Hazmat $$

Typically it pays a little more. Fill out the TSA threat assessment application and go get fingerprinted. Once you’re cleared, go take your written test and if you pass, you get the endorsement. Get the tanker endorsement while you’re at it too, it’s extremely easy and opens up more job opportunities.

 

Try clist, or indeed. You will see it does not pay much more. Unless you are in the oil patch. Working 90 hours per week.

 

You won’t be eligible for some jobs without hazmat, including pretty much every LTL company. Some of the better company driving jobs in this industry.

 

I do not think I have ever been paid more hauling hazmat freight.
I have made a pie of money having hasmat, that I would not have otherwise made though.
The gig I had hauling hot oil paid double and better than freight.

 

Just get it.

 

In a mega its required you have all endorsements. Tho having haz wont get you more money. You need to check with your DMV of where you get your fingerprints done. For some reason any sherriff or normal police doesnt matter. Here in Maine I had to go to a jail intake facility in Bangor some 40 miles away from where I live. Grin, the officer said he so liked getting truck drivers. We dont fight the task of fingerprinting.

The TSA can be done on line for security check. The link is below. Follow up on it if there are any errors in a email. Keep the answers short, dont get long winded. Fill in all the questions, dont reply "doesnt apply".
HAZMAT Endorsement

Here in Maine it costs $175 per renewal to get the endorsement on the license. It is a written test the first time, there after you only pay per time of renewall.

 

Chemical pays much better than food grade in the tanker world.
Around these parts you need Hazmat and a twic card to get hired pulling Chemicals

 

I've made more money on jobs that required hazmat. But I've only worked for 2 carriers that I didn't need to have the endorsement. Having A CDL with hazmat, doubles & triples, and tanker is good for higher pay. And opens the door for more job availability.

Having those endorsements are the difference between 52k-60k p/yr hauling general freight. And 75k-110k at the outfits that require those endorsements. But some ppl are scared of the dot inspections. So they will say things like. I don't need a hazmat on my CDL. That makes you a target for DOT if your pulling it. Or I ain't pulling 2 trailers they flip over to easy.

I like to eat at fine restaurants and play with hotrods. So I will continue to work in the field of trucking where I can afford those things!

 

They pay more but keep in mind that if you’re hauling certain hazmats you can’t take certain routes and in turn slow you down. The tunnels on i70 PA is one example can’t take explosives corrosives etc think small threat hazmats are okay with liquid nitrogen and other cold or compressed inert gasses.