chief916 Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 Anybody have any experience in dealing with fuel spills in excess of 35 gal and having to deal with the EPA and if so did your insurance cover the clean up? I bring this question up only because a friend who does heavy crash and recovery told me that whether by your fault or no fault of your own if the spill exceeds 35 gal the vehicle owner is responsible for all clean up within 30 days and is subject to very heavy fines and possibly having vehicles and property confiscated. Can anyone enlighten me on this subject? Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrap Posted February 16, 2019 Report Share Posted February 16, 2019 Had a few screwups around the country but its always been for work so never had to do the insurance part. So far has never crossed $10K in cleanup or involved the news either, knock on wood.... Be sure your tanks are low before shucking a driveline! Kinda sorta related, but third time you are caught forgetting to put a fuel cap back on you are fired actually. Work is pretty serious about fuel on the ground. We try to keep one of those New Pig Truck Bags in the trucks as much as practical to give us something to at least try to keep it contained. Don't plug the hole with every Calvin Klein you can find in the sleeper because the truckstop replacements suck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chief916 Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 6 hours ago, Scrap said: Had a few screwups around the country but its always been for work so never had to do the insurance part. So far has never crossed $10K in cleanup or involved the news either, knock on wood.... Be sure your tanks are low before shucking a driveline! Kinda sorta related, but third time you are caught forgetting to put a fuel cap back on you are fired actually. Work is pretty serious about fuel on the ground. We try to keep one of those New Pig Truck Bags in the trucks as much as practical to give us something to at least try to keep it contained. Don't plug the hole with every Calvin Klein you can find in the sleeper because the truckstop replacements suck! Like the part about shucking the drive line. Thanks Scrap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dp26 Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 No experience, but it looks like PL/PD is the coverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chief916 Posted February 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 30 minutes ago, Dp26 said: No experience, but it looks like PL/PD is the coverage. Forgive me but I can only make a swag at PL/PD. Personal liability/Property damage??? Yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dp26 Posted February 17, 2019 Report Share Posted February 17, 2019 Pd is property damage (during accident). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chief916 Posted February 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2019 On 2/17/2019 at 2:05 AM, Dp26 said: Pd is property damage (during accident). Okay got it. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Kildow Posted February 19, 2019 Report Share Posted February 19, 2019 Also toss a bag of Adult Dipers in the side compartment. They will soak up a fuel leak. Unless its pouring out. I have driven a limb into the hole. And get it taken care of. And had a drive shalft come out. Grossing 102K and it was not fun. Came of the back of the trans. Lifted the drives off the ground for a second. Did not hurt a tank. But it ripped out the swing bearing. Thus taking out a brake chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maveric Posted February 20, 2019 Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 On 2/16/2019 at 12:03 PM, Scrap said: We try to keep one of those New Pig Truck Bags in the trucks as much as practical to give us something to at least try to keep it contained. Don't plug the hole with every Calvin Klein you can find in the sleeper because the truckstop replacements suck! I carry a toilet wax ring for plugging the hole in a fuel tank. Works great as a temp fix. Stops the leak, but don't drive with it. The road heat and vibration will knock it loose. (which makes a bigger hazmat mess) Chris & Tonya '99 Freightliner FLD120, '01 Wabash Toyhauler (32' garage, 20' LQ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chief916 Posted February 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 2 hours ago, maveric said: I carry a toilet wax ring for plugging the hole in a fuel tank. Works great as a temp fix. Stops the leak, but don't drive with it. The road heat and vibration will knock it loose. (which makes a bigger hazmat mess) That's a great idea....will be sure to get a couple for my trips. thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chief916 Posted February 20, 2019 Author Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 On 2/19/2019 at 5:01 PM, Pete Kildow said: Also toss a bag of Adult Dipers in the side compartment. They will soak up a fuel leak. Unless its pouring out. I have driven a limb into the hole. And get it taken care of. And had a drive shalft come out. Grossing 102K and it was not fun. Came of the back of the trans. Lifted the drives off the ground for a second. Did not hurt a tank. But it ripped out the swing bearing. Thus taking out a brake chamber. 