Hazardous materials, shipped compliant.
Regulated freight is unforgiving — one wrong placard or an incomplete bill of lading and it is refused at the dock. RS Group brokers hazmat by LTL and full truckload across all nine DOT hazard classes, on carriers certified for exactly what you are shipping, with the classification and paperwork handled correctly.
Shipping hazardous materials
Hazardous materials — dangerous goods — are anything the U.S. Department of Transportation regulates in transport because they could harm people, property or the environment if released. That covers a lot more than the obvious: lithium batteries, aerosols, paint, pool chemicals, dry ice and hand sanitizer are all regulated hazmat.
Because the freight carries real risk, it also carries real rules. The material has to be classified correctly, packaged to spec, marked and labeled, loaded on a certified carrier, placarded on the trailer, and documented on a compliant bill of lading — every time. The rules live in the federal hazardous materials regulations (49 CFR), and the shipper is legally on the hook for following them.
RS Group brokers hazmat so you are not navigating that alone. We confirm the classification, verify the packaging and paperwork, and tender the load to a carrier certified for the specific hazard class — so a regulated shipment moves the first time instead of getting turned away.
Every DOT hazard class, handled
Hazardous materials are grouped into nine classes by the risk they pose. The class drives the packaging, labels, placards and paperwork — and which carriers are authorized to haul it. We ship across all nine.
Which mode for your hazardous freight?
Regulated freight moves both ways. The choice comes down to volume, compatibility and how directly the load has to travel — the same trade-offs as standard freight, with compatibility added on top.
| Hazmat LTL | Hazmat full truckload (FTL) | |
|---|---|---|
| Best volume | 1–6 pallets | Full trailer or high volume |
| Trailer | Shared with compatible freight | Dedicated to your load |
| Compatibility | Must co-load safely with other hazmat | No co-load conflicts |
| Handling | Terminal touches en route | Direct, minimal handling |
| Transit | Longer; hub-and-spoke | Fastest for the lane |
| Cost | Lower for small loads | Lower per-pound at volume |
| Placarding | Carrier placards for all classes aboard | Placarded for your load only |
| Best for | A pallet or two of compatible hazmat | Volume, incompatible, or urgent hazmat |
What compliant hazmat shipping takes
Four things have to be right on every regulated shipment. Get one wrong and the freight is refused — or worse, moves unsafely. This is the work RS Group owns with you.
Classification
Every regulated material has a proper shipping name, a UN or NA identification number, a hazard class and a packing group. Getting the classification right is the foundation — it drives the packaging, the labels, the placards and the paperwork that follow.
Marking & placarding
Packages carry hazard labels; the trailer carries placards for the classes and quantities on board. The right diamond in the right place is what tells every handler and first responder what the freight is — and it is inspected at the dock.
Shipping papers
A hazardous shipment moves with a compliant bill of lading listing the shipping name, class, ID number, packing group and quantity — plus the shipper certification. Incomplete papers are the most common reason freight is refused.
Emergency response info
Regulated freight must travel with emergency response information and a monitored 24-hour contact number, so anyone who encounters an incident knows how to respond. We confirm it is in place before the truck is loaded.
Carrier vetting is the real value
Not every truck can legally carry every hazard class. A carrier authorized for corrosives may not be registered for explosives; a driver certified for one division may not be for another. Tender a regulated load to the wrong carrier and it is refused at pickup at best, or moves out of compliance at worst.
This is exactly where a broker earns its place on hazmat freight. Across our 6,200+ carrier partners we already know who holds the operating authority, hazmat registration and safety record for each class — so your load goes on the right truck the first time. We also confirm compatibility, so materials that must not travel together never share a trailer.
The result is simple: you tell us what you are shipping, and we take on the work of getting it onto a carrier that is authorized, compliant and safe for that specific material — nationwide.
What our customers say
- Inc. 5000 · #799 America's fastest-growing private companies (2024)
- TSA IAC Indirect Air Carrier status
- 6,200+ Vetted carrier partners
- 18,500+ Shipments moved to date
I have been working with Brent and his team for almost a year and the experience has been nothing but positive.
The best part of working with RS Group is the customer service you can expect to receive.
RS Group, to me, represents the pinnacle in customer service.
Hazardous materials shipping questions
The questions shippers ask us most about moving regulated freight.
What qualifies as a hazardous material?
A hazardous material is anything the U.S. Department of Transportation regulates in transport because it poses a risk to health, safety or property — assigned to one of nine hazard classes with a proper shipping name and a UN or NA identification number. Common examples surprise shippers: paint, lithium batteries, aerosols, pool chemicals, hand sanitizer, perfumes and dry ice are all regulated.
If your product has a Safety Data Sheet with a transport section, or a UN number, treat it as hazmat and tell us up front. We will confirm the classification and the requirements before it ships.
Can hazardous materials ship LTL, or do they need a full truck?
Both. Many hazmat shipments move perfectly well as LTL on a hazmat-certified carrier, sharing a trailer with compatible freight — that is the most economical option for a pallet or two. Larger volumes, or materials that cannot be co-loaded for compatibility reasons, ship as a dedicated full truckload.
We match the mode to the material and the volume, and we make sure the carrier is certified and the load is compatible either way. The comparison above walks through when each mode fits.
Do I need to provide the placards and paperwork?
The shipper is legally responsible for correct classification, packaging, marking, labeling and the shipping papers — that responsibility cannot be transferred to the carrier or broker. What RS Group does is make sure it is right: we confirm the classification, verify the packaging and paperwork, ensure the carrier placards correctly, and flag anything that would get the freight refused.
If your team is not trained in hazmat shipping, tell us early and we will walk you through exactly what each shipment needs.
How do you choose a carrier for hazmat freight?
Not every carrier is authorized to haul every hazard class. We tender hazmat only to carriers with the proper operating authority, hazmat registration and safety record for the specific classes involved — and we verify compatibility so incompatible materials never share a trailer.
That vetting is the real value of a broker on hazmat freight: across our 6,200+ carrier partners we already know who is certified for what, so your regulated load goes on the right truck the first time.
Have regulated freight to move? We'll ship it compliant.
Tell us the material — the commodity, the class, the volume and the lane — and we'll confirm the requirements, put it on a certified carrier, and come back with a competitive hazmat quote.