A story in the October-November 1943 issue of Petroleum Transporter outlined post-war plans at Coastal Tank Lines Inc, one of the largest tank truck carriers in the industry at that time.
Coastal Tank Lines was one of the founding members of National Tank Truck Carriers and became one of the largest tank truck carriers in the industry before declaring bankruptcy in the late 1980s.
Carrier executives were hard at work planning for the future, and a key focus was on the carrier’s winged tanker plan. Blueprints for air-transportable tanks had been prepared, and an application was on file with the Civil Aeronautics Board in Washington DC.
With 12 years of experience transporting liquid commodities, including refined petroleum products, Coastal Tank Lines was operating 102 tractors and 91 tank trailers from 12 terminals along the East Coast.
At this point during World War II, company engineers had been studying the design and development of a cargo tank for aircraft, with the necessary devices attached, designed for safe movement of all kinds of liquid commodities by air.
Company executives stressed that it was not the purpose of the company to supplement its existing motor vehicle operators by transportation of liquid commodities by aircraft. Rather it was their purpose to provide an air-tank facility for the movement of liquid commodities for any commercial, industrial, military, or emergency requirement.
The magazine article included a map showing a potential polar route for cargo shipments.
Founded in 1945—at the close of World War II—National Tank Truck Carriers Inc will celebrate 75 years (its Diamond Anniversary) in 2020. The association is planning a big party for its annual conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington DC.
Over more than seven decades, NTTC grew from a diamond in the rough to the multi-faceted organization that exists today.
From now through the end of 2020, Bulk Transporter will review some of the highlights of the tank truck industry and NTTC. These highlights will be drawn from the industry publication that grew into Bulk Transporter and will be posted in our Bulk Logistics Trends e-newsletter and on bulktransporter.com.
