Random LTL Rants (all are welcomed)

I got a bit of a serious question.

I just got done delivering to a customer. I noticed an open box truck (below Class B weight but DoT number on the door).

Inside the cargo compartment was a large pallet of flammable liquids all shrink wrapped and banded together. Hazmat stickered with UN printed on the diamond. The pallet which weighed over 2,200 lbs was not strapped in. What also struck me that no portion of the truck had any placards on it

A 19 year old kid on a forklift hopped off and asked me why I was staring at it so I explained some concerns.

Turns out he has brought up my concerns as well and his management brushed it off. The kid was transporting this hazmat did not have a CDL or hazmat endorsement. He received no formal training on handling hazmat. He wasn't even sure if he had any paperwork to go with the load other than the work order. He was also told to "play stupid" if he was ever pulled over. Apparantly he has hauled this type of load on a almost weekly basis.

I basically told him he was gambling with his license and possibly freedom. I am sure there are more than a few federal laws he was violating. His boss also laughed at me when I brought it up to him.

What are your guy's thoughts? Am I like over reacting or is there some kind of exemption for hauling this much hazmat if you drive a smaller truck?

 

I don't think it would classify as limited quantity. These were black five gallon pails filled with some kind of flammable liquid stacked four or five rows high on a pallet .

I've hauled them before when I ran LTL and we always placarded our trailers . I don't know. I've been wrong before, but this seems very sketchy having all this flammable material sitting in the back of a box truck . He said he hauled two pallets are a time. He's gotta be pushing 4,500 lbs , if not more.