The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said it will not require drivers who transport storage container tanks that are empty or contain residue to obtain tank truck hazardous materials endorsements.

The agency on Thursday responded in part to industry concerns that the existing definition of tank trucks could have a “dramatic impact” on the number of drivers required to have tank vehicle endorsements.

FMCSA agreed last month to consider a petition filed by American Trucking Associations requesting that the agency’s broader existing definition of a tank truck be revised in a new rulemaking.

Boyd Stephenson, director of hazmat policy for ATA, called the guidance on empty tanks a “step in the right direction.”

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