Pioneer Tank Lines
Pioneer Tank Lines is a privately held, family-owned Minnesota-based trucking company that holds EPA and US DOT permits to haul hazardous materials and hazardous waste for chemical manufacturers, distributors, industrial waste generators, and environmental services companies, primarily within an 800-mile radius of St. Paul.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersAfton, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pioneer Tank Lines does
Pioneer Tank Lines, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned trucking company headquartered in the St. Paul, Minnesota area that specializes in the transportation of hazardous materials and hazardous waste. Founded in 1967 as Blue Transit, Inc. by Henry and Al Goebel, the company pivoted in the early 1980s through the acquisition of Pioneer Transport and was incorporated as Pioneer Tank Lines, Inc., establishing tanker services as the core operation. The company entered hazardous waste transportation in the late 1990s after obtaining an EPA Hazardous Waste Transporter Permit, and subsequently secured a US DOT Hazardous Materials Safety Permit that permits the bulk transport of Inhalation Hazards, Explosives, and Zone A Poisons. Leadership currently rests with third- and fourth-generation family members Michael Goebel (President) and Ryan Goebel (Vice President).
The company operates a heterogeneous fleet of equipment suited to specialized industrial and chemical freight, including dry vans, heated vans, lift gate vans, DOT spec vacuum tanks, insulated tanks (waste only), end dumps, step decks, and roll offs, with drop-and-hook capability enabled by trailer staging at multiple locations. Service operations are staffed around the clock via a Safety and Compliance Manager and dedicated dispatch personnel (Scott A. Swanson, Nancy Giles), with 24/7 hazmat support for drivers in transit. PTL Logistics, a wholly-owned division, supplies brokerage services to existing customers on request, with quality controls that restrict hazmat freight to qualified partner carriers. The primary service radius is within approximately 800 miles of St. Paul, with drivers typically home on weekends.
Pioneer Tank Lines generates revenue on a transactional fee-for-service basis under multi-year individualized contracts. Pricing is structured per practical mile, with compensation for all loading and unloading time and per-diem payments for nights away, calibrated to each customer's locations, traffic lanes, volume, and equipment mix. Customers are concentrated in chemical manufacturing and distribution, industrial waste generation, and environmental services — segments that require federally permitted carriers, which the company directly addresses through its EPA and DOT permit posture. The company's public footprint is minimal (basic website, no social channels, no disclosed revenue or funding), and ownership remains entirely within the founding family with no external investment indicated.
Pioneer Tank Lines firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pioneer Tank Lines
- Legal name
- Pioneer Tank Lines, Inc.
- Website
- https://pioneertanklines.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pioneer Tank Lines is a privately held, family-owned Minnesota-based trucking company that holds EPA and US DOT permits to haul hazardous materials and hazardous waste for chemical manufacturers, distributors, industrial waste generators, and environmental services companies, primarily within an 800-mile radius of St. Paul.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pioneer Tank Lines industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hazardous Materials Transportation Services
- NAICS
- Hazardous Waste Collection (562112)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hazardous Waste Collection & Transportation (Manifested, DOT/ADR, Packaging) (EUAIAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dry Van (General Freight) TL Carriers (TLADADAA), Tanker (Liquid Bulk) TL Carriers (TLADADAD)
Keywords
Where Pioneer Tank Lines is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Afton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pioneer Tank Lines business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Transportation Services: Fee-for-service transportation based on mileage (practical miles), loading/unloading time, and per diem for nights away from home. Individualized rate structure based on customer locations, traffic lanes, volume, and specific equipment requirements.
- PTL Logistics Brokerage Services: Brokerage division offering logistics services to existing customers upon request. Hazardous Material shipments only moved on qualified carriers with established working relationships with Pioneer.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Individualized transportation pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
Pioneer Tank Lines product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pioneer Tank Lines is a family-owned carrier specializing in the transportation of hazardous materials and hazardous waste for chemical manufacturers, distributors, industrial waste generators, and environmental services companies. The company operates a diverse fleet of dry vans, heated vans, lift gate vans, DOT spec vacuum tanks, insulated tanks, end dumps, step decks, and roll offs, and holds both an EPA Hazardous Waste Transporter Permit and a US DOT Hazardous Materials Safety Permit. PTL Logistics, a wholly owned brokerage division, supplements core services by arranging qualified carriers upon customer request.
Product overview
Pioneer Tank Lines operates as a hazardous materials and hazardous waste transportation company offering a diverse fleet of specialized equipment including dry vans, heated vans, lift gate vans, DOT spec vacuum tanks, insulated tanks, end dumps, step decks, and roll offs. The company provides two core transportation service lines: Hazardous Materials transportation for Chemical Manufacturers and Distributors (including Inhalation Hazards, Explosives, and Zone A Poisons), and EPA-permitted Hazardous Waste transportation for Industrial Waste Generators and Environmental Services. PTL Logistics, a brokerage division, supplements core services by arranging qualified carriers for customer shipments. The company emphasizes individualized rate structures based on locations, traffic lanes, volume, and equipment requirements, supported by 24/7 driver assistance and substantial HazMat training.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Hazardous Materials Transportation Services Transportation services for hazardous materials serving Chemical Manufacturers and Distributors, including transport of Inhalation Hazards in bulk quantities, Explosives, and Zone A Poisons. Operated under the company's US DOT Hazardous Materials Safety Permit.
