June marks the 5th anniversary of the Bulk Connection Tank Wash Finder, the bulk freight industry's most comprehensive tank wash location directory.
Since its launch in 2019, the tool has been used tens of thousands of time by dispatchers, drivers and chemical shippers to quickly locate wash facilities for tanker trucks across the U.S. and Canada.
Unlike dry vans, tanker trucks hauling things like chemicals, food ingredients, and plastic pellets must be thoroughly cleaned out between loads. That's why locating a nearby tank wash is critical for carriers to stay compliant and on schedule.
The Tank wash Finder was the brainchild of Jim Cordock, president of Bulk Connection.
"I started my career as a dispatcher for a bulk freight carrier and would spend hours using phone books and basic tank wash listings to locate the right washes for my drivers" says Cordock. "But the information available was very basic – in some cases just an address. I needed to know more, like the type of washes performed and whether driver amenities, like availability of steam, trailer repair, fuel, and other services."
Cordock adds, "That's why we started the Tank Wash Finder – to give dispatchers an easy-to-use, online tool to save them time and allow them to determine, without a phone call, the right facility for their needs. I'm really not surprised at how popular the tool has become. It addresses a genuine need."
Users access the needed information in seconds using a desktop or mobile device. They simply enter the state in which a wash facility is needed, then a map displays and users click on a location to get detailed information about the facility.
The key difference between Bulk Connection's Tank Wash Finder and other tank wash directories is the level of detail provided about services offered, like cleaning (e.g., food-grade, chemical tank cleaning), certifications (e.g., kosher) and truck maintenance (e.g., repairs, parts replacement).
According to Jim Jones, General Manager of Wisconsin-based Jeff Foster Trucking, "The Tank Wash Finder tells us what a wash facility can't handle in addition to what it can. For example, it will say 'no polymers.' Well, we haul a lot of polymers, so that sort of information is vital. We don't want to risk driving hundreds of miles off route only to find out a wash couldn't do what we needed. The Tank Wash Finder has become our dispatch team's bible. It's how we plan all our washes."
Going forward, Bulk Connection will continue to work closely with all North American tank wash businesses to keep the listings accurate and very comprehensive.
"Our point of difference is the level of detail the Tank Wash Finder provides," says Cordock. "Users tell us that is what they value most. "Maintaining that level of detail is a win-win for the tank wash operators and the bulk transport community. Operators get to promote their services and bulk truckers get a comprehensive resource they can trust."
Check out the Tank Wash Finder today.
