Taking the plunge. My journey as an O/O.

Nobody is pressuring him to pull hazmat. The pressure is about correcting his misconceived notion that if he gets the endorsement he will be pressured to pull it.

 

Speaking of hazmat loads...there are also a grey area - hazmat loads

They refused to load my truck after I declined to sign a waiver for placards. Is it a hazmat load or not? - I asked. They said that was a hazmat class 9 which is not really a hazmat, and I would not need the endorsement for that product... However, If it is not a hazmat then I don't need to be offered placards, I said. They said that if I don't sign it then they would not load me...and that is what happened. That product was called polymer beads contained in big tall bags and every one of them had been placarded "expandable" also their trailers were placarded with that sign.
Probably it was not a big deal, and I just overreacted but I don't like to sign something which can kick me in the arse later. I don't like ultimatums but even more unclear situations. The reason they wanted me to sign it was that in an event that something goes wrong, they can have that waiver available. Had I had the endorsement, I would not have had any issues to take it. I'll probably get myself the Hazmat endorsement soon.

 

You probably should have called DOT and asked them for help in the situation and if they concur with the shipper. I know many guys hate them but there are situations where they are there to help.

Most of my guys are X endorsed and we are haz permitted and insured. I think it’s a good idea to just go ahead and get tanker and haz that way your covered in a deal like that where the lines are blurred.

 

Holy crap. I give up. You are 100% correct, landstar drivers are forced to pull hazmat against their will on a regular basis.

 

The shipper is supposed to be the expert on the product. That means if it is a hazmat or not. They have to give you the correct placards and the MSDS. The fine for mis labeling is 250 to 2500 per side. So, 10k worse case. It's not rocket science, but some volunteer firefighter needs to have his life taken care of. It's not too much to ask.

The waiver, they are dodging thier end of responsibility.

 

That's what I was thinking. I am trying to be reasonable and understanding in such situations but when they put the placards in their own trailers and at the same time give me that as an option that means that they are passing some liability onto me.

Having said that, I was willing to take that load provided that I would not have to sign the waiver. They said no. Well, somehow it mattered that much to them.

 

Hazmat was not a big deal back in 2002 when I begun. It was about passing a test of 15 questions or so...Now they made it more bureaucratic but I think it would be better to have it than not. I would have not made a fuss about this load earlier, had I had one.

 

Actually, I'm pretty sure they don't "dispatch" you on a load; you pick your own.
But, whatever man. I don't know where you're getting advice, but it's not good.