Hazmat fees - how do they really work?

[rick_reno]

How do these Hazmat fees work? We pay everytime we place an order - but a little web searching appears to indicate the trucking companies pay a flat one-time yearly fee for hauling hazmat material. I read it was recently reduced - "The DOT substantially lowered hazmat fees from $2,000 to $300 for large truck companies and $250 to $150 for small truck companies after an industry lawsuit."
If we're still paying $20 or whatever it is everytime we order - someone is getting screwed and it's not the truckers or the government. If the fees were reduced - is the consumer still paying the inflated rates?

 

[The Bushmaster]

It is very rare to have surcharges reduced after being put in place. Hazmat charges are basicly the same (You don't want some one to go without a job do you?). Once inplace you hire people to administer these charges and to lower them would put them on the unemplyment roles. The hazmat charges were a way to hurt firearms owners in the first place and have little consiquence to the material carried unless it is a material that can spill and cause environment damage. I have not heard of Primers or powder being spilled all over the hi-way in any state. Have you? I work in the oil spill cleanup industry and I am also hazmat responder trained and certified yearly. To certify the first time it takes a bit of time. To REcertify it takes 8 hours (refresher course). That might be the reason it has been reduced to the carrier, but still remains as is to the consumer. My best guess.......