Hazmat endorsemetn

**wannaBTrucker** · 06.27.2012

I'm about to renew my cdl and was wondering if its even worth renewing the HM endorsement? In all the time I driven I only hauled one HM load and that was with another carrier how often do you guys haul them? Can I go w/o one at Prime? It just seems more like its more trouble than its worth w/o the endorsement I could renew my CDL by mail but since I have it on mine I have to go into the DMV take a vision and written test to renew. I like to hear your thoughts.

**MNdriver** · 06.27.2012

Keep it, you'll be glad you did. You may not feel like you need it, but it's nice to have it anyway when least expected. Especially with all the hassle to get it today.

**Dipschitt** · 06.27.2012

Every bullet in your belt helps your cause.......

**jdsouza** · 06.27.2012

I just got a hazmat load preplan from pa to Laredo Texas

**DragonTamerBrat** · 06.27.2012

Keep the Hazmat endorsement. Sometimes it's the difference between sitting somewhere and getting outta Dodge.

**rusty266** · 06.27.2012

Have to agree with keeping the Hazmat. With Prime, if you have it you will be in the minority, which gives you an advantage over a lot of other drivers. I'm not exactly sure how it works on passing out the loads, some form of office politics is my guess, but I've had several, so its been well worth my time having the Hazmat endorsement. I'm not in the NE much, but when I do get up that way, Hazmat is my ticket out a lot of the time.

And if you can go to Canada, you'll be in an even bigger minority...

**ironpony** · 06.28.2012

Originally Posted by rusty266

Have to agree with keeping the Hazmat. With Prime, if you have it you will be in the minority, which gives you an advantage over a lot of other drivers. I'm not exactly sure how it works on passing out the loads, some form of office politics is my guess, but I've had several, so its been well worth my time having the Hazmat endorsement. I'm not in the NE much, but when I do get up that way, Hazmat is my ticket out a lot of the time.

And if you can go to Canada, you'll be in an even bigger minority...

We're all in the same freight pool. In a given area all trucks are ranked by who went mty first, whether it requires a team, hazmat endorsement, hival qualifications, whose board the drivers are on, and then by trip revenue.

The better performing boards get access to the better paying loads first. They try to match the higher revenue loads to lease and owner-operators, high-mileage loads to the company guys. Just depends on the freight and who needs a load. We're also rated as drivers - the weak sisters tend to wait for a load that matches their lack of cahones.

Keep your hazmat endorsement. On a Friday when freight is slow, it's almost a guaranteed ticket off of the east coast.

**Highway101** · 06.28.2012

I pretty much asked the same question to my FM. His answer, GET IT, its what he uses to get his drivers off the east coast and out of the NE area. Plus it pays extra I was told.

**DragonTamerBrat** · 06.29.2012

Originally Posted by Highway101

I pretty much asked the same question to my FM. His answer, GET IT, its what he uses to get his drivers off the east coast and out of the NE area. Plus it pays extra I was told.

JCW was told $50 extra per hazmat load. Of course, the TSA took their sweet time getting his approval back to us.....and we received it about a week after he left. No worries, next time he's home, he'll go take that test for his endorsement.