# California Highway Patrol\< — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 99-0306  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1999-12-02

99-0306 response to California Highway Patrol< concerning 177.848.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
U.S. Department
Washington, D.C.
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
20590
Research and
pecial Program
dministratior
DEC 2 1999
Mr. George Barber
Ref. No. 99-0306
California Highway Patrol
2072 Third Street
Oroville, CA 95965
Dear Mr. Barber:
This is in response to your letter dated November 5, 1999, regarding segregation requirements under
§ 177.848(e)(3) of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically
you ask if lab packs containing Division 4.1 and Class 8 liquids may be considered a truckload and
therefore loaded above or adjacent to one another when offered by different shippers and transported
by a single carrier.
The answer is no. Section 177.848(e)(3) states that Class 8 liquids may not be loaded above or
adjacent to Class 4 or Class 5 materials. Section 177.848(e)(3) also states that shippers may load
truckload shipments of such materials together when it is known that the mixture of contents would not
cause a fire or a dangerous evolution of heat or gas. The term truckload as used in this section means a
shipment of hazardous materials loaded into a transport vehicle by a single shipper. Shipments of
hazardous materials offered to a carrier by different shippers and loaded into a transport vehicle are not
considered to be a truckload. Therefore, a carrier that receives Class 4 and Class 8 materials from
different shippers must segregate the materials in accordance with § 177.848(e) (3).
I hope this satisfies your request.
Sincerely,
MESA
Sohn A. Gale
Transportation Regulations Specialist
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
990306
177,848

<<<PAGE 2>>>

State of California
Business, Transportation and Housing Agency
Date:
November 5, 1999
8177848
To:
Mr. Edward Mazzullo
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
99-0306
Washington DC 20590-0001
From:
DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL
Oroville
File No.:
201.10665
Subject:
Letter of Interpretation
I am writing to request an interpretation or definition of "Truckload", as used in Section
177.848(e)(3). On 11/05/99 at approximately 09 00 hours 1 spoke with Jeff on the information
line and he suggested I request a letter on interpretation. Specifically, would a truck load of
hazardous wastes, Division 4.1 and Class 8 liquids, in lab packs, shipped by multiple waste
generators, be subject to the separatión regulation or be considered a truckload shipment, after
the shipment was consolidated by waste clean-up company, for transportation to a disposal site?
I would appreciate an expedited reply, as a court case is pending on this matter.
My return address is:
3822
California Highway Patrol
2072 Third Street
Oroville, CA 95965
530 533
Fax (530) 533-2703
G. Barber, CHO 10665
CHP 51WP (Rcv. 11-88) OP1 076

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1999/990306.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `f70b6cad2bc49f2dc8e1049fdf0b5e6d128caa92206aa50127962d66999b2e34`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T14:56:07.896Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-99-0306`

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