Hazmat Cert - Is It Worth It?

What's the thinking against getting it? Seems to me if they have hazmat loads you may as well haul some of them. Why not? Wouldn't it suck to be in an area where that's the only load and you can't do it?

 

If you’re a company driver and they offer no HUGE benefit for having it. NO!

Reason being, if you’re the only guy in the area. You may sit for a day or two to pick up a load that pays them a boatload of money, that eventually pays you a couple hundred dollars for your time.

O/O that self dispatches. Hell yes. While it may pay no better than most freight. It may be the only load that actually gets you out of a bad area with a profit instead of a loss.

 

I view it the other way as an oo that self dispatches. Why would I carry the higher insurance for just a few hazmat loads a year? Not to mention added scrutiny from dot simply for hauling it or being eligible to haul it. Hazmat certified with dot = higher chance of routine audit. Add it all up I have no interest.

 

No difference here No hazmat either, yet. I failed at staying up to date on procedures, and didn’t know I had to drive over 100 miles in the other direction, for my background check.

We used to be able to do it in the same city we took the test. That is no longer the case. Background first, hazmat test second.

 

Endorsements are money in the bank, akin to a savings account or insurance policy.
Anything can happen, maybe you go to work and get laid off or the gates are locked.
Those endorsements mean you go back to work that afternoon, making good paychecks.
You lose that job, then with the endorsements you hire on with Trimac Transportation making over $100K per year and that's no joke. Trimac "Elite Fleet" OTR drivers make over $100K.
That's just one example, but there are others.

 

I get paid $0.62 per mile to pull Hazmat. Make sure you are getting compensated well for doing it.

What kind of hazmat are they pulling?

 

well as an owner operator I get between 50 cents to a dollar more for a hazmat load and if you're company is willing to "share the wealth " then ok but if they want to have you do it for nothing or a nickel tell them to pound sand get at least a dime .... hazmat loads are useually quick on and offs especially compared to reefer loads .so they are not bad to do but you are more at risk for inspections and tickets etc.