Hazmat fees

[Matt Fleming]

HazMat fees were originally $5 - now they're $22.50. It's akin to the "Fuel Surcharge" now being added by shipping companies - an easy way for UPS and FedEx to make a few more percentage points of profit.

Typically, an additional fee for something would denote some type of additional service. What type of "extra" service is provided for $22.50?

[KD5NRH]

Set a case of primers and a case of loaded ammo on the ground, and run a forklift tine into each case. See which one makes a big boom.

Set a case of primers and a case of loaded ammo on the ground, and don't run a forklift tine into either of them. Watch as they both just sit there.

Why should I pay an extra fee for UPS to exercise simple due caution with my property?

[PBratton]

Set a case of primers and a case of loaded ammo on the ground, and run a forklift tine into each case. See which one makes a big boom.

Set a case of primers and a case of loaded ammo on the ground, and don't run a forklift tine into either of them. Watch as they both just sit there.

Why should I pay an extra fee for UPS to exercise simple due caution with my property?

You don't have to.

Go down to your local store and pay their price.

[Griz44]

If all you want is 1,000 primers, then buying mail order is not a viable option.
Pitch in with several others, and make a volume buy, then you can save some serious money.
I (we-with my family) go through a thousand a month - in the dead of winter when we rarely go shoot.
In the summer that may be a thousand a week.
I keep the Lock and Load and the LoadMaster busy. Gotta love a progressive!

[medalguy]

The hazmat fee covers the cost of extra training for the transportation company employees, ALL the paperwork and documentation, and the extra insurance they have to carry when they transport explosives. Plus, there are certain classes of goods that can't be transported on trucks containing explosives. All that costs bucks.

[Jumping Frog]

The hazmat fee covers the cost of extra training for the transportation company employees, ALL the paperwork and documentation, and the extra insurance they have to carry when they transport explosives. Plus, there are certain classes of goods that can't be transported on trucks containing explosives. All that costs bucks.

All of that, plus you must have a segregated area of the warehouse to store HazMat goods prior to shipping, you must have a documented security plan in place that gets audited during DOT audits, the security plan includes access control and cameras, there are rules for what kinds of HazMat classes are allowed to be packed onto the same truck so it requires more effort to load plan the truck. Plus you must now ensure the driver hauling that load has their HazMat endorsement on their CDL which also affects both record keeping and load planning.

Anyone is says HazMat doesn't cost more to transport has never had to actually perform HazMat shipping. I have.