Deadline Extended for Foreign Hazmat Drivers

Feb. 21, 2006
Applicable to Canadian and Mexican drivers who transport hazmat materials within the U.S., requirements for U.S. drivers is being phased in with them

Applicable to Canadian and Mexican drivers who transport hazmat materials within the U.S., requirements for U.S. drivers is being phased in with them needing such a background security check before being issued a hazmat materials endorsement on their commercial drivers licenses.

The TSA points to rules specified in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users that require Canadian and Mexican drivers transporting placarded loads of hazmat or any quantity of material listed as select agents or toxins to face the same background checks as U.S. drivers with hazmat endorsements.

David Bradley, CTA’s CEO, notes, “The extension of the deadline and the expected announcement that the FAST card will be accepted by TSA is great news for Canada and Canadian carriers. The FAST card option we proposed more than two years ago, if accepted by TSA, would not only solve the hazmat security check dilemma, but also add value to the FAST program.”