A Hazmat Carrier is a motor carrier registered to transport hazardous materials — substances that pose a risk to health, safety, or property during transportation, as defined and classified under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). Hazmat carriers face additional requirements beyond standard FMCSR compliance: drivers typically need a hazmat endorsement on their CDL, which includes a TSA security background check, vehicles need proper placarding, and depending on the material and quantity, carriers may need substantially higher BIPD insurance minimums, up to $5,000,000 for the most hazardous bulk commodities compared to the $750,000 standard minimum. FMCSA tracks a separate hazmat inspection out-of-service rate for these carriers, reflecting compliance specifically with hazmat handling and placarding rules during roadside inspections, distinct from the general vehicle and driver OOS rates that apply to all carriers. Not every carrier that occasionally hauls a hazmat-classified item is necessarily flagged as a "hazmat carrier" — this designation specifically reflects what a carrier has declared on its MCS-150 filing as part of its regular operations.
A tanker carrier hauling chemicals is subject to hazmat inspection requirements and higher insurance minimums that a dry van general-freight carrier never has to meet.
Shown as 'Hazmat carrier: Yes/No' in the Fleet Profile section of every carrier profile.