# Mobility Products Unlimited, LLC — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 04-0145  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2004-07-09

04-0145 response to Mobility Products Unlimited, LLC concerning 173.6.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

.S. Departmen
f Transportation
JUL - 9 2004
Washington, D.C. 20590
400 Seventh St., S.W.
special hograms
Administration
Mr. Steven King
245 Riverside Drive
Mobility Products Unlimited, LLC
Ref. No. 04-0145
Holly Hill, FL 32117
Dear Mr. King:
This is in response to your letter asking for clarification of the materials of trade (MOTs)
exceptions under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
Specifically, you ask for clarification of the term "private motor carrier" as used in the
(MOTs) definition in § 171.8. You also ask for clarification of the applicable
requirements in § 173.6 for transporting MOTs, including weight limitations and whether
registration and shipping paper requirements apply. You state that Mobility Products is a
medical equipment provider and will be transporting four 50-pound Division 2.2
compressed oxygen cylinders in a motor vehicle to its customers.
The definition for MOTs in § 171.8 includes a private motor carrier transporting
hazardous materials in direct support of a principal business that is other than
transportation by motor vehicle. A private motor carrier is a carrier who transports the
business's own products and does not provide such transportation service to other
In addition to meeting the definition of MOTs in § 171.8, the applicable requirements in
§ 173.6 must be met. The cylinder must conform to the packaging, qualification,
losed, secured against movement, and protected against damage (see paragraph (b)). /
naintenance, and use requirements under the HMR and must be leak tight, securel
see paragraph (c)(3)), and the operator of the motor vehicle must be informed of th
OT specification cylinder must be marked and labeled in accordance with the HMI
presence of the hazardous material (see paragraph (c)(4)). Paragraph (a)(2) limits a
d) limits the aggregate gross weight of all hazardous materials on one motor vehicle t
ivision 2.2 material in a cylinder to a gross weight not over 220 pounds and paragrap
not more than 440 pounds. With regard to the registration and shipping paper
173.6
040145

<<<PAGE 2>>>

requirements, paragraph (a) states that a hazardous material meeting the MOTs
definition in § 171.8 is subject only to the applicable requirements in § 173.6; therefore,
such shipments are excepted from the registration and shipping paper requirements.
I hope this information is helpful. Please contact this office should you require additional
assistance.
Sincerely,
Hattie L. Mitchell
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 3>>>

sMaIntyre
MOBILITY
MOT
04-0145
PRODUCTS-UNLIMITED, LLC
Mobility Products Unlimited LLC 245 Riverside Drive, Holly Hill, FL 32117
386.255.2388 or Toll Free 1.888.224.2482
May 12,2004
DOT
Office of HazMat Standards
DHM-10 |
400 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Sir/Madam;
Mobility Products Unlimited, LLC is a durable medical equipment provider that
plans to begin renting Home-Fill Oxygen concentrators to patients with a
prescription. In order to be compliant with Emergency and Disaster
Preparedness protocol, Mobility Products has opted to provide each patient
receiving, the system with a back-up cylinder of compressed oxygen.
I have viewed the regulations and the information contained at multiple
websites, including telephone contacts. However, your assistance is needed in
ascertaining. the requirements that Mobility Products Unlimited needs to meet in
order to transport the Division 2.2 hazardous material. Information regarding
whether registration is required would be appreciated
• I was referred to 49 CFR 173:6 and have viewed the regulation and believe
that Mobility Prodücts Unlimited satisfies the "Materials of Trade" exemption
requirements as stipulated therein. However, a clearer definition of a "private
motor carrier" would be appreciated.
Mobility Products Unlimited transports its home medical equipment in
cargo/passenger type vans. These vehicles would transport no more than a total
of (4) 50 Ibs. compressed oxygen cylinder tanks at any time. Information
regarding weight limits for this would be greatly appreciated as well.
Mobility Products Unlimited is committed to compliance with federal and state
regulations. Any assistance that you may provide in ascertaining hazardous
materials regulation and registration compliance, including shipping paper
requirements, is greatly appreciated
If you need additional information, please contact me @ 1-888-224-2482 X2242
or by email. sking@mpullc.com:
Revenue Integrity Analyst
Compliance Department

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2004/040145.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `aab40f0ddf4b5f82dc0f23ef54d0e519df4b90a806373bed5523c46201374e60`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T10:07:52.383Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-04-0145`

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