Hazmat Recommendation
Topic 32976 | Page 1
I used Midwest Truck Driving School to do the online course and test then set up an appointment to get printed through the Universal Enrollment Service at a place near my home.
Welcome to the forum. Hazmat is a two-part process - a TSA background check and the test at your local DMV.
You'll want to start with the background check first. It can take weeks to complete. In some states you can the test at the DMV before your TSA check is complete in others you must wait for the TSA before you can test at the DMV.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
It's worth it if you're working or planning on working for a company that hauls hazmat. If you're not currently working for a company hauling hazmat it's kind of a waste of money, cause you can add the endorsement to your license at any time. There is a waiting period for the background checks
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
The law recently changed as it pertains to endorsements. I'm not 100% but if you choose to get your endorsements later on you will have to take a course to add any. My recommendation is to get all of them (Hazmat, Tanker, triples and Doubles). It makes you more marketable. There are several online practice test including here on this site. If the test are still the same then all endorsement test are about 25-30 questions. Hazmat is the only thing you need to be fingerprinted for. I had lived in 3 states and every state has a different order. I recommend getting fingerprinted at your local Identigo and then taking your test at the DMV. My 1st go round fresh out of CDL school I did all of the test in one day.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
I've heard you can take the courses online. Does anyone have any suggestions to good online courses to take?
We have the most incredible program around. It's called the High Road CDL Training Program
It has a very sophisticated system that monitors your progress and gives you extra review where you need it. Give it a shot and see what you think. You'll love it.
We have the entire CDL manual built in, which includes the Hazmat section for your endorsement.
We also have a section for the logbook rules and a section that teaches cargo loading, weight distribution, calculating fuel burn, and more!
High Road CDL Training Program
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Logbook:
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
The law recently changed as it pertains to endorsements. I'm not 100% but if you choose to get your endorsements later on you will have to take a course to add any. My recommendation is to get all of them (Hazmat, Tanker, triples and Doubles). It makes you more marketable. There are several online practice test including here on this site. If the test are still the same then all endorsement test are about 25-30 questions. Hazmat is the only thing you need to be fingerprinted for. I had lived in 3 states and every state has a different order. I recommend getting fingerprinted at your local Identigo and then taking your test at the DMV. My 1st go round fresh out of CDL school I did all of the test in one day.
The new law is as of February 7, 2022 you must take a written test and take a training class to get your hazmat endorsement.
If drivers had their CDL before February 7, 2022 they are not required to take the training class.
I don't really understand why one can't take the written test unless they have a class. I mean if they pass the written test doesn't that say they know the material?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.DMV:
Department of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Motor Vehicles
The state agency that handles everything related to your driver's licences, including testing, issuance, transfers, and revocation.
OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
The new law is as of February 7, 2022 you must take a written test and take a training class to get your hazmat endorsement.
If drivers had their CDL before February 7, 2022 they are not required to take the training class.
Half right. Per the FMCSA website:
"The ELDT regulations are not retroactive; individuals who were issued a CDL or an S, P, or H endorsement prior to February 7, 2022 are not required to complete training for the respective CDL or endorsement."
This means if a driver had a hazmat endorsement before 7 Feb 2022 they don't need the training. If they are getting their first hazmat endorsement (even if they've had their CDL prior to 7 Feb 2022) they need the class.
I don't really understand why one can't take the written test unless they have a class. I mean if they pass the written test doesn't that say they know the material?
Knowing the material isn't what this is about. Per usual, it's in the name of, safety". Trucking schools lobbied (made campaign contributions to politicians) to make it a requirement. In turn, they get to charge for additional training. Better test scores or safety are less important that repaying their, "investment".
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
CSA:
Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA)
The CSA is a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) initiative to improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicle
FMCSA:
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
The FMCSA was established within the Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. Their primary mission is to prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.
What Does The FMCSA Do?
- Commercial Drivers' Licenses
- Data and Analysis
- Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
- Research and Technology
- Safety Assistance
- Support and Information Sharing
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
So yeah, ELDT regulations... Like paying $5,000+ wasn't enough. If it was truly for safety they'd offer it for free so everyone can get up to speed. I had my HAZMAT 20 years ago and dropped it so it only cost me $86.50 for the TSA background check to get it back. The testing cost was absorbed by my license renewal (that was lucky). As far as the written test goes, all you have to do is read the HAZMAT chapter twice and take some practice tests and you should breeze right through it. And like everybody says: Get the background check first because it's going to take at least 6 weeks for them to process it. Not sure why it takes so long, I live in the USA and I've been to Canada... You'd think it'd be a little quicker.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
Currently in CDL school. In the yard, learning skills. I'd like to get my hazmat endorsement. I've heard that you can do this, or at least begin the process, while still only holding a CDL learners permit. I've heard you can take the courses online. Does anyone have any suggestions to good online courses to take?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations