Is Hazmat worth the trouble? In my opinion: NO.

What's that moldy looking green stuff on the bread?

 

You have to pay for a hazmat emdorsement? Should be covered by employer. I haul LTL and have hazardous 70% of the loads.

 

I was reimbursed by my employer for the initial acquisition of the endorsement. After that, they consider it up to me to keep.
Which, I think was like $35 last time, fingerprinting was free at the county sheriff department.

 

It was almost too much, considering I had a to go box about 4 hours before that. It was so good though.

 

One thing I learned many moons ago is that when your in the west especially the south west Mexican food is the best bet. And I could eat it 3 meals a day.
And to the youngsters, I’m not talking Taco Bell, that’s garbage.

 

Well, I don't know where or how you obtained your hazmat endorsement. I had to go through a TSA affiliated site only two close by were Casper, Wy and Billings, Mt. Had to bring in two forms of ID. Passport and Drivers license. And it cost 86.50 with a 30 day wait period..

 

Thats it?

That all? HA.

Remember back in our time prior to 9-11 there wasnt much of anything related to Homeland security. We just slapped the correct crayon colored diamonds carefully divided by numbers 0 to 9 so we are not needlessly confused choosing which one on either hand when reading those new phontically written bills of lading in special coloring for that load. //sarcasm.

Edit, the more I thought about this post, there are other problems.

You talked about excessive supervision. You are the MAN a professional who is qualified to put sticky paper on a 18 wheeler filled with things that can kill 10,000 while they sleep in their beds at night. Nothing is supposed to happen to them if you did your hazmat properly.

Usually going through a city or town is a increased risk. Not the other way around trying to get around one. You would think you get out and get onto your knees to kiss the wide dusty land giving thanks that there is no town here, no traffic, no risk no nothing. And that Kit Carson is through and done in about 4 blocks if you only wait long enough to get through the #### place. Sheesh. It does not have but two traffic lights.

That distilled water under hazmat makes it a Radioactive Heavy Water. Very valuable to our Nuclear Deterrence. They can mumbo jumbo everything until the very english written language is a total hash(Tag) but it's still distilled water done very very monstrosity expensive.

Why should you be paid for doing the things already being done to you to make sure that all is well? What is next? Paying people to sit in school stressed about speaking up about things going sideways in our esteemed country?

And the wrecks, what of them? We have ordinary wrecks everyday with leaks and problems anyway. If you are lucky you get cremated instantly and don't suffer. Or if really unlucky, you might get to sit in a prison with 10,000 gaurds making sure to put eyes on you many times a day and night.

Wouldnt that be something of a kicker. The very thing you seem to resent, all that supervision.

 

Here's one for ya!!
A few years ago I talked with a lady who had a small fleet of trucks over in the Bakken. In North Dakota.
In her job listing it stated they wanted drivers with a Hazmat endorsement.
I asked her why she required drivers with the endorsement? Your not hauling anything that requires placards.
Her reply was this "it cuts out the riff raff. If the driver has the endorsement means we don't have to do a backround check on every felon coming to the Dakotas to get a job"
It's already been done and they didn't have to spend one dime.

 

Riff raff eh?

I tell you this. I love your post. It's great. But I hope she can fight the riff raff proper in one of those bars up there.