Change your perception about HazMat right now... HazMat is mostly just a construct by the EPA to satisfy tree huggers. Now I am all for protecting the environment and stuff but some of the regulations are insane. I drive for Schneider Bulk and we do a lot of HazMat, everything from fuel additives, to food coloring. You eat food coloring EVERY DAY, the only reason it is HazMat when I haul it is because there is 6000 gallons of it in my tanker, but you only eat 0.0001 gallons every time you eat chips, or lolly pops, or whatever.
I was at a place today delivering that considered 1 drop of oil from my truck on the ground to be a HazMat spill. The unloader had to lay a spill pad out below my engine before we started unloading. HazMat really is not that bad. I have a respirator that Schneider gave me, and I wear it whenever I feel uncomfortable around anything I am unloading, even non HazMat. Guys laugh at me, but I feel better wearing that thing than smelling the stuff I am unloading.
As for doubles/triples, I have the endorsement but never pulled one. All I know is I have watched UPS trucks pulling doubles and they seriously scare me. FedEx and Old Dominion and Yellow doubles all look fine to me but the UPS drivers must get paid by the minute or something because they FLY down the highway lol.
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
As for doubles/triples, I have the endorsement but never pulled one. All I know is I have watched UPS trucks pulling doubles and they seriously scare me.
Come to think of it, usually they were the UPS trucks that are all over the road. Can't comment on FedEx or the others. But the ones that do come to mind were UPS.
Keep it safe out there. Joe S
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
The vast majority of Hazmat that most drivers haul is very mild - house paint, charcoal, industrial glue - things of that nature. The serious stuff - explosives, bio-hazards, radioactive, volatile acids - that stuff is mostly left to specialty companies with highly-trained drivers and special equipment.
Getting your Hazmat endorsement makes you more versatile, but it isn't strictly necessary. Personally I don't like limiting my options so I had all of the endorsements.
Some companies will require certain endorsements but they won't force you to upgrade or anything. At least I've never heard of a company that did that.
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Those triples have my respect. I see that last trailer looking like its going to tip and the driver is just sitting there chilling. I guess he's used to it.
And about the UPS. Thank you! I'm glad I'm not the first one to notice it. They zoom zoom past me when I'm already at the speed limit. FedEx does also but mostly UPS. I always just giggle when they pass me. But... When I pass a UPS it's an amazing feeling! Kind of like "I'm the king of the world" feeling haha. Unfortunately that's rare since I'm government at 62 and no UPS driver drives that slow.
I figured that I might as well get all the endorsements I could because you never know what the future holds. I always get paranoid thinking about hazmat loads. In my head its gas, acid, poison, etc that can kill everyone if a mistake happens. Its hard to get out of that mindset. As a new guy I'm content pulling regular nonhazardous dryvans and reefers. Down the road it may get boring at some point. An opportunity to drive a new challenge with better pay may come along some time.
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
A refrigerated trailer.
One of my duties with the Air Force was working in Special Handling. I worked around shipping and receiving hazardous materials for both air and ground shipment every day. It is nothing really to be worried about, just know what your dealing with, respect it and try to be safe as always. I am going for Hazmat endorsement for sure. Might as well get em sooner than later if possible. As Brett says, get any edge you can.
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
I totally agree with getting the endorsements. It is a grand idea. You are keeping your options open for different things.
With this new information about HAZMAT , I have new views. After school, I already planned on getting my tanker endorsement. Now I am leaning also toward HAZMAT.
Doubles/triples however are a different story. I think I will wait a few years and a few thousand miles before I try tackling those. If I ever do. 
Keep it safe out there. Joe S
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
I figured that I might as well get all the endorsements I could because you never know what the future holds. I always get paranoid thinking about hazmat loads. In my head its gas, acid, poison, etc that can kill everyone if a mistake happens. Its hard to get out of that mindset. As a new guy I'm content pulling regular nonhazardous dryvans and reefers. Down the road it may get boring at some point. An opportunity to drive a new challenge with better pay may come along some time.
Britton, my current job works with HAZMAT on aircraft. Most of this stuff is packaged quite well. (In fact, most 6.1 toxics can be put in a Superpak, which is so durable that the DOT exempts them from needing hazard labels.) There would have to be a mammoth accident or a shipper that doesn't give a **** about safety for there to be an incident with this stuff.
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
A refrigerated trailer.
Well...I'll give you an education in doubles and triples, and why they drag so crappy goin' down the road. They are always pulling one empty trailer...and they always put it last in line...and with the crummy roads, that wiggle wobble trailer really bounces around. But they have to move trailers around, and they seldom have enough freight to fill all of them, so they pull a "pig" (slang for an empty wagon) since they can top out at 2 or 3 trailers... and yeah...they scare the crap outta me too...I had one put me in the ditch ( in my 4 wheel Dodge Ramcharger)..but I got his truck ##, and his boss knew about it before he was off the mountain....there were 4 phone calls on him in less than 30 minutes..
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
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Right now, just being a wanna-be driver, I have no intentions of ever hauling HAZMAT nor do I want anything to do with hauling doubles or triples.
HAZMAT... When I was in the service, I had some classes on HAZMAT. And when I belonged to fire departments, we had to take classes on HAZMAT. All in all, the most important thing I learned in those classes were, If you didn't have to be near it, don't be. Let the professionals handle it.
There was a joke told by most of our instructors.
"Use the rule of thumb. Stick your arm out in front of you. Put your thumb up. Start backing up. Back up until your thumb covers the whole spill area. And make sure it is upwind. Then and only then you might be safe."
And I have stood by that conviction to this day. All those training films in the Navy and the fire departments told me, I didn't want anything to do with stuff like that.
As far as doubles and triples. I have not seen a triple yet. I would guess they are mostly out west where the roads are straighter and less mountains/hills. But I have followed many doubles. And as of yet, I have not seen a one that looks safe on the road.
That is my perception and my opinion only.
That last trailer is usually all over the road. And when high winds hit. Watch out.
When driving a bus, I have had to follow one for many miles before I felt it was safe enough to pass.
I am sure the money is much better. And I am sure with more experience, it might be different. But as it stands right now, I don't want a thing to do with either one.
Have any other drivers out there felt the same thing and changed their minds later in their career?
Are other drivers out there that feel the same way? Or is it just my fear driving me?
And last question.
Do companies ever force a driver to upgrade their license so they can be forced to take doubles/triples or HAZMAT?
Keep it safe out there. Joe S
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Over The Road:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.