Frequently Asked Questions

TRANSCAER (Transportation Community Awareness and Emergency Response) is an outreach program covering North America. Since 1986, the organization has focused on assisting communities and training emergency responders to prepare for and respond to hazardous material transportation incidents. The TRANSCAER program is led by industry professionals and supported by partner agencies who are critical to the success of our mission. See About TRANSCAER for more information.

TRANSCAER offers the following assistance to communities and emergency responders:

• Planning assistance
• Hazmat training
• Drills and exercises
• Reference and training materials
• Networking opportunities
• Local resources

See About TRANSCAER for more information.

TRANSCAER members consist of volunteer representatives from the chemical manufacturing, transportation, distributor, and emergency response industries, as well as the government.

Contact your regional or state TRANSCAER coordinator and they will put you in touch with a company that offers training in your area. Please plan ahead and be prepared for delays in scheduling as this equipment is in high demand. The schedules are frequently booked over a year in advance. Please note TRANSCAER as a program does not own or operate our own training tank cars, modal containers, cargo tank trucks, or training trailers.

TRANSCAER training events are FREE. There is no charge for attending any of our events. Visit our Training Events to register for a training today.

In order to schedule a training, please reach out directly to our individual TRANSCAER Sponsors. They each organize their own training schedules and several operate their own training tank cars and safety trains. Be aware that they may require significant advanced notice to meet your needs.

Below are some of the sponsors that offer trainings:
Chlorine
The Chlorine Institute
Cindy Kuranchie
Cindy@CL2.com

Anhydrous Ammonia
David Binder
Tanner Industries
DBinder@tannerind.com

Paul Duckworth
Nutrien
Paul.duckworth@nutrien.com

Ethanol
Renewable Fuels Association
Missy Ruff
MRuff@ethanolrfa.org

Railroad Safety and/or Crude by Rail
Association of American Railroads
Andy Elkins
aelkins@aar.org

Steel Drums
Industrial Steel Drum Institute
Susan Nauman
snauman@industrialpackaging.org

We encourage you to reach out to your designated state or regional TRANSCAER coordinators. TRANSCAER coordinators are responsible for establishing a working relationship with the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), and to help identify the training and resources needs for their state or region.

Contact Your Local Coordinator

If you are looking to conduct a commodity flow study for hazardous materials moving in your area via rail please reach out to the railroad operating in your jurisdiction. Commodity flow studies are available on a confidential basis and for security reasons are not offered to the general public.

Learn more about commodity flow studies to determine the process for the railroad operating in your area.

There are many ways to approach planning an exercise or drill. One common method is to identify a mode of transport or specific carrier and focus on the highest volume hazmat moving through your community.

TRANSCAER does not currently offer any grant funding.

We look forward to adding you to our distribution list. The e-newsletter and magazine provide highlights of upcoming training events and news on the latest resources available from TRANSCAER.

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Currently TRANSCAER training events are hosted throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Anyone is welcome to attend these free training events. Please note TRANSCAER does not cover the costs of travel expenses to attend a training. It is the individual’s or their organization’s responsibility to cover the travel costs.

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If your question is not listed in these FAQs, please email your question or request.

Email TRANSCAER