Is getting hazmat worth it?

teamjdw

Expert Expediter
Is getting hazmat worth it? up to two month wait for back ground check,$400.00 for two drivers.Then taking the test.How many load offers are hazmat?Is there much of a pay difference?
 

moose

Veteran Expediter
Yes,
If you planing ahead ,to avoid down time,
(lets say if there is a testing and fingerprinting collection office not far from your home , and you are at home doing the week ,)
- it will costs less then 150 $ per driver.
even if your carrier of choice don't do mach HM ,
it will take less then one load to cover the investment .

not to mention the joy of getting a load out of Ontario , where expedite expo is held daily ...



Moose.
 

BEARTRUCKER

Seasoned Expediter
$200.00 per driver? I don't recall paying anything, if not a fee for the prints and that was something like $30.00
A far as worth - HECK YEAH. Increases your desirability. Also getting a DOD clearance in a no brainer too!
 

TeamCaffee

Administrator
Staff member
Owner/Operator
That sure does sound very high. But get every clearance you can to make your self available for any load that is offered.
 

teamjdw

Expert Expediter
In michigan
step 1Pre-register on IBT website
2.Pay required fee $89.25 per Qualified driver you can pay online
with credit card or pay at TSA office money order only
3.appear in person at Tsa office for finger printing
4.Provide your drivers license to your qualified driver,as wellas an acceptable second ID
5.provide 10 didget confirmation # you received after pre-registering with IBT
6 Provide any information required by TSA for back ground chec
If that goes ok then pay Sec.of State to take test.
thought I was told about $150.00 to $200.00 to obtain hazmat.
Good for 5yrs.
 

teamjdw

Expert Expediter
thanks for info
beartrucker are you with expediter services? Im looking at them red kenworth TN
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
I have to renew mine this year and it makes me wonder;

When did my finger prints change?

I have to go through the entire process and can't see why I have to go through the finger print process when I have done already.

My finger prints are on file, so is my picture and through FAST, Canada also has my prints.
 

busop1

Seasoned Expediter
I have a HAzmat endorsement on my cdl. What do I have to do to renew it? do they notfiy me when its time to renew?
 

Crazynuff

Veteran Expediter
I have a HAzmat endorsement on my cdl. What do I have to do to renew it? do they notfiy me when its time to renew?

You should get a notice 60 days before your license expires that you will have to have another background check . Besides the CDL and second ID they asked for my medical card .
I was told the reason we have to be refingerprinted is because ACLU got a law that fingerprints can't be exchanged between agencies for noncriminal purposes . TSA doesn't keep fingerprints on file once you are cleared .
 

Yesteryear

Expert Expediter
thanks for info
beartrucker are you with expediter services? Im looking at them red kenworth TN

Good choice teamjdw. We drove for Expediter Services for 16 months. Good company, honest friendly people. Bend over backwards to help their drivers. Trucks aren't as comfortable as the one we have now but still good trucks. Just don't have all the fancy frills. Jason and Paul are great people.
 

redytrk

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
License bureau advises to start the process about 6 mo before your license expires. For myself everything was completed in about 20 days.

For my co-driver its a whole different story. we have made three trips (225 Mi to closest location) Once the office was closed. Twice her prints would not register. They then refer to the FBI for a background check. Numerous phone calls to various agency's, being on hold for ever, finding they lost records, then they found them. but still no clearance. Its now 4 months and still no clearance.
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
A HAZMAT endorsement on your CDL may be worth it for one or more of the following reasons:

1. The carrier you wish to sign on with requires it.

2. Having it avails you to more load opportunities than would otherwise be the case.

3. HAZMAT loads generally pay more than non-HAZMAT loads.

4. Having the endorsement gives you the flexibility to move among carriers, some of which require it and some that may not. If you start where there is no requirement but want to move quickly to one that has the requirement, the move can be more quickly made.

5. Having the endorsement makes you a more attractive choice over a driver that does not have it. Your HAZMAT endorsement and the background check you went through to get it automatically signals a carrier that you can pass a background check.

6. If different types of freight interest you, HAZMAT avails you to more interesting loads and expose you to more interesting shippers and consignees.

Disadvantages include

1. The cost of the endorsement.

2. The hassle of going through the process (background check forms, fingerprints)

3. Putting your information on record in yet another place.

4. All the disadvantages that accompany a HAZMAT load if you put one on your truck including:

- Safety risk
- Liability risk
- Compliance burden
- (Probably more that I expect others will mention).
 
T

Thepeacedog

Guest
I am thinking about getting a hazmat endorsement. I am leary of the finger print thing. Is there a way around that?
 

Doggie Daddy

Veteran Expediter
I have to renew mine this year and it makes me wonder;

When did my finger prints change?

I have to go through the entire process and can't see why I have to go through the finger print process when I have done already.

My finger prints are on file, so is my picture and through FAST, Canada also has my prints.


I was told (don't know if it's true ) that they don't keep your fingerprints on file as it would overload their computer system.:rolleyes:
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Once you are printed for ANY government program you prints are on file and kept. There is no way around being printed that I know of. As to the need for a HAZMAT clearence, I would not be without it. The more types of freight you can handle the more work you will have. We carry a LOT of HAZMAT. It would truely hurt our business if we could not carry it. Layoutshooter
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
I was told (don't know if it's true ) that they don't keep your fingerprints on file as it would overload their computer system.:rolleyes:

You are kidding me.... I know that the FBI already finished one upgrade and now they are going to do another $2B upgrade thanks to Obama. The DHS did the same thing and so did the TSA, maybe with this second round of reinventing government maybe they can share information and have one system?
 
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