private/noncom hauling and DOT involvement

[Soundguy]

just checking in. I tend to watch subjects like this and see what's going on every 6 months.

To be clear, what i'm asking about is for those of you that are non CDL, have a truck and a trailer, and are non comercial and private, hauling your own stuff, not for hire.. etc, under 26k#

any of you guys having any dot trouble or involvement? especially the 1 ton crowd which are possible hauling goosenecks that might at first glance look comercial. ie.. dually with gn and tractor?

so far I've had no challanges by dot or weigh stations even out of state. at least the southeast anyway.. fl, al, ms, ga, tx etc.

never stopped at a weight station, and have passed plenty with dot parked around it.. have seen them shoot out and pull other over.. so kow they are manned and looking.

anyone had any issues?

soundguy

 

[kevinj]

just checking in. I tend to watch subjects like this and see what's going on every 6 months.

To be clear, what i'm asking about is for those of you that are non CDL, have a truck and a trailer, and are non comercial and private, hauling your own stuff, not for hire.. etc, under 26k#

any of you guys having any dot trouble or involvement? especially the 1 ton crowd which are possible hauling goosenecks that might at first glance look comercial. ie.. dually with gn and tractor?

so far I've had no challanges by dot or weigh stations even out of state. at least the southeast anyway.. fl, al, ms, ga, tx etc.

never stopped at a weight station, and have passed plenty with dot parked around it.. have seen them shoot out and pull other over.. so kow they are manned and looking.

anyone had any issues?

soundguy

None here yet. On another forum it sounds like IA & OH are a bit of an issue right now.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have never had any trouble. I even haul a load that is 10.5' wide all the time and another that is 13' wide and 25,000# twice a year about 60 miles total. I get wide load permits and never a single look. Been doing it since 2002 this wide.

I have only pulled in MI, IN, IL, MO, KY, TN, OH, & PA that I can remember.

My neighbor has pulled 30,000 miles in the last 3 summers. Takes 5 week vacation the first week in June each year pulling a 35' 5th wheel. Last year he went from IN to FL. Stayed a few days. Then made his way all the way over to CA, San Diego to be exact. They then went to WA, Seattle. On the way home they went across the Bad Lands (Dakotas), though the U P of MI, and then back down to IN. Just a little over 10,000 miles on that one trip. Not my idea of a vacation but its his family's. He has never had a issue.

Chris

 

[1648nc]

Rv's won't have trouble, an open gooseneck with equipment on it is likely to get hassled a little. We are into rockcrawling and a few of the guys in our club have been hassled before towing buggies to a park or event. I've had them get an angle on me and run my tag for weight a few times, but never been pulled and checked.........yet.

 

[salopez]

It is my understanding that any combination that is over 10k lbs, except rv's, is suposed to go through the scale house. you just would not be required to have driver logs.

 

[radioman]

Rv's won't have trouble, an open gooseneck with equipment on it is likely to get hassled a little. We are into rockcrawling and a few of the guys in our club have been hassled before towing buggies to a park or event. I've had them get an angle on me and run my tag for weight a few times, but never been pulled and checked.........yet.

You may never know they ran your tag- just drive by them and they can glance at your plates and enter on pc in car. If nothing comes they just look for another tag to check. etc..

It is my understanding that any combination that is over 10k lbs, except rv's, is suposed to go through the scale house. you just would not be required to have driver logs.

See- this kind of info is NOT clearly documented in drivers handbook. I never heard of such thing. I just know if the magic number of COMBINED gross weight of 26k or over they will start checking you out. Its up to you to make sure you are up to snuff to DOT rules.

 

[Diamondpilot]

It is my understanding that any combination that is over 10k lbs, except rv's, is suposed to go through the scale house. you just would not be required to have driver logs.

That is not true. Take my F-350 for example. It weighs 7,600# empty and its not even a dually. Now if you put a small 16' fishing boat behind it I would be well over 10,000#. No way.


Heck, even a late model 1/2 truck or SUV is pushing 6,000#. So you could not haul your average camper or pontoon boat if that was the case.

Chris

 

[RobertBrown]

just checking in. I tend to watch subjects like this and see what's going on every 6 months.

