inconvenient because they add time to the load as the driver must travel – sometimes great distances – to get washed before picking up the next product.
To help this process run smoother, Bulk Connection developed its own tank wash directory: the Tank Wash Finder. In this article, we’ll tell you more about it and how it’s being used by other logistics professionals.
What is the Tank Wash Finder?
The Tank Wash Finder is an online tool developed by Bulk Connection in 2019 in order to provide the most comprehensive tank wash directory available. Whereas other tank wash directories largely consist of the names, addresses and phone numbers of tank washes across North America, the Tank Wash Finder goes a step further and provides information about the cleaning and maintenance services performed. This level of detail can save your driver from wasting hours-of-service time by driving to the nearest tank truck wash only to find out it can’t meet your needs.
The Finder currently displays detailed information on facilities and services for over 400 wash locations in North America. It is the result of an exhaustive campaign in which we contacted every one of these facilities to obtain detailed information about their services.
To use this tool, simply visit tankwashfinder.com and enter the state in which you’re looking for a truck wash. From there, you’ll see icons of all the wash facilities in the region. Click on an icon to view more information about the facility.
Who’s using it?
Now that it’s been live for almost two years, we’ve received a lot of great feedback about the usefulness of the Finder. Most of the feedback relates to time that the tool has saved drivers – a very pressing concern in light of the current capacity crunch.
In addition to time savings, the ability to research facilities has proven to be a major benefit to logistics pros. We’re seeing a lot of drivers, carrier dispatchers, shippers, and load planners use the Finder to research locations and service offerings. Some of the cleaning services included in the Finder that these folks are looking for include the following:
| Acrylate cleaning | Food-grade wash (non-food products) | Passivation |
| Boosted caustic wash | Gasket replacements | Polymer cleaning |
| Chemical tank cleaning | Hazardous chemicals / products | Pre-solve application |
| Detergent wash | Hazardous waste | Pump cleaning |
| Diesel flush | Hopper bottoms cleaning | Reefer wash |
| Diesel wash | Hose cleaning | Rinse - cold/hot |
| Exterior tank clean | Internal valve vacuum check | Steam and flush |
| Exterior tractor clean | Kosher certification | Steam - low and high pressure |
| Exterior wash | Kosher wash | Shipper tank preps |
| Flush | Latex wash | Van/box exterior wash |
| Food-grade wash - edibles/food products | Odorous products |
The tool also enables logistics personnel to call facilities ahead of time for pricing and estimated wait times.
Trust Bulk Connection for all things bulk shipping
Bulk Connection’s tank wash directory is part of our efforts to be the go-to resource for all things bulk shipping. Since 1987, we’ve worked with shippers to move liquid and dry bulk freight. We’ve also built one of the largest bulk carrier networks in North America. So, if you’re moving liquid or dry bulk, chemical or non-chemical, hazmat or non-hazmat, get in touch with Bulk Connection to learn how we can support your bulk supply chain.
