What 172.604(a) means in plain language
When you transport hazardous materials, the FMCSR requires that your vehicle display emergency response information. Part of that requirement is maintaining an accessible emergency response telephone number. This code citation means an inspector found that your hazmat shipping papers, placards, or emergency response documentation did not include the required telephone contact for emergency response personnel.
The regulation ensures that in the event of a spill, leak, fire, or other hazmat incident, first responders and emergency coordinators can immediately reach someone with knowledge of the cargo and appropriate response procedures. This is a critical safety link in the hazmat transportation chain.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our 13 million+ inspection records, 172.604(a) citations are exceptionally rare. Our database shows only 1 all-time citation for this violation, with 0 citations in the last 12 months and 0 in the last 90 days. The out-of-service rate for this code is 0.0%—meaning the single citation on record did not result in an out-of-service order.
For context, the all-FMCSR average out-of-service rate is 31.4%, so even when hazmat emergency contact violations are cited, they are treated as lower-severity infractions that typically don't pull vehicles off the road immediately. Nationally, this code ranks #2796 of 3,036 FMCSR codes by citation volume, reflecting how infrequently inspectors encounter or document this particular violation.
Who gets cited most
Given the extremely low citation count in our database, geographic and carrier patterns are not statistically meaningful. Our records show one citation involving Werner Enterprises Inc (USDOT 53467) on an International and a Vanguard vehicle. This single-citation frequency means you should not draw conclusions about fleet-specific risk or state-level enforcement intensity for this code.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the hazardous materials category, 172.604(a) is treated as a minor violation compared to peer codes. For example, 177.834A (general loading/unloading hazmat violations) has 3,954 citations with a 99.2% out-of-service rate, and 172.502(a)(1) (placarding general requirements) has 1,820 citations with an 18.5% out-of-service rate. By contrast, 172.602(c)(1) (maintenance and accessibility of emergency response information) is most similar and also carries a 0.0% out-of-service rate despite 1,464 citations—indicating that missing or incomplete emergency contact data is rarely treated as grounds for immediate removal from service.
How to avoid it
-
Pre-trip: verify your shipping papers. Before you accept a hazmat load, confirm that your bill of lading, hazard class labels, and emergency response information sheet all display a current, monitored telephone number for the shipper or emergency response coordinator.
-
Keep emergency contact information visible and current. Do not accept load documentation with outdated, illegible, or incomplete phone numbers. If you're transporting hazmat and the contact number is smudged or partially torn, request corrected paperwork before departure.
-
Cross-check against your load manifest. Ensure the emergency contact on your hazmat documentation matches the shipper's current emergency line. A mismatch or disconnected number could trigger a citation if an inspector calls to verify.
-
Carry a legible emergency response information document. Store your hazmat documentation in a protective sleeve or binder to prevent wear, water damage, or fading that could render the phone number illegible during a roadside inspection.