Here is my question and it goes out to those who are already driving for a living. I am set up with school here at my local community college in Hampton, Virginia. When I went in to register, I was told that I needed my permit prior to the class starting, March 10th. I went and took the General Knowledge, Combination, and Air Brakes tests and passed. I now have my permit and waiting on school to start. My question is should I go ahead and take the HAZMAT and Tanker tests now. The schools said that I didn’t need too and I understand that, but should I get it out of the way. I do not think the HAZMAT is a big deal because there isn’t a driving test for that one, but the Tanker one requires a drivers test. So if I have a permit for tanker and show up in a box, what will the DMV do? Will they give me a License and still have a permit for the Tanker Endorsement or what? I have been studying and plan to go take the HAZMAT test this week, but not sure if I should take the tanker one or not. The material in the book looks pretty easy, but not sure what they will do when I show up for the driving test without a tanker.

Thanks in advance for all the info

Rob

With the new background checks, depending upon when you'll complete school. The Hazmat endorsement aint that bad of an idea now. It can take up to 2 months in some states before your cleared to use your hazmat. So best to get it in adavance, so when you are ready for a job, you have it. Just my oppion.

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Reverend Matthew "The Dragon" Koscielski
!!!Proud to be a gear grinder!!!

Faith, Hope, Love. The Greatest is Love 1 Corinthians 13:13

Can anyone tell me what the middle peddle in my truck does, cause i never use it.

Thanks Dragon,
How about the Tanker? Do it now or wait?

Dragon is right, if you want your HM, you will have to get fingerprinted and have a background check, BEFORE you can get your HM endorsement. And, it will cost you $94, and could take up to two months for you to get approved for the endorsement.
All that being said, once you have gone through the headache, you won;t have to again. And, if you decide to go with an LTL co, you will need to have it BEFORE you can go to work for them.
Oh yeah, if you have a tanker and HM, your license will show an 'X' endorsement.

I'd have to double-check this, but I was told that hazmat endorsement would cost $180, and expire in 2 years. NONE of the companies I've applied to (including the several who want to hire me) REQUIRE it, though some state that they will reimburse X amount of dollars (usually about a hundred bucks) for you to get it.

Based on that, I would suggest you wait until after getting hired to get the hazmat, if you EVER get it. If you pay for it out of your own pocket, good luck getting a company to reimburse you for that, after-the-fact. Plus, with the limited term, what's the point of applying before you need it? It's not like you are going to be sitting around a terminal somewhere for months waiting for a load to be pulled just because you don't have hazmat endorsement yet. -Dave

Don't know what your state would do, but in our state, if you didn't test in the proper vehicle, you simply wouldn't receive the endorsement. But NY is a little different on the tanker endorsement anyway. To get it, you need a class A license, and need to pass a written test. To get the class A license, you need to pass road test in a class A vehicle (not necessarily a tanker). So as soon as I pass my road test (soon, hopefully), I will have the tanker endorsement, as I've already passed the written test for that.

As far as hazmat goes, you need to back up a bit.

First, you need to realize that it's never too early to start applying to work as a company driver for whatever carriers you might be interested in working for. Take me for example, I started applying for work WEEKS before I even started CDL school. One of my "A" list companies offered me a job around the same time I started school, and (most importantly) put me on the waiting list for a trainer. What you don't want is to get an offer from the company you want to work for and THEN have to wait a couple of months for a trainer, when you already have your class A. While this wouldn't happen at all companies, it's better to apply early, obviously, just in case you need your name on that list waiting for a trainer.

So you should be researching carriers you want to work for already, right?!? Along with that research, one of the things you'll need to find out is what specific endorsements the company requires. Take me for example... two of the companies on my "A" list require a "metal coil" endorsement (it's a NY thing). But I wouldn't have KNOWN about that if I hadn't been communicating with various carriers before I started school. Because I knew I needed that metal coil thing, I tested for it at the DMV when I got my class A permit. If any of the companies I wanted to work for required hazmat, I would have -reluctantly- tested for that, also.

Based on feedback from other students, the hazmat written test is a real pain in the butt. Don't take it unless you absolutely need it, which you probably don't. But you won't KNOW until you figure out who you want to work for, and talk to them to find out what endorsement(s) you need. -Dave

The HM endorsement don't put you under better paying loads if you're hauling for a general commodities carrier who just happens to load some HM occasionally. You'll still get the same mileage pay as any other driver. Also, many companies aren't insured for, and, don't carry HM freight. Many drivers do just fine without the extra expense and hassles of obtaining and maintaining that endorsement.

With that said, the HM endorsement makes you a more versatile driver who can be used in more situations. In other words you are more of an "all purpose" tool in the carrier's belt, and, theoretically would be used more often, thus making a better income.

I'm rated "X". I prefer hauling HM and tankers. I seem to stay busier than I did back in my general commodities days, and I get paid on a precentage basis. The freight rate on a tanker load of chemicals is a little higher than a box load of toilet paper.

My co. paid (reimbursed) for all and I rarely (twice in last 3 yrs) haul Hazmat!!

hahaha...another hampton boy. thats where i got my cdl too. from what i remember they had some really crappy equipment and the student/teacher ratio was shot out. the teachers were really nice though. run down to there yard and check out the equipment first before you decide to give some money to them. and go ahead and get the HM endorsement in motion. i got it in a month but what i can remember i had to go to the suffolk dmv to get fingerprinted. if you got any questions about the school let me know and i'll try to help you out. best of luck to ya.

I have the Hazmat, but will not keep it when I renew my CDL. I used to keep it when it was $5.00 for the endorsement. Where I live now it is now $130.00. Why should I pay that much when it will not make me anymore money? If a company wants me to have it then they can pay for it. To me Hazmat is a pain anyway. Have to route differently, DOT looks at you harder and there is always the chance of something happening that can effect your wallet. If they paid me more to pull it I would not mind as much. As far as the tanker endorsement it is just a written test.

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