10-4 on the diapers. This is great info to know. thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuiteSuccess Posted February 20, 2019 Report Share Posted February 20, 2019 On 2/19/2019 at 5:01 PM, Pete Kildow said: Also toss a bag of Adult Dipers in the side compartment. They will soak up a fuel leak. Unless its pouring out. I have driven a limb into the hole. And get it taken care of. And had a drive shalft come out. Grossing 102K and it was not fun. Came of the back of the trans. Lifted the drives off the ground for a second. Did not hurt a tank. But it ripped out the swing bearing. Thus taking out a brake chamber. Pete, Never know, diapers may come in handy in case of emergency stop when the Kia slams on his brakes in front of you on the freeway. 😜 2006 Volvo 780 "Hoss" Volvo D12, 465hp, 1650 ft/lbs tq., ultrashift Bed Build by "JW Morgan's Custom Welding" 2017 DRV 39DBRS3 2013 Smart Passion Coupe "Itty Bitty" "Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickeieio Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 Back when I was young, and cars had steel fuel tanks, you could buy a fuel tank repair kit at any auto parts store. It had epoxy and a fiberglass patch, and a wax crayon to plug the hole. Identify the leak, and stop flow with the wax. San/prep surface, being careful not to disturb the wax. Mix epoxy and apply patch, smearing more epoxy into fabric. Wait prescribed time and drive on.......Oh wait, DT was supposed to say that..🤣 It might take a big wax crayon to stop the fuel from an errant drive shaft, but with a toilet ring, some burlap, and a ratchet strap, I bet we could get on down the road. KW T-680, POPEMOBILE Newmar X-Aire, VATICAN Lots of old motorcycles, Moto Guzzi Griso and Spyder F3 currently in the front row Young enough to play in the dirt as a retired farmer. contact me at rickeieio@yahoo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Kildow Posted February 21, 2019 Report Share Posted February 21, 2019 21 hours ago, SuiteSuccess said: Pete, Never know, diapers may come in handy in case of emergency stop when the Kia slams on his brakes in front of you on the freeway. 😜 Might take the whole pack on that one. But then again, would not feel the Kia bouncing off the bumper. 🧐 I did see a Cabover hit a Geo Metro years ago. That was the fastest that Metro ever moved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeBeFulltimers Posted February 23, 2019 Report Share Posted February 23, 2019 On 2/21/2019 at 3:28 PM, Pete Kildow said: Might take the whole pack on that one. But then again, would not feel the Kia bouncing off the bumper. 🧐 I did see a Cabover hit a Geo Metro years ago. That was the fastest that Metro ever moved. The driver of a cabover is ALWAYS the first on the scene of an accident! Fulltiming since September 1, 2010 2012 Ford F-350 PSD SRW Lariat Crew Cab 2012 Montana 3585SA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyretired Posted February 23, 2019 Report Share Posted February 23, 2019 I saw pictures of a TT that the tow vehicle lost control of while passing a loaded semi. The TT slid across the road in front of the semi on slick, snow covered roads. The semi hit it broadside. Everything that is used to build a TT was scattered all over the area. It looked like the TT just exploded. Randy 2001 Volvo VNL 42 Cummins ISX Autoshift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyA Posted March 15, 2019 Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 Back in the "Old Days" gasoline tanks in cars/trucks could rust quickly and small holes would frequently appear. There was little or no protection from flying road projectiles that liked to pierce the exposed bottom of the tank. Our cure was to rub over the hole/leak with a bar of Ivory soap. The leak stopped instantly and would stay sealed until the next big rain storm. I do not know if it would work on diesel fuel but suspect it would. Whatever is used to seal a fuel leak cannot be dissolved by the fuel and must displace the surface tension around the tank so that it can adhere to the tank material. A bag of kitty litter can come in handy for soaking up an oil or fuel spill as well as adding traction on ice. I don't know what the EPA or locals would do about covering the cost of a big diesel spill from one of our trucks but I do know that it can become a serious issue if the spillage can get into even a small creek, stream or drainage ditch that flows into a significant waterway. I need to talk with my insurance underwriter because I can find nothing in my policy that addresses the possibility. Randy, Nancy and Oscar "The Great White" - 2004 Volvo VNL670, D12, 10-speed, converted to single axle pulling a Keystone Cambridge 5th wheel, 40', 4 slides and about 19,000# with empty tanks. ARS - WB4BZX, Electrical Engineer, Master Electrician, D.Ed., Professor Emeritus - Happily Retired! