# Mark Rite Lines Equipment Company, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 02-0307  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2002-12-20

02-0307 response to Mark Rite Lines Equipment Company, Inc. concerning 171.8.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

DEC 2 0 2002
400 Seventh St., S.W.
esearch an
Washington, D.C. 20590
dimini ration
Mr. Milo A. Thomas
5379 Southgate Drive
Mark Rite Lines Equipment Company, Inc.
Ref. No. 02-0307
Billings, MT 59107-1154
Dear Mr. Thomas:
This is in response to your letter dated November 12, 2002, requesting clarification on the
applicability of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) to your
"highway striping vehicle" with propane tanks permanently mounted to the truck. Specifically,
you request clarification of the placarding requirements for your highway striping vehicle that is
equipped with a large permanently mounted propane tank used to supply fuel to auxiliary
equipment.
It is the opinion of this office that if the propane tank meets the requirements for all fuel systems
including marking, and is maintained in accordance with the National Fire Protection
under §$ 393.65 and 393.69 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR),
Association's and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' standards for fuel systems,
and not used as a packaging for hazardous materials, e.g., a cargo tank, then the tank is subject
the tank does not meet the FMCSR requirements for fuel systems, then the fuel tank would
only to the FMCSR and as such the vehicle would not be required to be placarded. However, if
depending on size meet the definition of a non-bulk or bulk packaging (see § 171.8). Under the
HMR, propane in a non-bulk or bulk packaging is subject to specification packaging, shipping
papers, marking, placarding, and emergency response information requirements.
I hope this information is helpful.
title I. michel
Hattie L. Mitchell
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
171.8
020307

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Betts
$171.8
NAL
MRL
Definitions Placardine
Mark Rite Lines Equipment Company, Inc.'
MAL AQUEMENT COMPANY, INC.
5379 Southgate Drive / PO Box 31154
2 -838÷
Billings, MI 59101
PROVIDING QUALITY PRODUCTS
Phone: (406) 869-9900
Fax: (406) 896-8880
SINCE
1989
12 November, 2002
Chief, Standards Development
Delmer F. Billings
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
400 Seventh Street SW
U.S. Department of Transportation
Washington, D.C. 20580
Dear Mr. Billings:
My situation in question is a large LP tankS permanently attached to the truck that is used to supply fuel to
This letter is in response to a recent inquiry concerning the use of place cards on highway striping equipment.
job sight.this auxiliary equipment is not in use, leaving me to believe the tarks may be considered a cargo
auxiliary equipment also permanently mounted to the truck. Often when the truck is in transit from job sight.to
tank.
Write dated 13 April, 1999 and a letter sent to Mr. Wayland Little dated 11 January, 1995. It is my
I have contacted a representative from your department who sent me a copy of a letter sent to Mr. Kent C.
interpretation from these letters and a careful review of §§ 393.65 and 393.69 of the Federal Motor Carrier
particular (49.CFR §171.8), that the truck does not need place carding because it is considered a fuel system
Safety Regulations (FMCSR), and the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) in
under the §393.65 part (a.) of the FMCSR.
Because there is nothing specifically stating the use of place cards I am asking you to reply with your
comments regarding my interpretation.
Sincerely,
mit Athomas
Engineering
Milo A. Thomas
MRL Equipment
1s 374-91
materis?
Z: \Milo\Documents\Document Log\US DoT 11.11.02.doc
PHONE: 43854900 AX: 406890-88304
INTERS WALNGS, MIT 5910
SOUTHGATE DR

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020307.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `1dd68900f61bb4f3072225a2219bc08b8f2ec2995d7d8c691513a663adf372cf`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T07:47:30.812Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-02-0307`

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