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Any advice when hauling HazMat for a BCO?

Discussion in 'Landstar' started by Northeasterner, Oct 12, 2018.

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  1. Oct 12, 2018 #1
    Northeasterner

    Northeasterner Medium Load Member

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    Apr 1, 2018
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    Hey all,
    Going to work for a Landstar BCO soon. Getting flat pay, the guy's pretty open about the numbers he needs, it all seems to add up. He wants me to pull reefer, and hazmat out from the boston-area northeast to the midwest, and back again. a regional type thing.

    What should I watch out for? I hear Ohio likes to give haz haulers a hard time, that true?
    What are the "gotchas" I need to keep an eye on?

    I pretrip and make sure the brakes, lights, papers/logs, and general appearance are working, and I don't worry too much about the rest, never load my own freight, they seal it up and I sign on the dotted line, so far after driving a year it's worked cuz the only ticket I got was for being an idiot and trying to take a shortcut thru a HOT lane down near D.C. (I know, I know, it was retarded of me). So apparently brakes-lights-papers-logs has been working so far... but haz invites closer scrutiny, no?

    They have those nifty signs, "these 10 violations make up 75% of tickets", what's the hazmat version? A few things to watch out for, so that the gubbymint and shippers and receivers won't give me a hard time. I'm paranoid. Yeah...

    It's a great opportunity this, to be paid a salary for weekly cake runs to and from the midwest... but still, what should I watch out for? never hauled haz, just have the endorsement cuz I studied for the test... done a bit of reefer...

    thanks,
    northeast
     
    Northeasterner, Oct 12, 2018
    Northeasterner, Oct 12, 2018
    #1
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  3. Oct 12, 2018 #2
    Midnightrider909

    Midnightrider909 Road Train Member

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    What type of hazmat? If you are going to be hauling toxic waste of many different varieties with eight placards on the side of the van that is going to be a big pain in the butt.
     
    Midnightrider909, Oct 12, 2018
    Midnightrider909, Oct 12, 2018
    #2
  4. Oct 12, 2018 #3
    moloko

    moloko Road Train Member

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    seattle, wa
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    As a business owner, you will want to focus especially on generating the appearance that you are compliant. It won't matter that you did your pretrip, if you are involved in an accident and cannot prove you did your pretrip. Invest in something that keeps records in real time. I think there's some basic software for your iPhone or whatever that will do virtual DVIR in real time with a time stamp. Usually these are free or at a nominal cost. Other than that just make sure your ducks are in a row. Anything you do pulling a HAZMAT load that will cause a crash, well it will cause a crash hauling general freight. The aftermath is what is horrific. You'll forget you have placards on your trailer as you cruise down the road. That brings me to the next point. Always have your hazmat emergency book within reach, keep your BOL and manifest in the driver's side door no matter what. and always double check your placards on your BOL and cross-reference them to The Book before departure. Last, expect a little more scrutiny going through scale houses. Invest in a pre pass if possible.
     
    moloko, Oct 12, 2018
    moloko, Oct 12, 2018
    #3
  5. Oct 12, 2018 #4
    moloko

    moloko Road Train Member

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    seattle, wa
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    Also, always, always , always come to a total stop and hit your flashers well in advance prior to railroad crossings. These idiots behind you will never understand why the big truck with a RED flame placard is stopping at a railroad track. They'll flip you off and flip out and get upset at you. It's one of the great joys of hauling HAZMAT, watching those people flip out and lose their temper as you skillfully float through the gears on your way out of that mess. Always loved watching a 40-car queue form behind me,while people road rage desperately and try to find a way around me.
     
    moloko, Oct 12, 2018
    moloko, Oct 12, 2018
    #4
    speedyk and Northeasterner Thank this.
  7. Oct 12, 2018 #5
    driverdriver

    driverdriver Road Train Member

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    You better study up you can get into some deep manuare.
    A simple paperwork mistake can get ya fine in the thousands.
    Same with a trailer with wrong placards.
    That's just for starters.
    And as was just recently reported by a BCO a six month suspension from landstar for failing an inspection with hazmat.
     
    driverdriver, Oct 12, 2018
    driverdriver, Oct 12, 2018
    #5
  8. Oct 12, 2018 #6
    Northeasterner

    Northeasterner Medium Load Member

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    he said batteries.

    showed me some loads... batteries it looks like. to start.
     
    Northeasterner, Oct 12, 2018
    Northeasterner, Oct 12, 2018
    #6
  9. Oct 12, 2018 #7
    Northeasterner

    Northeasterner Medium Load Member

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    oh lovely...
     
    Northeasterner, Oct 12, 2018
    Northeasterner, Oct 12, 2018
    #7
  10. Oct 12, 2018 #8
    Northeasterner

    Northeasterner Medium Load Member

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    appearances matter, as they say!

    I in fact had a prepass when i drove for a few months with roehl. it was nice! getting one with this outfit, too!
     
    Northeasterner, Oct 12, 2018
    Northeasterner, Oct 12, 2018
    #8
  11. Oct 12, 2018 #9
    MACK E-6

    MACK E-6 Moderator Staff Member

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    Always compare the BOL to the freight to verify the UN or NA number.

    Learn the segregation chart. For example, some classes cannot be loaded on the same trailer, such as corrosives or anything with the word “cyanide” in the proper shipping name. Oxidizers require 4 feet between flammables or corrosives.

    Look for the emergency response contact number. It MUST be on the BOL.

    Secure the load inside the trailer, at all times.

    If the load consists more than about 8800 lbs of the same UN or NA number, ID placards are required.

    Those are some common issues that we encounter.
     
    MACK E-6, Oct 12, 2018
    MACK E-6, Oct 12, 2018
    #9
    Northeasterner Thanks this.
  12. Oct 12, 2018 #10
    Tolmie

    Tolmie Medium Load Member

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    Dec 22, 2017
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    Hazmat and reefer, great. Do those BCOs even care to maintain their trucks?
     
    Tolmie, Oct 12, 2018
    Tolmie, Oct 12, 2018
    #10
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