# GP Trucking — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 14-0130  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2014-09-09

14-0130 response to GP Trucking concerning 177.804, 177.834.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
U.S. Department
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
SEP 0 9 2014
Mr. John Billingsley
GP Trucking
125 Access Road
Gaston, SC 29053
Ref. No. 14-0130
Dear Mr. Billingsley:
This is a response to your June 30, 2014 email requesting clarification of general requirements
for loading and unloading under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts
171-180). Specifically, you request clarification on whether failure to secure the non-hazardous
cargo in a mixed hazardous and non-hazardous shipment would be a violation of § 177.834.
The answer is no. The requirements found in § 177.834 are applicable to the carriage of
packages containing hazardous materials by highway. However, in accordance with
§ 177.804(a), compliance with applicable Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR)
is required. Regulations covering protection against shifting and falling cargo can be found in
49 CFR Part 393, Subpart I.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to
contact this office.
Acting Chief, Standards Development
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Suchat
177.834
Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)
General Requirements
14-0130
From:
INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Sent:
To:
Monday, June 30, 2014 3:47 PM
Subject:
Hazmat Interps
FW: Hazmat Information Center Feedback: Specifications for Packagings (Sections 178.1
&ndash; 178.819)
This caller requested we submit this e-mail as a formal letter of interpretation for a written response. Thanks, Victoria
--Original Message--
From: PHMSA Webmaster
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2014 12:22 PM
Tọ: PHMSA HM InfoCenter; PHMSA Webmaster
Subject: Hazmat Information Center Feedback: Specifications for Packagings (Sections 178.1 &ndash; 178.819)
When carrying Hazardous and non-hazardous materials in a towed unit, would failing to secure the non-hazardous
portion of the load be considered a violation of 177.834?
Name: John Billingsley
Email: bilj@gptruck.com
Organization:
Phone: 803.936.8585
FAX:
1

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Suchak, Neal (PHMSA)
From:
Bomgardner, Paul (FMCSA)
Sent:
Thursday, August 28, 2014 9:21 AM
To:
Suchak, Neal (PHMSA); Hardridge, John (FMCSA)
Cc:
Rach, Suzanne (FMCSA)
Subject:
RE: Interp for review
Neal:
Pretty much sums it up. I concur.
Thanks,
Paul
From: Suchak, Neal (PHMSA)
Sent: Thursday, August 28, 2014 9:01 AM
To: Hardridge, John (FMCSA)
Cc: Bomgardner, Paul (FMCSA); Rach, Suzanne (FMCSA)
Subject: Interp for review
Good morning,
Would you all mind reviewing the attached interp and providing comment/FMCSA concurrence? It's fairly simple this
time (no cargo tanks!). As always, I appreciate your time and input! Thanks.
Respectfully,
Neal Suchak
1

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2014/140130.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `9fe5732097be91c606aea367cc4b4b6d635f7a518da3c8522337af8e8b8b4c52`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T22:29:17.939Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-14-0130`

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