multiple placards?

The only problem I see is adding the UN 3475 next to or below the UN1203. Which makes no sense to me since gasoline has a much lower flash point. The only reason I can see for the change is for fire fighting reasons since you have to fight ethanol fires differently than gasoline. There's no sweat off of me since the company has to change the shipping papers and add the numbers. That's is if I choose to come out of retirement and there's no chance of that.

Not all areas have E15. Some have stayed with E10 and some have even met their clean air problem and dropped ethanol all together. Anyway you look at it the ethanol is a problem and fixes nothing. The first step the oil companies took when they were manadated to use ethanol was to blend it with sub-grade gasoline. Ethanol is known as a octane enhancer so they could use a lower octane gasoline as a base. They did this to off set the high cost of delivery and storage cost.

Mike your references that you listed from CFR49 parts 100 to 177 have been there along time. The only new requirement is the identification numbers and proper shipping name. For my company or any other major oil company that's no big deal. Maybe for you as a common carrier that hauls anybody's loads you might have some problems. But that's nothing new either.


The E15 started in the midwest for reasons we can only guess. Most likely it's because of all the corn that's grown in that region. But they will learn the hard way just like anything else that E15 does not help the environment and will take it's toll on cars that burn it.

As far as drivers there shouldn't be any problems unless you work for a fly-by-night company and they do not provide to you the paperwork and placards required. Maybe by then the oil companies will develop another oxygenate that will blend will gasoline better and will not become another problem like MTBE.

 

Ethanol is not a petroleum based product. Alcohols tend to burn without smoke and with colorless flames creating problems for fire fighters in being aware of the product's presence.

Let me ask you, if a shipper makes a mistake and offers a driver an improperly prepared shipping paper who would be placed OOS during a roadside inspection the driver or the shipper?

FYI, the answer is the driver (vehicle) would be placed OOS for no shipping paper. If drivers aren't aware of the changes then they increase the possibility of delays in transit.

FYI, I'm an enforcer, not a carrier. As a HM Specialist I prepare cases for shippers, carriers, and cargo tank repair facilities when they do not follow the HMR or FMCSR. I've prepared too many cases where the carrier trusted the shipper to do the right thing.

As mentioned I was a tanker driver back in 1993, E-15 was required in Denver, CO from Nov 15 - March 1 of each year to improve the air quality in Denver during the winter months when the air was leaner. Remember Denver is the mile high city so there is a significant difference in the amount of air available to breath.

Not many refineries provide drivers placards. Most tanker operations come already placarded or have flippable placards. Many gas carriers will have to remove the permanent UN1203 placard they have on multiple compartmented tanks to ensure the sequence represents the order of the product.

Be safe.