Material and class
UN number, hazard class, packing group and quantity, so the placards and paperwork are right from the start.
Hazmat dispatch service for endorsed drivers
Placarded vans, flatbeds and tankers. We check every load against your endorsements, registration and insurance before it reaches you, then counter the rate and plan the route. You approve every load.
MILE02REQUIREMENTS LADDER
Which loads can you take?
Tick the credentials you hold. Each rung opens more freight, and the panel shows what's open to you now. It's the same check we run on every hazmat or tank load before we bring it to you.
WHAT YOUR RUNGS OPEN
- Non-hazmat freight in a CDL truck
Highest rung: Class A or B CDL. Some loads also need a hazmat safety permit, a security plan or extra training. We check each load against your file before it reaches you.
SOURCE: 49 CFR 383 (CDL and endorsements), 49 CFR 107 Subpart G (PHMSA registration), 49 CFR 387.9 (insurance minimums), checked Oct 2026. A summary, not legal advice.
MILE03INSURANCE MINIMUMS
Federal insurance minimums
| Freight | Federal minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General freight (non-hazmat) | $750,000 | Most shippers ask for $1M anyway |
| Oil, and most hazmat | $1,000,000 | Covers most placarded van, flatbed and tank loads |
| Highest-risk hazmat | $5,000,000 | Includes certain explosives, toxic-by-inhalation materials and bulk hazardous substances in large tanks |
These are federal floors. Brokers and shippers often require more, and some materials need specific coverage. We only bring loads your certificate actually covers. Get a rough cost picture from the truck insurance cost estimator.
MILE04WHAT WE CHECK
What we check on every hazmat load
Your credentials
Endorsements, PHMSA registration, insurance limits and any hazmat safety permit the material requires.
Equipment
Tank type, capacity, compartments and last product, or packaging and securement for vans and flatbeds.
Route restrictions
Tunnels, bridges and cities with hazmat routing rules, and parking rules for placarded loads.
Shipper requirements
Loading procedures, PPE, site training or orientation, and wash certificates.
Payment and broker
Credit and days to pay, the same as every load, plus the broker's hazmat experience.
MILE05YOUR CALL
The material is on the offer
Every hazmat or tank offer shows the material, class, quantity, placards, equipment needs, route restrictions, rate and broker. You decide with all of it in front of you; we never book a hazmat load without your yes.
On a yes, the broker sends the rate con straight to you to sign. If the material or quantity changes at the shipper, stop and call: different hazmat can mean different placards, routes or insurance, and that's a new decision.
LOAD OFFER
- EQUIPMENT
- Tanker, Class 3 placarded
- PICKUP
- Baton Rouge, LA · Tue 08:00
- DELIVERY
- Mobile, AL · Tue 16:00
- LOADED MI
- 230 (deadhead 30)
- WEIGHT
- 42,000 lb, fuel additive
- BROKER
- Credit checked, pays in 30 days
- TERMS
- Hazmat + tanker endorsements required
- RATE
- $1,250 ($5.43/mi loaded)
YOUR CALL. NOTHING IS BOOKED UNTIL YOU SAY YES.
MILE06WHERE HAZMAT MONEY LEAKS
Four leaks in hazmat and tank work
Tank washes
An unpaid wash between products can take a big bite out of a load. We confirm wash needs and who pays first.
Long loading times
Chemical plants and terminals can be slow. Detention terms go on the rate con before you accept.
Route detours
Hazmat routing rules can add miles. We price the legal route, not the shortest one.
Loads you can't legally take
An offer missing one credential is a wasted call. We match every load to your file first.
MILE07FREIGHT WE BOOK
Hazmat and tank freight we book
| Freight | Usually needs | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel and petroleum products | X endorsement, tank, $1M+ insurance | Steady but competitive; terminal access matters |
| Packaged chemicals | H endorsement, van or flatbed, placards | Paint, cleaners, industrial chemicals |
| Bulk chemicals | X endorsement, chemical tank, wash certificates | Last-product rules are strict |
| Food-grade liquids (non-hazmat) | N endorsement, food-grade tank | Kosher and wash requirements are common |
| Compressed gases | H or X endorsement, specialized equipment | Specific training often required |
MILE08HOW WE PLAN
How we plan hazmat work
- Credentials on file. Endorsements, expiry dates, registration, insurance limits and permits, kept current so offers always fit.
- Equipment on file. Tank specs, compartments, last product and wash status, or van and flatbed packaging gear.
- Legal route first. Hazmat routing and parking rules decide the miles, and the miles decide the rate.
- Reload with the same rules. The next load has to fit your tank's last product. We plan the sequence, not just the load.
MILE09GETTING ENDORSED
Adding the H, N or X endorsement
- 01Check your license class. Endorsements go on a CDL. Not sure you need one? Use the CDL checker linked below.
