# Duke Energy Corporation — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 10-0261  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2011-02-28

10-0261 response to Duke Energy Corporation concerning 173.159, 173.6.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
FEB 2 8 2011
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
Mr. Chuck Denny
Duke Energy Corporation
526 South Church Street, EC13K
Charlotte, NC 28202
Reference No.: 10-0261
Dear Mr. Denny:
This responds to your email requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations
(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to a transport vehicle. Specifically, you ask for
clarification on the definition of a transport vehicle and how this definition affects the use of the
exceptions for materials of trade (MOTs) specified in § 173.6 and batteries specified in
§ 173.159 and 173.159a.
In your email, you describe a scenario in which a utility truck is pulling a trailer. The utility
truck is carrying material meeting the MOTs exception, specified in § 173.6, while the trailer
contains electric storage batteries. Your questions are paraphrased and answered as follows:
Ql: Can a utility truck be considered a separate transport vehicle from a trailer that is
connected to it?
AI: The answer is yes. Transport vehicle means a cargo-carrying vehicle, such as an
automobile, van, tractor, truck, semitrailer, tank car or rail car used for the transportation
of cargo by any mode. Each cargo.,carrying body (trailer, rail car, etc.) is a separate
transport vehicle. (See § 171.8.)
Q2: If the answer to Ql is yes, may each transport vehicle utilize separate exceptions
specified in the HMR? Specifically, can the utility truck use the MOTs exception
specified in § 173.6 while the trailer uses the electric storage battery exception specified
in § 173.159(e)?
A2: The answer is yes. If a transport vehicle contains any other hazardous materials, even
those excepted from all or part of the HMR (e.g., materials of trade; see § 173.6), the
exception specified in § 173.1S9(e) does not apply. However, since the utility truck and
trailer are considered separate transport vehicles a person may utilize separate exceptions
in each transport vehicle provided they meet all the requirements specified for each
exception (Le. §§ 173.6 and 173.159(e)).

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Q3: If a transport vehicle contains both spillable and non-spillable lead acid batteries, can that
transport vehicle utilize the exceptions specified in §§ 173.159(e) and 173.159a
simultaneously?
A3: The answer is yes. Electric storage batteries containing electrolyte or corrosive battery
fluid are excepted from the HMR when transported in accordance with the provisions
specified in § 173.159( e). The exception in § 173.159( e) is applicable to "Electric
storage batteries containing electrolyte or corrosive battery fluid" and does not
differentiate between spillable and non-spillable lead acid batteries. The condition
specified in § 173 .159( e )(1) states that no other hazardous materials may be transported
on the same vehicle. For the purposes of this exception, spillable and non-spillable
batteries are both considered "Electric storage batteries containing electrolyte or
corrosive battery fluid." Therefore, provided no other hazardous materials are loaded in
the transport vehicle with the spillable and non-spillable electric storage batteries and all
the requirements of §§ 173.159 and 173.159a are met, the electric storage batteries would
be excepted from the HMR.
I hope this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
T. Glenn Foster
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 3>>>

13 en e cl ,. <!.-1~J1~·
159
Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA) ~/73#ft:;
From: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) Ba Hey,'es
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 3:56 PM I D- DJ...b J
To: Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
Subject: FW: Hazmat Information Center Feedback: Shippers-General Requirements for Shipments
and Packagings (Sections 173.1 &ndash; 173,476)
Hi Carolyn,
Chuck Denny requested we forward this e-mail as a request for a formal letter of
interpretation.
Thanks,
Victoria Lehman
202-366-1035
-----Original Message-- -From:
PHMSA-Feedback [mailto:PHMSA-Feedback]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 2:37 PM
To: PHMSA HM InfoCenter; PHMSA Webmaster
Subject: Hazmat Information Center Feedback: Shippers-General Requirements for Shipments and
Packagings (Sections 173.1 &ndash; 173.476)
The following questions pertain to battery shipments and reference DOT interpretation letters
06-0062, 07-0026 and 98-0532.
Issue 1
A utility truck is pulling a trailer. The utility truck is carrying material under the
Materials of Trade exception, 49 CFR 173.6. The trailer contains only lead acid batteries.
Can the trailer transport the lead acid batteries exception under 49 CFR 173.159 (e) while
connected to the utility truck carrying hazardous materials under the Materials of Trade
exception 49 CFR 173.6? Per DOT interpretation 07-0026, the battery exception 49 CFR 173.159
(e) cannot be used with the Materials of Trade exception 49 CFR 173.6 when they are being
transported on the same vehicle. Per DOT Interpretation, 98-0532, each cargo-carrying body
(trailer) is a separate transport vehicle. Can the utility truck be considered a separate
transport vehicle from the trailer that it is connected and allow one exception to be used on
the utility truck and the other exception to be used for the trailer?
Issue 2
A transport vehicle contains both spillable and non-spillable batteries. Can lead acid
batteries under 49 CFR 173.159 (e) and lead acid batteries under 49 CFR 173.159a both be
transported together using both exceptions? Per DOT Interpretation 06-0062, the usage of
both exceptions being used at the same time appears to be accurate.
The questions were sent earlier, but no response was received. Therefore, resubmitting with
cell phone telephone number.
Name: Chuck Denny
Organization: Duke Energy Corporation
Email: Chuck.Denny@duke-energy.com
Address: 526 South Church Street, EC13K
City: Charlotte
Zip Code: 28202
Phone: 704-564-1504
Country: USA
1

<<<PAGE 4>>>

FAX: 704-382-6240

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2010/100261.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `4e2ea49963f5c40d4596ba20bd3e3922b3edfafedb6ad8cc1beb8daf627b0c0c`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T20:22:22.967Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-10-0261`

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