Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Final Rule Adds 96 Haz-Mat Special Permits

A new final rule from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration places an additional 96 hazardous-materials special permits into regulation.

David Cullen
David Cullen[Former] Business/Washington Contributing Editor
Read David's Posts
January 19, 2016
Final Rule Adds 96 Haz-Mat Special Permits

Photo: PHMSA

1 min to read


Photo: PHMSA

A new final rule from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration places an additional 96 hazardous-materials special permits into regulation. PHMSA submitted the rule for publication to the Federal Register on Jan. 12.

The agency said such special permits “set forth alternative requirements— or a variance— to the requirements in the Hazardous Materials Regulations in a way that achieves a safety level at least equal to that required under the regulations.”

Ad Loading...

PHMSA added that these permits also provide a mechanism for testing new technologies, promoting increased transportation efficiency and productivity and improving global competitiveness.

According to PHMSA, it has previously issued eight separate rulemakings and put 94 hazardous materials special permits into regulation before this latest rule was issued.

The new rulemaking was required by a provision within the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) highway act, which was signed into law back in 2012.

Ad Loading...

A preview of the rulemaking transmitted by PHMSA to the Federal Register is available on the agency's website.

More Safety & Compliance

Photo illustration combining laboratory sample tubes, marijuana, pills, white powder, and a syringe above a highway with tractor-trailers.
Safety & Compliance•by Deborah Lockridge•November 2, 2026

FDA Eases Path for Oral-Fluid Testing

Federal actions could advance oral-fluid drug testing for truck drivers, but lab certification delays and marijuana rescheduling questions remain.

Read More →
Red Kodiak-branded autonomous tractor with Charger-branded trailer backed up to warehouse
Fleet Management•October 30, 2026

Kodiak Lines Up Fleets for Driverless Trucking

An agreement for 75 trucks, a new Texas freight lane, and progress on safety validation move Kodiak closer to its planned driverless highway launch.

Read More →
YouTube thumbnail showing man being interviewed and backup camera and in-cab screen showing backup video
Safety & Compliance•by Deborah Lockridge•October 23, 2026

More Trailer Data Through the Same Seven-Way [Video]

Can trucking’s standard seven-way connector handle more cameras and trailer data? Grote’s Adam Slade shows HDT how the company is using new technology with its 4See trailer system, not only to add a new backup camera but also to expand other capabilities — without adding another connection.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Screen capture showing PrePass Intelligence data on tolls
Fleet Management•by News/Media Release•October 21, 2026

PrePass Intelligence Mines Fleet Bypass, Toll and Safety Data

PrePass Intelligence helps fleets measure bypass savings, flag potential toll overcharges, and spot suspicious transactions by combining data from separate systems.

Read More →
View of the crash scene with the crash location, high- and low-speed lanes, direction of travel, gore area, and concrete barrier annotated
Safety & Compliance•by Staff•October 16, 2026

Fatal Crash Exposes Toll Plaza Risks

An NTSB investigation found that last-minute lane changes and large speed differences at an Ohio toll plaza created a hazard the truck driver couldn't avoid in time.

Read More →
Man with police badge on his arm by an open commercial truck door examining paperwork
Safety & Compliance•October 15, 2026

When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders

English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A man standing at the driver entrance of a blue work truck.
Sponsored•October 6, 2026

A Camera Isn't a Safety Program. Here's What Brokers Are Screening for Now

Footage alone may not be enough to pass broker vetting processes. Here's what counts as a defensible safety program now.

Read More →
Cover Feature graphic showing various forms of cannabis/marijuana products
Safety & Compliance•by Deborah Lockridge•October 5, 2026

Marijuana and Trucking’s Drug-Testing Dilemma

Marijuana is getting stronger, laws are changing, and drug tests still can’t reliably establish impairment. What does that mean for truck drivers and the fleets that employ them?

Read More →
Kodiak tractor-trailer on highway with insets of a weigh station sign and inside of a weigh station control room
Safety & Compliance•by News/Media Release•September 21, 2026

PrePass, Kodiak Connect Driverless Trucks to Roadside Enforcement

The system will allow enforcement agencies to verify Enhanced Inspection information and decide whether Kodiak’s autonomous trucks can bypass roadside screening sites.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of smiling truck driver Harold Perry with arms crossed in front of Southeastern Freight Lines truck
Drivers•September 17, 2026

From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers

After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.

Read More →