- 02N (tank). A knowledge test at your state licensing office. No background check.
- 03H (hazmat). A knowledge test plus a TSA security threat assessment with fingerprints, which can take weeks. Apply early.
- 04X (both). Pass both tests and the threat assessment; your state issues X in place of H and N.
- 05Keep it current. The hazmat endorsement has to be renewed with a new threat assessment on your state's schedule. We track your expiry date so offers stop before it lapses.
Check which license your truck needs with the do I need a CDL checker, or practice for the tests with the CDL endorsement practice quiz.
Long payment terms on chemical loads?
Factoring can turn delivered loads into cash in about a day. We refer carriers to a factoring partner and may be paid for referrals. Read how freight factoring works first.
MILE10FEE
5% standard rate
One hazmat or tank truck with authority older than 6 months runs at 5% of the gross on loads you haul. New authorities pay 7% until month six; fleets of two or more trucks pay 4%. No setup fee, no minimums, no fee on loads you turn down. Every rule is on rates and fees.
As a CDL carrier you also need a DOT drug and alcohol testing program before your first load. Read about a DOT drug testing consortium.
MILE11OBJECTIONS
What hazmat carriers ask us
- "Hazmat is too regulated for a general dispatcher."
- The regulations are the reason we check every load against your file before you see it. The legal responsibility stays with your company, and the final call to load stays with you.
- "My tank work comes from one terminal."
- Keep it. We fill the gaps around it and look for loads that fit your tank's last product, so your regular work isn't disrupted.
- "New hazmat carriers can't get loads."
- It's harder, not impossible. We start with brokers who consider newer hazmat carriers and build your record. Read dispatch for new authorities.
MILE12FAQ
Hazmat and tanker dispatch FAQ
Q01Can a hotshot haul hazmat?
Yes, but placarded hazmat needs a CDL with the hazmat endorsement at any weight, even on a pickup under 26,001 lb. Small, non-placarded quantities follow different rules. If your hotshot runs without a CDL, placarded loads are off the table.
Q02Which CDL endorsements are needed for hazmat?
H for placarded hazmat, N for tank vehicles, and X, which combines both, for hazmat in tanks. The H endorsement requires a TSA security threat assessment, and it must be renewed on the schedule your state sets.
Q03Do you dispatch tankers?
Yes, both non-hazmat tankers (food-grade, water, some chemicals) with an N endorsement and hazmat tankers with an X endorsement. Tell us your tank type, capacity, compartments and cleaning requirements.
Q04How much does hazmat dispatch cost?
5% of the gross on loads you haul for one truck with authority older than 6 months. New authorities pay 7% until month six, and fleets of two or more trucks pay 4%. No setup fee, no minimums.
Q05Can a new MC haul hazmat?
It's possible but harder. Many shippers and brokers want hazmat history and a clean safety record, and insurance for new hazmat authorities costs more. We start with the brokers that will consider you and build from there.
Q06What insurance do hazmat carriers need?
Federal minimums for for-hire interstate carriers are $750,000 for general freight, $1,000,000 for oil and most hazmat, and $5,000,000 for the highest-risk hazmat. Many shippers ask for more. We match loads to the coverage on your certificate.
Q07Do I need PHMSA registration?
Most companies that transport placarded quantities of hazmat must register with PHMSA each year and pay the fee. Check 49 CFR 107.601 for your situation before your first placarded load.
Q08Do I approve every hazmat load?
Yes. Each offer shows the UN number and class, quantity, placards required, tank or packaging, route restrictions, rate and broker. You say yes or pass. On a yes, the rate con comes straight to you to sign.
Q09Do hazmat loads pay more?
Often, because fewer drivers and carriers qualify and the costs are higher. How much more depends on the material, the lane and the season. We counter every offer with that in mind, but we don't promise a premium.
Q10Can I haul hazmat in a 26 ft box truck?
Yes, if you hold a CDL with the hazmat endorsement and the load is placarded, even when the truck is under 26,001 lb. Many box truck owners skip hazmat because of the endorsement, insurance and registration costs; we only bring it if you're set up for it.
Q11Do I need a hazmat safety permit?
Only for certain high-hazard materials, such as some explosives and toxic-by-inhalation materials in larger quantities. If a load needs one and you don't hold it, the offer never reaches you.
Q12Do you handle tank wash requirements?
We confirm the last product and wash requirements before you accept, because the wrong previous load can make you ineligible for the next one. Tank wash costs and who pays are part of the offer.
Running a non-hazmat van or reefer too? See dry van dispatch and reefer dispatch, or read how we dispatch.
Loads that match your file
Apply in about 2 minutes. Your endorsements and coverage go on file on the first call, and only loads you can legally take reach you.