What’s it like hauling nuclear weapons across the country?
Nuclear materials couriers (NMCs) might have one of the toughest and most secretive jobs in the transportation industry: hauling nuclear bombs and other dangerous material.
The drivers who make up the covert fleet transporting nuclear weapons to locations across the United States are operated by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), an organization established in 2000.
The Office of Secure Transportation is part of the NNSA, which is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Curtis Johnson, the lead federal agent recruiter for NNSA, said in some ways the job is like other trucking jobs.
“Similar to other truck driving jobs, the NMC position does have its share of routine and monotonous long hours over the road,” Johnson told FreightWaves. “However, unlike most other trucking careers, these long-haul trips are part of a larger operation and every vehicle in the convoy is manned by multiple federal agents who share the driving, communications and security.”
“We typically advertise the NMC position on www.usajobs.gov three or four times per year, with each job announcement being open to new applicants for one or two weeks at a time,” Johnson said.
