Do you really need a hazmat endorsement?

[bimbim29]

My husband and I are going to start expediting in the next month or two and we would like to know if hazmat pays more and also if we will miss out on a lot of loads if we do not have it? We have noticed that most companies do not ask for it but Landstar, who we were interested in because of the way you can route yourself, does require the hazmat endorsement.

 

[Jack_Berry]

do an advanced searh for "hazmat" or hazmat endorsement"

 

[LDB]

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

 

[Monty]

Landstar does indeed require the hazmat ..... in a cargo van/Sprinter, you would haul, (or even be offered), very little of it. Mostly paint products.

But .... as a team (if you can qualify for AA&E), you might be hauling explosives and ammo.

Straight trucks are subject to it often, and yes, it does pay more.

 

[ts675]

It helps you move more frequently with Panther.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

 

[bobwg]

At Landstar cargo vans/Sprinters without a bulkhead wall can only haul paint . those with a bulkhead wall can haul other hazmat loads

 

[dletheridge]

I've heard so many different stories, I don't know who or what to believe.

 

[chefdennis]

It is really easy to understand and believe...if the carrier you are interested in signing with has as a mandatory requirerment, then if you are going to sign with them, you will either meet their requirerments or you won't drive for them....most carriers don't change their policies and requirerments for one driver or team....it is up to you to conform to them....

You like some "stuff" at Landstar, but not the Haz-Mat requirerment...welcome to the real world....as is said here from time to time..."all carriers have warts" the key is finding the carrier that "best" fits you...cause none of them will be a 100% match....

 

[cheri1122]

Whether it pays more is a carrier policy question, and the carrier will give you the current correct info. [Personally, I would expect more pay, as the risks are greater, but to each his own.]
Whether you would miss many loads without it is hard to say - if the loads aren't offered, how would you know you missed it? Again, the carrier [or it's drivers, who know the type of loads] can offer a better answer.
Finally: the more you can do, the more you can earn.

 

[bobwg]

I ran 2 or 3 paint loads last year for Landstar, I got offered a few other Hazmat loads but those offers were withdrawn when they realized I dont have a wall between driver and cargo area

 

[AMonger]

It is really easy to understand and believe...if the carrier you are interested in signing with has as a mandatory requirerment, then if you are going to sign with them, you will either meet their requirerments or you won't drive for them....most carriers don't change their policies and requirerments for one driver or team....it is up to you to conform to them....

.

And, to finish the thought I thought you were going for, if it's an option and he chooses not to get the endorsement, he might find himself sitting sometime when he would otherwise get a load. But, it was hazmat, so he either won't even know it existed, or the van/truck next to him might get what would otherwise have been his load.

 

[bigshow345]

When I use to drive for werner

I had hazmat because they required it. Now that I fly solo hazmat is more expensive on my automobile insurance and cargo insurance policy. So I dont haul it.


I haul everything under the sun that isnt hazmat and cant fit on a sprinter or fit in a big rig

 

[bobwg]

Re: When I use to drive for werner

I had hazmat because they required it. Now that I fly solo hazmat is more expensive on my automobile insurance and cargo insurance policy. So I dont haul it.


I haul everything under the sun that isnt hazmat and cant fit on a sprinter or fit in a big rig

I am confused you haul what wont fit in a Sprinter or a big rig?? what the heck are you driving?

 

[Jack_Berry]

I ran 2 or 3 paint loads last year for Landstar, I got offered a few other Hazmat loads but those offers were withdrawn when they realized I dont have a wall between driver and cargo area

we have had 3 hazmat loads. yeah sure.....printing ink 2 drums, peanut oil for potato chips and taa daaa 3, 5 gal pails of paint.

 

[Rob1982]

This is just my advice, and I have yet to broke into the field. Im thinking getting the hazmat endorcement might help. If anything you might get more load offers, even if it dont pay a LOT more. Or say you go with a company that dont require it, you dont like it there, if you have your hazmat endorced license, you keep that many more doors open for ya. I myself will prolly go in the next week or two to get the process started to get my endorcement

 

[greg334]

You know I'm asked this question a lot and here is my suggestion - get it.

It isn't about if you are going to haul it or the carrier requires it but rather that you put an effort into learning a bit more than what you need to get by to get a CDL. One fleet owner here won't consider anyone without it, while I know others who feel that it seems to make drivers just a bit more aware of what they are hauling.

Personally, I would like to see that it is not an endorsement but a requirement for a CDL as much as the Smith System also become part of the CDL licensing.

Risk?

NO more risk than hauling dry freight if you are thourough in securing the cargo and driving sanely (not like the FedEx driver who passed me on I80 yesterday doing 75 and passing everyone in his way).

 

[bimbim29]

Sounds like sound advice to go ahead and get the endorsement. At least if we had the endorsement there would be more loads that we could accept.
Thank you for your replies.

 

[cheri1122]

You know I'm asked this question a lot and here is my suggestion - get it.

It isn't about if you are going to haul it or the carrier requires it but rather that you put an effort into learning a bit more than what you need to get by to get a CDL. One fleet owner here won't consider anyone without it, while I know others who feel that it seems to make drivers just a bit more aware of what they are hauling.

Personally, I would like to see that it is not an endorsement but a requirement for a CDL as much as the Smith System also become part of the CDL licensing.

Risk?

NO more risk than hauling dry freight if you are thourough in securing the cargo and driving sanely (not like the FedEx driver who passed me on I80 yesterday doing 75 and passing everyone in his way).
Doesn't matter how carefully my freight is secured or my driving is, if the other guy is reckless.
Like the FedEx Freight truck pulling doubles in the [prohibited] left lane last night - nearly caused an ambulance [with lights & siren] to wreck - silly emergency driver thought the big truck would move to the right, but he didn't.

 

[layoutshooter]

We have HAZMAT. We could do without it, business wise. It accounts for less that 3% of all of our work each year and does not pay nearly as good as most of our other work. We have it for a couple of reasons. One: we are required by our carrier to have it. Two: It will sometimes get us a load out of a bad area.

Should it be a requirement for a CDL? I don't know. I could see running a truck and NEVER hauling a HAZMAT load. I COULD do that now if I chose to. I COULD turn them all down. There are not very many offered to this truck.

 

[greg334]

Doesn't matter how carefully my freight is secured or my driving is, if the other guy is reckless.
Like the FedEx Freight truck pulling doubles in the [prohibited] left lane last night - nearly caused an ambulance [with lights & siren] to wreck - silly emergency driver thought the big truck would move to the right, but he didn't.

Cheri, I wasn't addressing the other driver, I was addressing the idea that hazmat loads are inherently dangerous. I fully understand the issue you speak of and you know by now that I think a lot of drivers should not be on the road. I think I mentioned the Smith System here, so that is an addition thing for someone to become a better professional driver.