MC&E: Hazmat Carriers Decry Federal Rules' Financial Burden
ORLANDO, Fla. – Federal regulations to improve security of hazardous material shipments are likely to put an extra financial burden on motor carriers, a state trucking association executive and a motor carrier director of safety said here last week.In interviews at American Trucking Associations' Management Conference and Exhibition, they said the costs of a impending federal regulation would include expenses for training and new technologies, and that shippers should help.
"When an extra level of cost is established, we would like shippers to realize that and help pay for those costs," said Joel D. Anderson, executive vice president of the California Trucking Association.
"And, from a philosophical point of view, we would also like to see a federal regulation as opposed to something from the states – Michigan could be different than California," he told Transport Topics.
"No one has shown us that these security technologies would work for security purposes," he said.
Watkins ranks 21st on the Transport Topics 100 list of largest carriers in the United States and Canada.
Koppenhofer chairs ATA's Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, and made his comments after that panel met Oct. 27.
Under proposed regulations, by the end of 2002 all hazmat carriers would be required to provide security training for their employees and develop security plans.
Besides the security training provisions, DOT has also proposed that hazmat carriers provide security escorts for certain shipments and pre-notify state and local enforcement agencies before starting a trip.
While trucking industry officials said no one can accurately estimate how much all of this might cost, they warned that the new rules could place severe financial burdens on some carriers.
A DOT official said the issue could be resolved early in 2003.
9545