To be clear, what i'm asking about is for those of you that are non CDL, have a truck and a trailer, and are non comercial and private, hauling your own stuff, not for hire.. etc, under 26k#

any of you guys having any dot trouble or involvement? especially the 1 ton crowd which are possible hauling goosenecks that might at first glance look comercial. ie.. dually with gn and tractor?

so far I've had no challanges by dot or weigh stations even out of state. at least the southeast anyway.. fl, al, ms, ga, tx etc.

never stopped at a weight station, and have passed plenty with dot parked around it.. have seen them shoot out and pull other over.. so kow they are manned and looking.

anyone had any issues?

soundguy

Perhaps the state and federal DOT's are developing/discovering yet another revenue stream. Those guys have pensions too.

 

[arsenix2001]

In MD if the gvw of the vehicle or trailer is over 10k you are required to weigh inand follow a preventative maintenece program, but no logs or air radius rules apply. Technically you are really supposed to have a DOT as a private carrier. A gcvw of over 26k and you need a cdl.

 

[schmism]

In MD if the gvw of the vehicle or trailer is over 10k you are required to weigh inand follow a preventative maintenece program, but no logs or air radius rules apply. Technically you are really supposed to have a DOT as a private carrier. A gcvw of over 26k and you need a cdl.

Link for a source?

 

[kevinj]

In MD if the gvw of the vehicle or trailer is over 10k you are required to weigh inand follow a preventative maintenece program, but no logs or air radius rules apply. Technically you are really supposed to have a DOT as a private carrier. A gcvw of over 26k and you need a cdl.

Private carriers need to follow DOT as well as any other commercial carrier.

I think the Sound Guy was asking about PERSONAL, big difference. Personal & RV are exempt from the DOT unless your state has some real strange laws.

 

[arsenix2001]

Link for a source?

Ive held a cdl for 5 years and my business has been dot registered for 8 so we went through all of the training. The weigh scale signs literally say here in md "ALL vehicles over 10,000lbs GVW must enter the weigh station". The back of our registrations even say that by registering a vehicle over 10k you agree to participate in a preventave maintenence program". As far as DOT goes, its a grey area for even some troopers, campers probably not, but if they see a dually and a goosneck with a tractor on the back they may get suspicious. Although ive hardly ever seen a pull over due to lack of dot. Its typically going to be for overweight or no cdl. And dont think that just because you are pulling a private load you can go as heavy as you want, check the state laws, here in md even if your trailer a private load, say a boat or camper and your GV"C"W is over 26k you still need a class A personal license, not a cdl but a class a varient of a personal DL. They are trying to keep harry homeowner from buying a 40' 15k camper and taking out 5 cars when he forgot how long his trailer was on the highway. Take my info for what its worth, been through the scales, dealt with DOT personally...

 

[RickB]

Link for a source?

All Regulations - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Definitions. - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration


Particular attention to the definition of "commercial vehicle" and "commerce" and an understanding of those definitions is a prerequisite to voicing an informed opinion on what type of vehicle is subject to USDOT and the various State DOT regulatory frameworks. Note that your State rules may vary; the FED's do not. Enforcement is always a moving target.

26001 lbs is the threshold. Regardless of whether or not any of us has a valid CDL 'A' license, and whether or not we think our 1 ton Dually pickups and 14K and up trailers come under DOT jurisdiction, in most states the CDL is a requirement and the rigs are supposed to be in compliance, including medical cards, etc WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO COMPLY AT THIS TIME. In strong farming states, farm vehicles enjoy some relief from some of the regs generally only within their home states.

 

[wvpolekat]

Ive held a cdl for 5 years and my business has been dot registered for 8 so we went through all of the training. The weigh scale signs literally say here in md "ALL vehicles over 10,000lbs GVW must enter the weigh station". The back of our registrations even say that by registering a vehicle over 10k you agree to participate in a preventave maintenence program". As far as DOT goes, its a grey area for even some troopers, campers probably not, but if they see a dually and a goosneck with a tractor on the back they may get suspicious. Although ive hardly ever seen a pull over due to lack of dot. Its typically going to be for overweight or no cdl. And dont think that just because you are pulling a private load you can go as heavy as you want, check the state laws, here in md even if your trailer a private load, say a boat or camper and your GV"C"W is over 26k you still need a class A personal license, not a cdl but a class a varient of a personal DL. They are trying to keep harry homeowner from buying a 40' 15k camper and taking out 5 cars when he forgot how long his trailer was on the highway. Take my info for what its worth, been through the scales, dealt with DOT personally...

