# National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 98-0579
- **title:** National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 1998-04-03
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 98-0579 response to National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc. concerning 180.407, 180.417.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0579.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0579.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-98-0579
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980579.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

174
:
Kas int
-
U.S.Department
of Transportation
Washington, D.C.
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
20590
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
•
Mr. John L. Conley
APR 3" 1998
Vice President
National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc.
2200 Mill Road
Alexandria, VA 22314-4677
Dear Mr. Conley:
This is in response to your request for clarification of certain requirements for cargo tank motor
vehicles in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171 - 180). Your
questions are paraphrased and answered as follows:
Q1.
When a carrier has to perform a periodic test or inspection as required by § 180.407(c),
does the carrier have until the last day, of the month or must the next test or inspection be
performed based on the exact date as the previous test or inspection?
Al.
A carrier has until the last day of the month and year in which the inspection or test is
due. For example, if a test or inspection report reflects that an external visual inspection
was performed on January 15, 1994, the carrier has until January 31, 1995, to perform the
required test or inspection.
Q2.
Section 172.328(b) requires that each cargo tank transporting a Class 2 material must be
marked on each side and each end with the proper shipping name of the product being
transported, can the proper shipping name be displayed on the cargo tank itself or on a
sign bracket installed on the cargo tank?
!
A2.
Either method may be used to display the proper shipping name on the cargo tank.
Q3.
In the case of a bobtail tank truck, i.e. the cargo tank is mounted on a truck chassis, can
the marking be displayed on the cargo tank itself or on the front of the cab?
A3.
Display of the shipping name on the front bumper of the motor vehicle hauling a cargo
tank does not satisfy the marking requirement in § 172.328(b). For gases such as
"Propane," the shipping name must be marked and displayed in lettering, no less than 50
mm (2.0) inches), on each side and each end of the cargo tank.
180.407
98 - 0579
180.417

<<<PAGE 2>>>

•
i
Q4.
In the case of a tractor semi-trailer combination, can the marking be displayed on the
cargo tank itself or on the front of the cab?
A4.
See answer A3 above.
midden.
I hope this information is helpful and I apologize for the delay in responding. If we can be of
further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Thome ts Allen,
Thomas G. Allan
Senior Transportation Regulations Specialist
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 3>>>

APR
3 1998
Mr. John L. Conley
Vice President
National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc.
2200 Mill Road
Alexandria, VA 22314-4677
Dear Mr. Conley:
This is in response to your request for clarification of certain requirements for cargo tank motor
vehicles in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171 - 180). Your
questions are paraphrased and answered as follows:
Q1.
When a carrier has to perform a periodic test or inspection as required by § 180.407(c),
does the carrier have until the last day of the month or must the next test or inspection be
performed based on the exact date as the previous test or inspection?
Al.
A carrier has until the last day of the month and year in which the inspection or test is
due. For example, if a test or inspection report reflects that an external visual inspection
was performed on January 15, 1994, the carrier has until January 31, 1995, to perform the
required test or inspection.
Q2.
Section 172.328(b) requires that each cargo tank transporting a Class 2 material must be
marked on each side and each end with the proper shipping name of the product being
transported, can the proper shipping name be displayed on the cargo tank itself or on a
sign bracket installed on the cargo tank?
A2.
Yes, either method may be used to display the proper shipping name on the cargo tank.
Q3.
In the case of a bobtail tank truck, i.e. the cargo tank is mounted on a truck chassis, can
the marking be displayed on the cargo tank itself or on the front of the cab?
A3.
Display of the shipping name on the front bumper of the motor vehicle hauling a cargo
tank does not satisfy the marking requirement in § 172.328(b). For gases such as
"Propane," the shipping name must be marked and displayed in lettering, no less than 50
mm (2.0) inches), on each side and each end of the cargo tank.

<<<PAGE 4>>>

In the case of a tractor semi-trailer combination, can the marking be displayed on the
cargo tank itself or on the front of the cab?
A4.
See answer A3 above.
I hope this information is helpful and I apologize for the delay in responding. If we can be of
further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Thomas G. Allan
Senior Transportation Regulations Specialist
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Karim:jk:dhm-10:64488:03/24/98
File: 180.407(c)/180.417(b)
Revised:ta/em:3/30/98
SC:

<<<PAGE 5>>>

NATIONAL TANK
NTTC
NATIONAL TANK TRUCK CARRIERS, INC.
TRUCK CARRIERS
THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION
SERVING THE
POR•HIRI TANK TRUCK INDUSTRY
CLIFFORO J. MARVISON
PRESIDENT
2200 MILL ROAD • ALEXANDRIA. VA 22314-467
PHONE: 703/838-1960 • FAX: 703/684-575:
June 12, 1997
Mr. Ed Mazzullo
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Research and Special Programs Administration
400 7th St. S.W.
Washington DC 20590
Dear Mir. Mazzullo:
• National Tank Truck Carriers would appreciate an interpretation for the following situations:
Section 172.328 (b) "Required Markings; Gases," states that each cargo tank transporting a Class 2
material must be marked on each side and each end with the proper shipping name of the product
transported.
1.
OR on a sign bracket installed on the cargo vessel (trailer or bobtail).
Our interpretation is that the proper shipping name could be displayed on the cargo vessel itself
2.
chassis) the marking could be displayed on front of the chassis cab and the yehicle would be
Our interpretation is that in the case of a bobtail delivery truck (cargo tank mounted on truck
in compliance.
Our interpretation is that in the case of a tractor-semi-trailer combination, the marking could be
displayed either on the front of the cargo tank OR on the front of the tractor and the vehicle
•
would be in compliance.
Please advise if our interpretations are correct.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jolm 2 Conley
John L. Conley
Vice President

<<<PAGE 6>>>

105
NATIONAL TANK
NTTC
NATIONAL TANK TRUCK CARRIERS, INC.
TRUCK CARRIERS
THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION SERVING THE FOR
HIRE TANK
TRUCK
INOUSTAY
CLIFFORD J. HARVISON
PRESIOENT
2200 MILL ROAD • ALEXANDRIA, VA 22314.4677
PHONE: 703/838-1960 • FAX: 703/684-5753
January 17, 1995
Mr. Edward Mazzullo
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards (DHM-10)
400 7th St. SW
Research and Special Programs Administration
Washington D.C. 20590
Dear MI. Mazzullo:
This
is a follow-up, request to
submitted by NTTC on June 4, 1993. No answer has been received.
request for interpretation
Section 180.417 (b) (1) (iv) states that each cargo tank tested
OL
report that includes the
reinspected as
specified in
"Test Date (Month and Year..) Likewise,
180.407 must have a
written
180.415 requires that the cargo tank be marked with the date
(month and year) of the inspection.
While there is no requirement (of which we are aware) that
carriers do lecord the DAY of inspection, along with the
requires the carrier to record the DAY of the inspection, some
and
year.
We
have received
violation
oi 180.407 because the
calls
from carriers cited for
month
completed within
test
one year (of whatever interval applies) to the
or inspection
was
not
EXACI day Of the inspection/test due month.
FoI example, a carrier may have
inspection
on January 15,
1994. It is our belief that the
performed an external visual
carrier has until the end of January 1995 to complete the next
must have been completed by January 15, 1995.
inspection, but some carriers have been
told that the inspection
QUESTION:
inspection/ test due
Does a carrier have until the last day of the
accordance with 180.407?
month
to perform
a test or inspection in
Sincerely,
ohn I. Confer
Vice President
CC:
Alan Roberts
Ron Kirkpatrick
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