Ordered to pull Hazmat

Just curious...

Are you being threatened with termination? If so, would that go on your DAC?

 

Don't do it. The downside outweighs the upside. You are not approved to pull that kind of load - yet. If this persists (in a harrassing manner) and you have made is perfectly clear to him the situation. Contact his supervisor or manager and/or the safety department with your company. I'd rather him lose his job than you lose yours...

 

Dispatchers obviously a moron. Tell him to get in a truck and go get it himself. If you don't have the endorsement, you can't haul hazmat PERIOD if it is a load that requires placarding. Are you sure the loads he's asking you to pull require placarding? For example, a load of car batteries is considered hazmat however, it is exempt from placarding because of the unit packaging so you don't have to have the endorsement to haul it however, you couldn't haul the material components that make up the battery, say in barrells, for example.

I don't have hazmat and I missed out on a load one time, a Wal-Mart load that had too many fire extinguishers for me to haul by just over a few hundred pounds. I was pissed lol. But obviously, I couldn't legally haul it so I had to decline it after going through the trouble of getting there and checking in and everything. It was clearly marked on the BOL.

 

It's simple, don't haul em then. There's nothing they can do to make you haul them but you're probably on their #### list. I'd just keep everything documented so if they do can you for refusing to break the law, you can sue them.

 

Do not pull them. When you get stopped you will be the one in a world of hurt, not him. Then you might never get your Haz Mat.

Is he just asking you to pull them or is he threatening your job if you don't. If he is that is a law suite.

You can go over his head, and ask for another dispatcher.
And tell them why. If he is doing it to you I'm sure he is doing it to others. The Safety guy will have a stroke when you tell him.

 

Surely there is someone higher than him no? Are you driving for an owner operator with just a couple of trucks or a small fleet? If it's a fleet, I doubt the owner is actually dispatching, but who knows these days lol.

 

Like everyone said DO NOT Take the load. Hazmat loads is a good way to get DOT Inspection and you would get a heavy fine as you pointed out and he being Stupid for even asking you to, cause he too will be heavly fined and maybe put out of Business.

There a Company in IA that went through that and almost got shut down. They were hauling Hazmats yet was not cleared to do so.

In 2000 I refused a load for a different reason, and the following week another driver was busted for that same reason I refused.

So Cover your rear... Don;t DO IT.. You can get another job if need be.