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Edited on Mon Sep-22-08 06:59 AM by Droopy
I posted a while back about how the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had denied my application for a hazardous materials endorsement on my CDL. The hazmat endorsement is the only endorsement that you have to renew from time to time. Federal law states at least once every 5 years, but some states have different time limits that are shorter. Before 9/11 all a driver had to do to get a hazmat endorsement on his/her license was go to the license bureau and take a 30 question multiple choice test. If you passed with an 80% or better you got the endorsement. Now days, the process is much more of a pain in the ass.
Now you must meet certian criteria to get the hazmat endorsement. There are a number of crimes that will disqualify you as well as citizenship requirements. That's where my problem came in. I was born in Germany and when I put in the application over the phone that's what I told them. I also told them that my parents are U.S. citizens and that I was born on a U.S. military base. Well, long story short, the TSA denied my application because they couldn't find any immigration papers on me, which I didn't need because I was already a U.S. citizen. So I sent them a notarized copy of every document that I had that proved my citizenship. It took them a month and a half, but they finally got back to me saying, "Oops, my bad," and they okayed my application. Just in time, too. My license and hazmat endorsement expire on 10/4.
So I've been studying up for the hazmat test. I'm thinking I'll take it today, but I might decide to read the material again and take it tomorrrow. Anyway, wish me luck.
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