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maveric Posted March 15, 2019 Report Share Posted March 15, 2019 Randy, The wax ring does the same thing as the soap, but it is sticky, so it also adheres to the tank. I have used it to plug some good sized holes in diesel tanks. Had a driver that ran over an alignment prybar (pointed on one end), which wedged itself neatly in the bottom of his tank. We pulled the bar out and crammed a bunch of wax into it. He was actually able to make it to the next town to get it repaired. The hole was about the size of a $.50 piece. The last one we ran on, the driver ran over a phone box in a parking lot (actually, next to the lot) and put a hole about 1" x 4". The wax stopped the leak, but he was advised to have it fixed before moving the truck. Instead, he decided to fill the tank up (100 gal), and then wondered why it started leaking again. State patrol put him OOS, and since the guy was a complete idiot, the company fired him on the spot. He dumped almost 100 gal of fuel on the ground between the 2 incidents. The bill from the FD was almost $3500 alone, not including clean up. The fuel was close to a waterway, but was stopped before it entered it. If it gets into a main waterway, the Coast Guard ends up getting involved. Chris & Tonya '99 Freightliner FLD120, '01 Wabash Toyhauler (32' garage, 20' LQ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sehc Posted March 16, 2019 Report Share Posted March 16, 2019 If fuel spills are your concern, make up a containment kit. There are pads that absorb oil and not water. Best thing going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThelazyFarmer Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 I didn't think this was such a big deal until the other day. Another farmer that we work with had a driver who laid over a truck in Oklahoma. The estimate to clean up 100 gallons of fuel was $30,000. Farmer, Trucker, Equipment operator, Mechanic Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chief916 Posted March 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 3 hours ago, jenandjon said: I didn't think this was such a big deal until the other day. Another farmer that we work with had a driver who laid over a truck in Oklahoma. The estimate to clean up 100 gallons of fuel was $30,000. This is why I had posted the initial question at the beginning. Who pays for doing the clean up? I don't think the farmer or his crew have the equipment nor the expertise. Someone and I'm thinking the farmer is going to get a huge bill. When something like this happens to one or two of us while we are traveling with two or three hundred gallons on board...it's probably going to ruin somebody's day and most likely their trip. That's why I carry an unbrella policy. I'm not saying that it's the end all be all but it gives me piece of mind encase a lawsuit we're to ensue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Mayer Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 3 31 minutes ago, chief916 said: When something like this happens to one or two of us while we are traveling with two or three hundred gallons on board...it's probably going to ruin somebody's day and most likely their trip. That's why I carry an unbrella policy. I'm not saying that it's the end all be all but it gives me piece of mind encase a lawsuit we're to ensue. Are you sure that Umbrella will cover a fuel spill? I tend to doubt it. The umbrella that I had a few years ago would not - I specifically had them check with the underwriter. It would be nice if it would - but you better be sure. Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member Living on the road since 2000PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail 2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it) 2022 New Horizons 43' 5er 2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units 2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck -------------------------------------------------------------------------See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar powerwww.jackdanmayer.com Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moresmoke Posted March 20, 2019 Report Share Posted March 20, 2019 Decided to do a bit of reading on this. As usual disclaimers for certain locations and policies apply. I am not a lawyer or an insurance agent. In general it appears that fuel spilled from the truck’s tanks is covered, but only if there is a liability claim for bodily injury or property damage resulting from said “accident”. You squeeze a car into the Jersey barrier and rip open a tank - covered. You run off the road to miss a deer and bust the crossover line on your classic - not covered. Also, any fuel/other materials carried on the vehicle (not part of the operating systems) are not included. So if you roll the truck and your 3 gas cans go flying - that is not covered by general vehicle policies. For those of you that have one of the saddle tanks converted to black water... You are on your own for figuring that out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThelazyFarmer Posted March 31, 2019 Report Share Posted March 31, 2019 On 3/19/2019 at 10:36 PM, Moresmoke said: In general it appears that fuel spilled from the truck’s tanks is covered, but only if there is a liability claim for bodily injury or property damage resulting from said “accident”. You squeeze a car into the Jersey barrier and rip open a tank - covered. You run off the road to miss a deer and bust the crossover line on your classic - not covered. Pretty much what my agent said also. Hit the deer, covered. Hit the ditch to miss the deer, not covered. Because you drove into the ditch on purpose. Farmer, Trucker, Equipment operator, Mechanic Quando omni flunkus moritati-When all else fails, play dead I'm a man, but I can change, if I have to, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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