- Hazardous Waste Transportation Services EPA-permitted hazardous waste transportation services for Industrial Waste Generators and Environmental Services companies. Operated under the company's EPA Hazardous Waste Transporter Permit, using DOT spec vacuum tanks and insulated tanks designated for waste transport.
- PTL Logistics Brokerage Services Brokerage division of Pioneer Tank Lines that arranges transportation for customers upon request. Hazardous Material shipments are only moved on qualified carriers with established working relationships with Pioneer, and no shipments are brokered without customer knowledge and approval.
Companies that use Pioneer Tank Lines
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pioneer Tank Lines technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Pioneer Tank Lines partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- PTL LogisticscorePTL Logistics is a division of Pioneer Tank Lines that offers brokerage services to customers upon request. This extends the company's service offerings while maintaining quality control - no shipments are brokered without customer knowledge and approval. Hazardous Material shipments are only moved on qualified carriers with established working relationships with Pioneer.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Pioneer Tank Lines competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Stericycle: National provider of regulated waste management (medical, hazardous, pharmaceutical). Overlaps with Pioneer on hazardous waste collection and transport, but operates at much larger scale and across healthcare as well as industrial generators.
- Clean Harbors: Largest North American provider of environmental and industrial services, including hazardous waste collection, transportation, and disposal. Directly comparable to Pioneer on EPA-permitted hazardous waste transportation, but also owns treatment and disposal facilities.
- Schneider National: Large multi-modal carrier (truck, intermodal, logistics) with dedicated chemical and hazmat divisions. Broadly overlaps with Pioneer on dry van, tanker, and hazmat services but operates at much larger scale and broader geography.
- Heartland Express: Mid-sized truckload carrier with refrigerated and dry van capacity; competes with Pioneer for similar customer lanes in the Midwest and adjacent regions, though without the same hazmat-permit emphasis.
- Werner Enterprises: Major US truckload carrier with dedicated specialized and hazmat services. Comparable on dry van, dedicated, and hazmat transportation but serves a national footprint rather than a single Upper Midwest radius.
Direct peers
- Trimac Transportation: One of North America's largest tank truck carriers with a heavy focus on bulk liquid chemicals and hazardous materials. Closely comparable to Pioneer in equipment (tankers, dry vans) and hazmat/endorsement-driven driver model, but at significantly larger scale.
- Quality Distribution (Quality Carriers): Bulk chemical trucking specialist focused on hazmat, including tankers for chemical manufacturers and distributors. Directly overlaps with Pioneer's EPA-permitted hazardous waste and DOT hazmat transportation services.
- Groendyke Transport: Tank truck carrier specializing in bulk liquid hazardous and non-hazardous chemicals across North America. Matches Pioneer in tanker-heavy fleet, hazmat endorsement requirements, and chemical-manufacturer customer base.
- Heritage Environmental Services: Environmental services firm offering hazardous waste collection, transportation, and disposal for industrial generators. Comparable to Pioneer on EPA-permitted hazmat hauling and the industrial-waste-generator customer segment.
- Miller Truck Lines: Family-style, regional tank and dry van carrier with hazmat focus serving chemical and industrial customers. Closely comparable in size, culture, and service mix to Pioneer's hazmat fleet.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Pioneer Tank Lines social profiles
Digital presencePioneer Tank Lines compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Pioneer Tank Lines financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pioneer Tank Lines leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Pioneer Tank Lines subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Pioneer Tank Lines funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pioneer Tank Lines M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pioneer Tank Lines
What does Pioneer Tank Lines do?
Pioneer Tank Lines is a family-owned carrier specializing in the transportation of hazardous materials and hazardous waste for chemical manufacturers, distributors, industrial waste generators, and environmental services companies. The company operates a diverse fleet of dry vans, heated vans, lift gate vans, DOT spec vacuum tanks, insulated tanks, end dumps, step decks, and roll offs, and holds both an EPA Hazardous Waste Transporter Permit and a US DOT Hazardous Materials Safety Permit. PTL Logistics, a wholly owned brokerage division, supplements core services by arranging qualified carriers upon customer request.
Is Pioneer Tank Lines a public or private company?
Pioneer Tank Lines is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Pioneer Tank Lines founded?
Pioneer Tank Lines was founded in 1967. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pioneer Tank Lines based?
Pioneer Tank Lines is headquartered in Afton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pioneer Tank Lines make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Transportation Services are the primary driver. The others are PTL Logistics Brokerage Services.
Who are Pioneer Tank Lines's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Stericycle, Clean Harbors, Schneider National, Heartland Express and Werner Enterprises. Direct peers are Trimac Transportation, Quality Distribution (Quality Carriers), Groendyke Transport, Heritage Environmental Services and Miller Truck Lines.
Does Pioneer Tank Lines have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pioneer Tank Lines.
What industry is Pioneer Tank Lines in?
Pioneer Tank Lines's product category is Hazardous Materials Transportation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAIAFAA, Hazardous Waste Collection & Transportation (Manifested, DOT/ADR, Packaging), with a secondary code of TLADADAA, Dry Van (General Freight) TL Carriers. Its NAICS code is 562112.