DOCK 01HAZMAT / TANKER
Hazmat dispatch service that checks your endorsements before it books the load
A hazmat load booked on the wrong truck is not a bad rate, it is a violation. Our hazmat dispatch service checks your endorsements, placards, insurance limits and the route against every load before we send it, for placarded van and flatbed freight as well as tankers.
DOCK 02BAD TENDERS
The cost of a bad hazmat tender
- 01
Wrong endorsement
A driver without the H or N endorsement on a load that needs it is out of service, and the load sits.
- 02
Wrong placards
Placards that do not match the material or the quantity are a violation at every scale and inspection.
- 03
Insurance below the minimum
Many hazmat loads need a higher liability limit than general freight. Haul one under-insured and you are exposed.
- 04
A restricted route
Some tunnels, bridges and city streets are closed to hazmat. A route built for general freight can send you through one.
- 05
Contaminated tank
A tanker loaded without the right wash, or after an incompatible product, can ruin the load and the next one.
DOCK 03CHECKLIST
Tanker dispatch starts with a checklist
Every hazmat or tanker load runs through this list before you see it. If any line fails, the load does not reach you.
BEFORE WE TENDER: HAZMAT / TANKER
Driver endorsements
H for placarded hazmat, N for tank vehicles, X for both, on the driver's CDL
Placards and papers
Hazard class, placards required, shipping papers and emergency response info
Insurance limit
Your policy limit against the federal minimum for that material
Route restrictions
Tunnels, bridges and city routes closed to hazmat, checked on the route
Tank details
Product, last load, wash needed, compartments and capacity
Rate covers it
Washes, extra handling and waiting counted into the rate
The rules behind the checklist
- H endorsement
- Needed to haul hazmat that requires placards. Getting it includes a TSA security threat assessment.
- N endorsement
- Needed for a tank vehicle: tanks with an individual rated capacity over 119 gallons and 1,000 gallons or more in total, loaded or empty.
- X endorsement
- The H and N endorsements combined, for hazmat in a tank.
- Placards
- Some materials need placards in any quantity. Most others need them at 1,001 lb aggregate gross weight or more.
- Insurance
- For-hire general freight needs $750,000 minimum liability. Most placarded hazmat and oil needs $1,000,000. Bulk hazardous substances over 3,500 water gallons and certain explosives, poison inhalation and radioactive loads need $5,000,000.
These are the federal rules in short. Shippers and brokers can ask for more, such as higher limits or experience.
SOURCE:eCFR, 49 CFR 383.93, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 383.141, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 383.5, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 172.504, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 387.9, OCT 2026
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Getting set up to haul hazmat
If you are adding hazmat to your authority, these are the pieces to have in place before the first placarded load. We ask about each one on the first call.
1
Endorsements
H, N or X on each driver's CDL, depending on the freight. The H endorsement needs the knowledge test plus the TSA security threat assessment, which takes time, so start early.
2
Hazmat training
Every hazmat employee, drivers included, needs hazmat training, repeated at least once every three years, with records kept.
3
PHMSA registration
Carriers of certain hazmat quantities must register with PHMSA each year. Check whether your freight falls under it before you haul.
4
Safety permit
A short list of high-hazard materials also needs a Hazardous Materials Safety Permit from FMCSA.
5
Insurance at the right limit
Raise your liability limit to match the materials you plan to haul, and get the certificate updated.
6
Your truck
Placard holders, the right emergency equipment, and for tankers, the tank's specification and inspection records.
SOURCE:eCFR, 49 CFR 172.704, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 107.601, OCT 2026;eCFR, 49 CFR 385.403, OCT 2026
DOCK 04WHAT WE BOOK
What we book for hazmat and tanker carriers
- Bulk liquids
- Non-hazardous industrial liquids, water, oils and additives
- Chemicals
- Placarded chemicals in tankers, totes and drums
- Fuel
- Fuel and petroleum products where your setup and insurance allow
- Food grade
- Food-grade tankers for liquid food products, with wash and seal rules
- Placarded dry freight
- Hazmat in drums, totes and cylinders on vans and flatbeds
What hazmat carriers tell us
"Dispatchers book hazmat without checking my endorsement."
We keep each driver's endorsements on file and check them against the load before it goes out. A load that needs H or N never reaches a driver without it.
"My insurance limit is too low for most hazmat."
Then we only offer what your policy covers, and show you which loads a higher limit would open up so you can decide if it is worth it.
"Food-grade washes eat my margin."
A wash is a cost of the load. We ask whether it is paid, and count it into the rate before you see the offer.
DOCK 05FEE
What hazmat and tanker dispatch costs
One hazmat or tanker truck with 6+ months of authority pays 5% of gross. A new MC pays 7% for the first 6 months. 2 or more trucks pay 4% (limited-time rate). Only on loads you haul, no setup fee, month-to-month, cancel with 30 days notice.
EXAMPLE PLACARDED TANKER LOAD
Hazmat and tanker questions
Q-01Do you dispatch hazmat loads?
Yes, for carriers set up to haul them: the right endorsements, insurance at the required limit and a hazmat-ready truck. Every load is checked against your drivers, placards, insurance and route before it reaches you. Tankers and placarded van or flatbed freight both qualify.
Q-02Do I need a hazmat endorsement for your loads?
Only for loads that need placards. Those need the H endorsement, and tankers need N, or X for both. Without them, we offer you non-hazardous freight only. Getting the H endorsement includes a TSA security threat assessment, so plan ahead if you want to add it.
Q-03How much does tanker dispatch cost?
5% of gross for one tanker with 6+ months of authority, 7% while the MC is under 6 months old, and 4% for 2 or more trucks (limited-time rate). Charged only on loads you haul. No setup fee, no minimum, month-to-month, cancel with 30 days notice.
Q-04Do you book food-grade tanker loads?
Yes. Food-grade tankers carry liquid food products and follow strict wash and seal rules, and some shippers want to know the last product hauled. We confirm the wash requirements and who pays for the wash before the load reaches you.
Q-05What insurance do hazmat loads need?
Federal minimums depend on the material: $1,000,000 for most placarded hazmat and oil, and $5,000,000 for bulk hazardous substances over 3,500 water gallons and certain explosives, poison inhalation and radioactive loads. Shippers and brokers can ask for more. We check your limit against every load.
Hazmat freight, checked line by line
About 2 minutes to apply. Tell us your endorsements and insurance limit.