In other words, like most people with statements like this, you don't have a link.

I don't believe that ANY state requires an RV to scale.

 

[Rustyiron]

They sure don't make it easy to understand!!! I think on purpose. I have been moving all my collected crap slowly, from MD to ME and I was going to buy a single axle road tractor to pull my 25,500 gvw gooseneck trlr. Well there is no such thing as a personal rig like that and I'd need all the fuel sticker for each state and all the DOT BS! (I do have a CDL A restricted) So instead I got a rig that is a registered rv (title) that has a goosenck ball, it's called a Toterhome and it's basically a med. duty truck with a 14' sleeper. (small kit. bath, table, couch etc). A lot of the race car guys use them.
Every time I blow by the scales I get cold sweats. But hey, its a camper pulling a (my) trailer of (my) personal property, buzz off smokey!!
I did have a breakdown in NY state and was on the side of the road for 10 hours or so, had a trooper stop by and he saw that this was a personal unit, maybe stretching the limits, but he was very cool about the whole thing. I undersand that NY is especially tough in this regard.

 

[Duffster]

All Regulations - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Definitions. - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration


Particular attention to the definition of "commercial vehicle" and "commerce" and an understanding of those definitions is a prerequisite to voicing an informed opinion on what type of vehicle is subject to USDOT and the various State DOT regulatory frameworks. Note that your State rules may vary; the FED's do not. Enforcement is always a moving target.

26001 lbs is the threshold. Regardless of whether or not any of us has a valid CDL 'A' license, and whether or not we think our 1 ton Dually pickups and 14K and up trailers come under DOT jurisdiction, in most states the CDL is a requirement and the rigs are supposed to be in compliance, including medical cards, etc WHETHER OR NOT WE HAVE BEEN FORCED TO COMPLY AT THIS TIME. In strong farming states, farm vehicles enjoy some relief from some of the regs generally only within their home states.

Rick, for most states as well as all interstate commerce the threshold is 10k.

Definitions. - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

 

[arsenix2001]

In other words, like most people with statements like this, you don't have a link.

I don't believe that ANY state requires an RV to scale.

Here smart azz, Maryland Motor Carrier Frequently Asked Questions. Pay special attention to section 5 and 8. It doesnt matter if you have an RV or a truck full of unicorns, over 10k and you have to weigh.


5. What is the definition of a commercial vehicle?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations have defined a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) as noted below. Maryland has adopted this definition for commercial vehicles that operate only within state boundaries (intrastate).

CMV definition:
Commercial motor vehicle means any vehicle operated in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle
(1) Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 10,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater; or
(2) Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or
(3) Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or
(4) Is used in transporting hazardous?materials?in a quantity requiring placarding.

8. What vehicles must go through weigh stations in Maryland?

All vehicles with a gross vehicle weight or gross vehicle weight rating of greater than 10,000 pounds must stop at open weigh stations. Only vehicles that are operating in commerce will be subject to a safety inspection.

9. Does a rental truck hauling personal property have to stop at weigh stations?

Yes, if it weighs more than 10,000 pounds. However, these vehicles will not be subject to a safety inspection.

Happy? Why dont YOU do some searching next time before running your mouth.

 

[RickB]

Rick, for most states as well as all interstate commerce the threshold is 10k.

Definitions. - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

The definition of Commercial Motor Vehicle in my link (Section 383.5) uses 26,001 lbs.

The definition of Commercial Motor Vehicle in your link (Section 390.5) uses 10,001 lbs.


Any wonder that this topic always generates confusion, arguements and short tempers?

 

[Duffster]

The definition of Commercial Motor Vehicle in my link (Section 383.5) uses 26,001 lbs.

The definition of Commercial Motor Vehicle in your link (Section 390.5) uses 10,001 lbs.

Any wonder that this topic always generates confusion, arguements and short tempers?

If everyone read the "applicability", sections 383.3 and 390.3, it makes a lot more sense.

In a nutshell the 26k is what requires a CDL is all.

 

[RickB]

If everyone read the "applicability", sections 383.3 and 390.3, it makes a lot more sense.

In a nutshell the 26k is what requires a CDL is all.

And far more of us fall under these regulations than most folks have an understanding of.