Hazmat Carriers

A number of hazardous materials shipments are in fact done on behalf of government agencies. While the government doesn’t only ship HazMat materials, they do outsource their shipping needs to outside carriers as opposed to maintaining their own fleet.

Carriers that work with government agencies are approved by that agency, such as the DOD, to transport on their behalf, with each agency having their own standard for approval. Whether it’s transporting electronics to a new office or sensitive materials for proper disposal, government shipping contracts are just one more piece of the shipping industry pie.

When most of us think of transportation security we probably think of armored trucks, armed men on motorcycles, and convoys of vehicles all trying to protect their precious cargo against an attempted assault or theft by outside forces. In other words, we think of a heist scene from the movies. The reality, as if often the case, is far less dramatic.

High security transportation services in real life are really more about being aware of surroundings and taking steps to avoid potentially hazardous situations than having an army of armed men protecting a single vehicle. In fact, about the only situation where a single vehicle is being protected by an army of armed men is political figures like the President of the United States.

While it might be entertaining to think of a truck carrying sensitive materials racing down the road surrounded by armed me with a helicopter overhead keeping watch, in reality it’s usually just a truck that’s indistinguishable from any other with a driver that’s had special training for these situations. Not quite as dramatic, but much more realistic.