U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC
www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm

October 20, 1997

EDITORS AND CORRESPONDENTS

Guidance for shippers and motor carriers of hazardous materials in intrastate commerce that will be brought under the federal interstate safety regulations on October 1, 1998, is provided in a new brochure available from the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Motor Carriers.

Hazardous materials range from everyday household items like certain paints and paint strippers to more complex products with unfamiliar names like dimethylhydrazine and ethylene dibromide.

Shippers and carriers should educate themselves both as to what constitutes a hazardous material as defined in the regulations and how they must comply with the regulations, the effective date of which for intrastate movements in commerce was recently extended for 1 year to October 1, 1998.

Copies of the free brochure, as well as additional help with understanding the regulations, are available from any of the OMC division offices in every State.

Sincerely yours,

George L. Reagle
Associate Administrator for Motor Carriers