A propane bobtail truck is the vehicle Tropigas uses to refill stationary propane tanks at residential, commercial, and industrial properties across Puerto Rico. If you have a Fatboy 120 gallon tank, a 250 gallon tank, a 500 gallon tank, or a 1,000 gallon or larger tank, a Tropigas bobtail truck handles your delivery. Tropigas operates bobtail trucks out of 23 plants across all 78 municipalities in Puerto Rico, with same day delivery available Monday through Saturday for residential customers. Call 787-641-8002 to schedule your delivery.
What Is a Propane Bobtail Truck
A propane bobtail truck is a medium-duty straight truck with a horizontal cylindrical propane tank mounted directly on the chassis, behind the cab. The Tropigas bobtail fleet includes MC 331-certified tanks in the 3,200 to 3,499 gallon class, equipped with a metered delivery system, pump, hose reel, and safety equipment that meets DOT and NFPA 58 standards. The name "bobtail" refers to the compact single-unit design, as opposed to a tractor-trailer tanker. Tropigas unit 289 is one example of the fleet that serves customers across Puerto Rico every day.
How Bobtail Trucks Work
The bobtail driver arrives at your property, connects the delivery hose to the fill valve on your stationary tank, and pumps propane from the truck tank into your tank using a metered pump. The meter records the exact volume delivered in gallons. Standard fill in Puerto Rico is 90 percent of tank capacity. During summer months, depending on your municipality, the fill may be reduced to 80 to 85 percent to account for thermal expansion. The driver disconnects the hose, checks for leaks, and provides you with a delivery receipt showing the gallons delivered.
Tip: Tropigas fills stationary tanks to 90 percent capacity as the Puerto Rico standard. In summer months the fill may be reduced to 80 to 85 percent depending on your municipality. Call 787-641-8002 for details.
What Tanks Does a Bobtail Serve
Tropigas bobtail trucks deliver to all stationary propane tanks, including the Fatboy 120 gallon vertical tank, the 250 gallon horizontal tank, the 500 gallon horizontal tank, and tanks of 1,000 gallons or larger for commercial and industrial installations. Portable cylinders (20 lb and 100 lb) are served by a separate domestic distribution vehicle, not a bobtail. If you are unsure which vehicle serves your tank, call 787-641-8002 and our team will confirm.
Bobtail Delivery Process in Puerto Rico
Tropigas bobtail trucks operate out of 23 plants distributed across Puerto Rico, which allows the fleet to reach all 78 municipalities with same day delivery. When you call 787-641-8002 to schedule a delivery, the dispatch team assigns the nearest available bobtail to your address. Residential deliveries run Monday through Saturday. Commercial and industrial deliveries are scheduled based on your consumption volume and account agreement. Emergency deliveries are also available for situations where your tank has run critically low.
Tip: If your stationary tank is below 20 percent, call 787-641-8002 immediately. Same day emergency delivery is available across all 78 municipalities.
Bobtail Safety Standards
Tropigas bobtail trucks comply with DOT 49 CFR regulations for propane transport, MC 331 tank certification standards, and NFPA 58 delivery and handling requirements. Each truck carries safety placards, pressure relief equipment, emergency shutoff valves, and fire suppression equipment. Tropigas drivers are trained in NFPA 58 delivery procedures, leak detection, and emergency response. Every delivery follows a pre-delivery inspection and post-delivery leak check before the driver leaves your property.
Schedule a Bobtail Delivery
To schedule a propane bobtail delivery in Puerto Rico, call Tropigas at 787-641-8002, Monday through Saturday. Provide your service address, tank size, and estimated current level if known. Same day delivery is available across all 78 municipalities. For commercial and industrial accounts with high volume requirements, call to discuss a scheduled delivery program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ing. Rodolfo Leo Quiñones
Gerente de Operaciones, Ventas y Exportaciones
Expert in propane energy systems, NFPA compliance, and industrial gas logistics in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.