Tankers Must Purge Wetlines in Proposed DOT Regulation

Department of Transportation agency has proposed a rule that would require tank truck drivers hauling gasoline and other flammable liquids to purge the pipes used in loading and unloading before returning to the road.

The pipes, known as wetlines, can hold between 30 to 50 gallons of liquid and pose a risk if a passenger vehicle were to strike them, said DOT’s Research and Special Programs Administration. The proposal was made in the Dec. 30 issue of the Federal Register but comes after an initial airing of the idea in February 2003, the agency said.

The National Tank Truck Carriers said its members oppose the proposal, primarily because they believe such incidents are rare and the change could cost the tank truck industry millions of dollars.

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