During my travels around the United States talking about sampling and sample containers, it has come to my attention that the oil and gas industry in the United States needs to be a little better informed on proper handling, shipping, and transportation of sample containers of all types. Since everybody in the oil, gas, and chemical industry seems to be involved in taking samples and handling sample containers, it behooves us to understand the laws and rules that govern their transportation. The department of Transportation (D.O.T.) Title 49 covers the rules and regulations for the manufacture, handling, and transportation of sample containers of all types. Whether you use specially-built sample containers, old homemade sample containers, old World War II oxygen bottles, gigantic sample containers, or very small cylinders, if you are transporting those sample containers in your vehicles or you are shipping them by common carrier and they have hazardous materials in them, you must be aware of the rules that govern the handling of those cylinders