TSA Sets Fee For Hazmat Checks, Says 20% of Drivers May Drop Out

Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.

he Transportation Security Administration said Nov. 10 that the fee for fingerprint-based background checks for drivers hauling hazardous materials would be about $100 per person, and that implementing the program could lead as many as 20% of existing commercial driver license hazmat endorsement holders to forgo seeking permission to carry dangerous goods.

TSA said the loss of some of the hazmat driver population should be mitigated by the fact “a significant portion of the [hazmat endorsement]-holder population transports hazardous materials rarely or infrequently,” according to the agency’s Federal Register notice.

However, Cliff Harvison, president of National Tank Truck Carriers, said the situation could prove to be significant for his sector of the industry.

[Because of the rule], fewer drivers will opt to apply for or renew their hazmat endorsement, and that’s not good news for the tank truck sector,” he said.

For the full story, see the Nov. 15 edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.