I. What Are Fuel Tank Trucks Used For
A fuel tank truck — also known as a mobile refueling truck, fuel delivery truck, or refueler — is a specialized vehicle used for transporting and storing petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel, crude oil, lubricating oil, and coal tar.
Its main purpose is to carry liquid fuels and related materials.
In addition, many modern tank trucks also function as mobile pump stations. They are equipped with oil pumping systems, metering systems, and control devices, allowing operations such as oil suction, oil pumping, and the separate loading/unloading of different types of fuel.
II. Types of Fuel Tank Trucks
Fuel Tank trucks come in many varieties. According to different classification methods, they can be divided into the following types:
- By Appearance
- Flat-front fuel tank trucks
- Pointed-front fuel tank trucks
- Flush-front fuel tank trucks
- By Drive Configuration
- 4×2 (single-axle) fuel tank trucks
- 6×2 (small tri-axle / front four–rear four) fuel tank trucks
- 6×4 (rear eight-wheel / dual rear axle) fuel tank trucks
- 8×2 (front four–rear six) fuel tank trucks
- 8×4 (front four–rear eight) fuel tank trucks
- By Load Capacity
- Light tank trucks
- Small tank trucks
- Medium tank trucks
- Medium-large tank trucks
- Large tank trucks
- By Transported Medium
- Diesel transport trucks
- Gasoline transport trucks
- Coal tar transport trucks
- Lubricating oil transport trucks
- Edible oil transport trucks
- Crude oil transport trucks
- Heavy oil transport trucks
- General petroleum product transport trucks
III. Are Fuel Tank Trucks Special-Purpose Equipment?
Fuel Tank trucks transporting gasoline or diesel are classified as special-purpose tank vehicles, under the category “Special Vehicle Class I.”
- Special Vehicle Class I includes: Fuel tank trucks, gas tank trucks, and liquid tank trucks.
- Special Vehicle Class II includes: Dedicated clean water trucks, tank-type cargo vehicles other than those in Class I, and various specialized motor vehicles used for towing, sweeping, cleaning, lifting, loading/unloading, elevating, mixing, excavating, bulldozing, refrigeration, insulation, etc.
- Special Vehicle Class III includes: Vehicles equipped with fixed instruments for professional work, such as monitoring, firefighting, cash transport, medical, or television broadcasting.
- Special Vehicle Class IV includes: Container tractors.