Transporting race fuel across state lines

Does anybody know what potential legal issues (DOT or otherwise) come up when transporting race fuel across state lines.

For example, crossing the state line to go pickup several sealed containers of race fuel and bringing them back to your home state.

Not trying to do something shady here, trying to find legit answers to avoid potential trouble.

My only suggestion is to call your state police and/or DOT.

Comes down to the age old argument, is it for resale or no?

Lots of conflicting information out there. I would check the DOT website. It is my understanding thatunless you have properly stored containers and flammable placards for anything over 5 gallons, you could have a problem if stopped. That being said, if you are in a private vehicle and aren't stopping at weigh stations, you probably wouldn't have a problem. I and many of my fellow racers regularly carry fuel in our trailers and or tow vehicles, but I do know of several that have been hassled about this.

Thanks guys.

In this case it would be for resale at a legitimate business back at the home state. Race fuel would be a new product line so this is new territory.

I spent a couple hours last night doing searches and going through CRF 49 (or something like that) online. Got nothing but a headache to show for it.

It might just wind up being less trouble to have it delivered.

EIn reply to Don49:

+1. This info is usually on DOT sites. Typically, if the quantity is low enough there isn't an issue.

I had this pipe dream about buying OR diesel and then bringing it home with my truck to refill my heating oil tank since I found it in NJ for a good bit less than I pay through a service. Unfortunately, quite illegal and not really worth the $100 or two I'd save.

Depending on your car, one way to get around it would be to fill the tank to the brim and then drain it to cans at the track so you don't run any more than required for a session.

Don't tell and it didn't happen.

In reply to bravenrace:

I know not to tempt fate that heavily.

Rob_Mopar wrote: Thanks guys. In this case it would be for resale at a legitimate business back at the home state. Race fuel would be a new product line so this is new territory. I spent a couple hours last night doing searches and going through CRF 49 (or something like that) online. Got nothing but a headache to show for it. It might just wind up being less trouble to have it delivered.

CFR 49 or 49CFR. I deal with this daily at my job for shipping HAZMAT stuff. The DOT is who you need to be asking. Usually if comes down to quantities and whether or not you are exempt.

I whipped out my Hazardous Materials Table from FedEx to get the possible DOT UN numbers:

Gasoline, Gasohol - UN1203

Aviation Fuel - UN1863

Those are the only two that come close to race gas. The exception for Gasoline(UN1203) is 173.150 in the CFR49: All of the government bureaucratic BS that you need to know

Here is the info on the container, it will already be in there. But this is the info.

FWIW, a shop I was kinda interning at here in Atlanta had me come along to crew at the charge of the headlight brigade a few montha ago at VIR and we drove up with a VP bright blue 55 gallon drum in the back of the F350 we were riding in.

In reply to Anti-stance:

Thanks! Looks like I know what I will be reading tonight!

I usually drove the semi for our IMSA team, with 2 55 gallon drums of race gas in the trailer. Never got any comments about it, even at weigh stations. Crossed into and out of Canada, no problems. YMMV.

It was when I walked around the corner at work and saw a truck driver disconnecting a line engulfing himself in fuming sulfuric acid AKA Oleum, when I realized not all truck drivers should be trusted with HAZMAT endorsements. Its probably a job you can handle, just do your homework first.

(To my amazement I didn't have to call the meat wagon to scrape the dumbass off the concrete.)

cwh wrote: I usually drove the semi for our IMSA team, with 2 55 gallon drums of race gas in the trailer. Never got any comments about it, even at weigh stations. Crossed into and out of Canada, no problems. YMMV.

in the '70s?

Really it would be in the hands of the Department of Public Safety for each state enforcing the DOT standards. At my job I have cryogenic gases delivered that our techs use in the field for natural gas line surveying. I have talked to the truck drivers that deliver our supplies and they say the DPS officers are the ones that watch for this stuff. They are typically targeting 18 wheelers with HAZMAT placards for this kinda of stuff. In all honesty, no one will mess with you. If there were a couple of 55 gallon drums of the fuel in a personal transport vehicle if you got pulled over, they wouldn't mess with you if they are in proper storage containers with labels. Most of those race gas drums are packaged in proper containers with proper labeling.

With that said, I would still contact a DPS or DOT or both for each state you are going through. It wouldn't hurt to be armed with some knowledge before doing this. Even if the chances are that you would not be messed with.

Hell, I don't mess around with the gun laws in some states(SC to be specific) when going over state lines. I like to know what I am getting into.

As far as the Canada stuff, I have heard those shiny happy people at the border are ready to have you pay duty on the most random stuff before you come in or out of the country.

Worst thing I have had to deal with in my HAZMAT shipping "career" was having a FAA agent come to my work requesting information on stuff that I had shipped via aircraft. It was pretty damn intimidating. The guy was asking me questions like I was in an interrogation room at a police precinct, telling me he could stop my HAZMAT shipping on the spot. It sucked.

N Sperlo wrote: It was when I walked around the corner at work and saw a truck driver disconnecting a line engulfing himself in fuming sulfuric acid AKA Oleum, when I realized not all truck drivers should be trusted with HAZMAT endorsements. Its probably a job you can handle, just do your homework first. (To my amazement I didn't have to call the meat wagon to scrape the dumbass off the concrete.)

Ugh.. that stuff is nasty. Back when I was in college, I amused myself by first taking up Marine Bio (which I wish I had stayed with) and my lab partner for the chem class managed to drump more than a little bit of that stuff across the back of my hand. Thankgoodness I do not scar, because I lost most of the skin on the back of my right hand

edit this is my 13,000th post!

follow the process, however convoluted it may be, as barrels of fuel could be viewed as ingredients of a McVeigh cocktail.

In reference to my IMSA days, that was late 80's. Canadian customs guy was so thrilled that we were bringing in a RACE CAR!! that he barely looked at my (bogus) inventory sheet. Just started stamping forms. We did have to make sure we brought back our used tires, could not leave them behind.

It has been years since I dealt with trucking hazmat laws/rules but I do remember that a truck has to run Flammable placards if it is carrying 500lbs of Flammable liquids or solids. It is not judged by gallons as one might expect, rather lbs.
With typical gasoline being 6.7lbs per gallon.
One 55 gal barrel = 368lbs.
Two 55 gal barrels would require placards.

All of this may be a moot point if you are not a commercial vehicle.

AngryCorvair wrote: follow the process, however convoluted it may be, as barrels of fuel could be viewed as ingredients of a McVeigh cocktail.

That's the kind of situation I'd like to avoid.

We have a call into the fuel supplier. Waiting on the call back now. We'll probably call our state rep's office too. They have been very helpful with other questions we've had in the past.

I do it every time I go to the track. I never even gave it much thought. Ofcourse - we are only talking about 2 0r 3 5g cans of race fuel to be mixed with pump gas later... not like 6 55g drums or something.

In reply to Fletch1:

I had a sneakin suspicion that Coors Light i was drinking tasted 100 leaded...

Rob_Mopar wrote:

AngryCorvair wrote: follow the process, however convoluted it may be, as barrels of fuel could be viewed as ingredients of a McVeigh cocktail.

That's the kind of situation I'd like to avoid. We have a call into the fuel supplier. Waiting on the call back now. We'll probably call our state rep's office too. They have been very helpful with other questions we've had in the past.

I'd buy a lot of fertilizer at the same time. It will remove suspicion.