HAZMAT CDL Renewal

[displayfireworks1]

Any one else out there renewing their CDL and Hazmat endorsement this year?
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Since ther are only certified practitioners that can do these CDL physicals, its a pain. My usual family medicine place has one CDL practitioner and he was booked until February. I went to one of those other places on the list and sat for over 2 hours waiting to be seen. Cost $75.00. Now I have to take it to one of those PA licensing centers. I was ready to do so after my physical and noticed on the form they only accept a check or money order for the $35.75 fee. Of course I left the checkbook at home. I still have to take the HAZMAT endorsement test and get fingerprinted again at the State Police. If I remember correctly there is another fee for the fingerprint session. Its a wonder any of us occasional professional pyro people go through this for one or two shows a year. Now I see why many of these July 4th displays need delivered.
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Here is the registry website if anyone ever needs it.
https://nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov/NRPublicUI/home.seam

[Fire Art]

If I could, I would like to recommend if anyone is in need of a DOT physical, and is conveniently located to Clearfield PA, the doctor that we use is Dr. Robert S. Striker and he is located in the mini mall at the SAPP Bros. truck stop off of I80 at exit 120. He is really easy to get an appointment with and being that this is all he does, he can get you in and out very quickly. He is also right up the road from a PA DMV so I can get it all done in one trip. He and his wife are also opening a micro-brewery and restaurant in town, add that to the trip lol.

His info:

Dr. Robert S. Striker
814-761-7010
dotxprs@yahoo.com
www.dotxprs.com

Feel free to tell him you heard about him from me.

[displayfireworks1]

I took my Hazardous Materials test today at the DMV. $37.50. Good thing I thought to get my birth certificate before I left the house becuase they ask for it. Despite having that endorsement for years they still need the birth certificate. He explained its all part of Homeland Security. The test was 30 questions, he said i must get 24 correct. He then advised me if I don't know one press the skip button. The machine will pass you if you get 24 correct, so its possible if you skip a question you may never need to answer it. Although it will be at the end of the 30 questions if you don't answer 24 correct. I don't think I ever study for this test and manage to get through it. I grabbed a study book from the wall and know i needed to memorize the tunnel parking distance , the smoking distance and the railroad crossing stopping distance. Sure enough they were all on the test. Luckily most of the questions were about explosives. I passed the test and between waiting and testing it was about 2 hours. When you see some of the characters coming into that DMV place it makes you afriad to get on the road. LOL. Now I have to call and number and set up a fingerprint session. Years back the state police would do this and now they have a private company that handles this. Another approximate $25.00. Then about 45 days after the fingerprints I have to send another fee for the drivers license. Then take the card back to the DMV and get in line to have my picture taken again and finally receive my new drivers license with the H endorsement.
Over the years and talking to different pyro people I heard some companies pay this for their shooters and others don't. Thank goodness its only once in 4 years. Although the physical is every two years, unless there is something wrong with you then the physical is every year. If these displays companies will not pay for all of this they should at least have a July 4 bonus to all CDL driver with H endorsement

[displayfireworks1]

I got my Hazmat fingerprints done today. The Pennsylvania State Police used to do this part, now they sub it out to a contract company. Price $24.25. Of course the location and back home is a 30 mile trip. Now they will run a security check and mail me something back. Then back in line at the DMV for a photo and more money for the actual drivers license. I am 6 months away from current license expiring. If you wait until the last minute to get this done it would be impossible. When I first received this Hazardous endorsement on my drivers license all you had to do was pass the test on the computer. Now its fingerprints and clearance through the FBI and Department Homeland Security. I am sure other states must have something similar and not just Pennsylvania.
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If anyone is curious about a Pennsylvania Hazoudous Materials Endorsement on their drivers license. Here is the manual in .pdf form. In Pennsylvania your are forbidden to drive explosive material into a tunnel. I heard that is not true in all states.
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http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Public/DVSPubsForms/BDL/BDL%20Manuals/Manuals/Hazmat/Pub%20288.pdf

[displayfireworks1]

I want to update this thread about renewing my CDL Driver License with Hazmat Endorsement.
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This letter was received last month.
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http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-pennsylvania/img017-a1f1c0dbc4873908ad5b953a8532af4bf71172d0.jpg

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Today in the mail I received this. Now I need to take the requested documents and go back to the local Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles. Write a check for $124.50 and wait in line to take my picture and receive my new license. Please not I have been working on this since November 2015.
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http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-pennsylvania/img015-42b85b95fb8438725b646f273c889aa3bcd3e5e2.jpg
http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-pennsylvania/img014-9d63d6d476bae7afe48ac83d1ea90db30800b115.jpg

[Npntransistor]

I want to update this thread about renewing my CDL Driver License with Hazmat Endorsement.
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This letter was received last month.
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http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-pennsylvania/img017-a1f1c0dbc4873908ad5b953a8532af4bf71172d0.jpg

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Today in the mail I received this. Now I need to take the requested documents and go back to the local Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles. Write a check for $124.50 and wait in line to take my picture and receive my new license. Please not I have been working on this since November 2015.
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http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-pennsylvania/img015-42b85b95fb8438725b646f273c889aa3bcd3e5e2.jpg
http://pyrotalk.com/wp-photos/wp-content/gallery/united-states-pennsylvania/img014-9d63d6d476bae7afe48ac83d1ea90db30800b115.jpg

Only took about 2 weeks for my tsa letter to be sent to the BMV in ohio.

[displayfireworks1]

In Ohio do you have to have fingerprints? If so how is that done?

[FireEMSisLife]

I just added Hazmat to my Ohio Class B and had to be Fingerprinted for my TSA Threat Assessment.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

.... and he is located in the mini mall at the SAPP Bros. truck stop off of I80 at exit 120. He and his wife are also opening a micro-brewery and restaurant in town, add that to the trip lol.

A Doctor who works out of a truck stop mini mall while opening a micro-brewery. Lol... Sounds completely legit to me!! Lol...

Sorry. I mean no disrespect to your Doctor friend. I'm sure he is quite the capable doctor. But you've got to admit. For the average reader, that description sounds a tad bit odd!

[CTPYRO]

The Hazmat test is actually 10 questions while the Knowledge test for driving the truck is 30 questions. My display company paid for everything

[Npntransistor]

In Ohio do you have to have fingerprints? If so how is that done?
The TSA isn't a ohio specific requirement, adding a hazmat in any state will require a TSA threat assessment (with figerprints). It was all done digitally at a TSA approved office.

Also the TSA sent the results directly to the OH DMV computer system. No paper changed hands.

[TylerBarnett]

I have to ask only because I don't know...what's the importance of all this? Would you suggest people do this alongside the 4.3 ATF license? I only ask because I don't know.