# Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.,Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 98-0277  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1998-09-25

98-0277 response to Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.,Inc. concerning 178.503.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

.
of Transportation
U.S. Department
Washington, D.C.
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
20590
Special Programs
Research and
Administration
SEP 2 5 1998
Anthony P. Willson
Toyota Motor Sales,
P.O. Box 2991
U.S.A., Inc.
Ref. No. 98-0277
Torrance, CA
• 90509-2991
Dear Mr. Wilison:
This is in response to your letter dated September 9, 1998,
concerning the gross weight marking on a specification packaging
under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-
180).. Specifically, you ask if packages may contain less weight
the gross mass which is marked on the packaging.
Section 178.503 specifies the markings which must appear on a UN
standard packaging.
For packagings intended to contain solids or
inner packagings, the designation of the mass of the packaging
must be the maximum gross mass in kilograms for which that
packaging has been tested (178.503 (a) (4) (ii)). The gross weight
of the package must not exceed
the box. Therefore, packagings may contain materials in amounts
the maximum gross mass printed on
less than specified
in the printed markings.
I hope the satisfies
your request.
Sincerely,
Transportation Regulations Specialist
Office of Hazardous Materials
• Standards
• a gain

<<<PAGE 2>>>

BAH
$ 178.503
•TOYOTA
9001 South Western Avenu
'oyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., In
Torrance, CA 90509-2991
P.O. Box 2991
310) 618-4000
310) 618-7800 Fa
September 9, 1998
GO
Mr. Edward Mazzullo
Director
Office of Hazardous Material Standards
700 7* Street S. W.
Washington, DC
20590
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
Toyota Motor Sales, USA receives parts from Japan that are Seat Belt Pre-tensioners
and Air Bag Modules, Class 9, UN3268, packing group Ill. These parts have a gross
weight of 2.27 kg or 2.50 kg. The UN specification printed on the box is 3.0 kg.
Currently we are adjusting the gross weight on the boxes received from our Japan
suppliers to the exact gross weight.
We received two different answers to our verbal inquiries regarding this matter. One
answer, from our outside consultant, Steven Hunt of ShipMate, is that the gross weight
must be exact. The answer from Mike Johnson at the DOT was that the gross weight
cannot exceed that which is printed on the box.
Since we ship these parts to facilities within the United States we would like to know
which is correct for transport within the United States.
I would appreciate a phone call on this issue. Please call me at 310-787-5701. If l am
not in please leave a voice mail message. A written response is also requested.
Sincerely,
Anthony P. Willson
Sr. Logistics Administrator
Mail Stop G-401
/

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980277.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `8b85c06843ec76e329fae127f91670f01648b5a2ef28af5ceba35a806949f052`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T13:52:44.169Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-98-0277`

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