Hazmat container drayage

What makes hazmat drayage different

A hazmat container moves like any other box: terminal, chassis, road, dock. But the rules around it are stricter. The container has to be placarded correctly. The driver needs to carry the right shipping papers and emergency response information. And the driver has to be qualified to haul hazardous materials.

Mistakes here aren't just paperwork problems. A missing document can stop a truck at the gate, and a wrong placard can mean a fine or worse. So we check before we dispatch, not after.

What we need from you

When you ask for a hazmat quote, include as much of this as you can:

• UN number and proper shipping name for each hazardous item.
• Hazard class and, where it applies, packing group.
• Weight of the hazardous cargo and of the whole load.
• The safety data sheet or dangerous goods declaration.
• A 24-hour emergency response phone number.
• Whether the container is already placarded, and by whom.

If you only have part of this when you first reach out, send what you have. We'll tell you what's missing.

How a hazmat move runs

1. We review the documents against the delivery order before the move is scheduled.
2. We confirm the terminal and receiver can handle it. Some terminals and some receivers have their own rules for hazmat boxes.
3. We assign a qualified driver. All our drivers are TWIC-carded. Hazmat loads go to drivers qualified to haul them.
4. The driver carries the papers and checks the placards at pickup.
5. We deliver and return the empty, with POD and EIR photos on file the same day.

Storage and timing

Hazmat containers often have tighter options for storage than ordinary boxes. A pre-pull to a yard may not always be possible, depending on the class. Plan delivery dates early, and tell us up front if a box might have to wait. Last free day is tracked on every container, and boxes close to it are flagged each morning.

Where we haul hazmat

We move hazmat containers at the Port of Houston, the Port of Oakland and the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. See our pages for Houston and Oakland. Heavy hazmat cargo, like drums of liquid, may also need a tri-axle chassis. See overweight drayage.