USDOT number - What it means?

[Rara Avis]

I got my reply for the WI DOT contact. He didn't know anything other than 10,001# = USDOT. He said to contact state patrol for Farm plate and possible exemptions as they would be the most up to date on that.

So I did. Well, 2 1/2 hours later and calls to the scales, other inspection officers and several people in the state headquarters an answer was found.

Side note --

The officers at the State patrol were very nice, professional and stuck to the search. Internally, they were conflicted with several differing interpretations. It's funny too, because depending on where you looked, all the interpretations could be correct. Plus the laws are being changed as there is an uproar from the guys between 10,001 and 26,001. So, if you have a Q - Be patient as even the experts may not know and the laws could be in flux.

So, the final answer is that if I get both Farm or "dual purpose Farm" truck plates AND Farm tags on the trailer then I am exempt from the USDOT requirements. Dual purpose Farm tags are stated weight for non-farm and up to 12,000# for farm use. So an 8000# tag is bought, but for farm stuff up to 12,000# (or GVWR of the truck) for no more $. Straight Farm plates are good for up to 38,000# and exempt from CDL and USDOT requirements. They are also about 1/4 the cost of regular plates. Go figure, heavier must be safer....


However, if I was hauling a race car to the drag strip - I would be commercial and would need the USDOT number. They agree that is crazy and they don't go looking to ticket people like that. (Other areas in WI have been!)

So, I will be tagged with the correct FARM plates for truck and trailer VERY shortly.

Side note -

If I didn't declare myself a farm on IRS form 1040, it would be all personal use and would also fall outside of the USDOT requirements. Crazy, and obviously driven by politicians, not the hard working officers I was dealing with. Well hats off to the Officers and a loud Raspberry to the politicians!

jb

I told you so...I told you so...

Congrats on encountering common sense in State Govenrment, no less...

 

[john_bud]

Paul,

Yes - You did! And you were correct. (thanks!) But, it isn't a question that the local Troopers were used to getting, and they had some confusion among them selves. To be honest, I felt bad taking up so much of their time. They were working so hard to get to the bottom line answer, but couldn't find the correct statute or regulation to support what they thought was right.


Snow,

The 10,001 is the COMBINED weight of the TRUCK + TRAILER. Some states base that on actual weight, most base it on Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) for the truck plus either the registered weight, GVWR or actual weight for the trailer (which ever is higher). Unless your truck has a GVWR of under 1 pound - you are in the DOT number zone!

The short story is that unless you have a ranger/S10 and a 3000# one axle trailer, you are probably going to be over 10,001 pounds. It's real hard to convince someone that you are not getting some form of compensation when you are toting a $20,000 tractor and a lawn mower - it looks like a lawn care business.
jb

 

[Rara Avis]

Paul,

Yes - You did! And you were correct. (thanks!) But, it isn't a question that the local Troopers were used to getting, and they had some confusion among them selves. To be honest, I felt bad taking up so much of their time. They were working so hard to get to the bottom line answer, but couldn't find the correct statute or regulation to support what they thought was right.

jb

Now you are just limited to 150 airmiles of home...UNLESS you want to request a one TRIP permit...now we open a real can of worms...

If you are having trouble sleeping...take a gander at one trip permits... ...instant solution to insomnia...

 

[SnowRidge]

Well, I read the FMCSA and TN rules. I don't need to do anything, as far as I can tell. Tennessee even completely exempts farm trailers from licensing, which I already knew. Actually, you hardly see any utility trailers with tags here, even a lot of the commercial guys who are required to license them don't bother, and they don't seem to get stopped.

I did see one oddity in the TN rules. The farm exemption mirrors the 150 mile rule already discussed, except for log keeping, which has only a 100 mile exemption, although it too seems to have a few loopholes of its own.

I still have a bit of a concern about travelling to property I own in Florida. It's not a farm, and there is nothing commercial about it, but I usually tow a trailer when I go down. On the last trip, I hauled equipment to clean up after a hurricane. I don't think that kind of travel falls under any of these regs, but things seem to be in a state of flux. Nobody in LE seemed to show any interest the last time. I hope it stays that way.

 

[john_bud]

Just remember, it's your tractor on your trailer pulled by your truck going to your house and there is no compensation of any kind.

jb

I would copy this and keep it in the glove box

http://tennessee.gov/sos/acts/104/pub/pc0400.pdf

 

[tlbuser]

By the way...tlbuser...I have a CLASS-A CDL with all the bells and whistles excepting Haz-Mat...and that was because I couldn't find a vendor willing to pay the $89(?)Fee for the Fed Investigation of CDLs with HazMat Edorsements... ...I understand these rules and I was providing data to J_B

Uh huh, and the short condensed version I gave him was wrong how ???

Private carrier, non-commercial isn't required log books or multi-million liability policies either.

Your results may vary by state.

 

[Rara Avis]

Uh huh, and the short condensed version I gave him was wrong how ???

Private carrier, non-commercial isn't required log books or multi-million liability policies either.

Your results may vary by state.

As long as you stay in the state of Vermont and are hauling non-commercial, 10000 GVWR or less, no problem. A DOT number is not much more than a registration system. If you really think you need one, you gotta have a physical card to go with it.

THIS is what I responded to...your advice to me...I already knew what you were so graciously telling me...

 

[john_bud]

So the saga contiues.....


Went to the DMV today to determine what was needed to change from regular truck to Dual purpose Farm and to change the trailer from regualar trailer to Farm Trailer tags.

The truck was just renewed, starting 10/1, so swapping it around was a $5 fee and 5 minutes.

The trailer stuff needs to be mailed in around November or it will mess up the system as it goes out of registration on December 31.

BUT, the DMV had a nice little thing hanging that stated that all FARM trucks need DOT numbers. Naturally, they don't include any reference to legislation! Got the standard, "you can do it, but ..." line. I showed them the MV-1 form for registration that specifically does not include Farm in the requirement for USDOT number (unless it's for over 38,000#).

So, being paranoid, I spent day looking up stuff. Found WI Chapter Trans 327 referenced by a doc on the need for dot numbers. Here's that one
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/statepatrol/docs/new-entrant-safety-prog.pdf

It stated that ALL 10,001 and above needs a USDOT. But, actually reading the referenced documents shows that in section 327.09(7) that the provisions of this chapter don't apply to any farm truck & semi-trailer or Farm Trailer under 26,001#. Plain as day. Naturally, that's only for intrastate. But that's all I need.

Anyone else care to read it and see if it's correct?

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/code/trans/trans327.pdf

 

[Rara Avis]

So the saga contiues.....


Went to the DMV today to determine what was needed to change from regular truck to Dual purpose Farm and to change the trailer from regualar trailer to Farm Trailer tags.

The truck was just renewed, starting 10/1, so swapping it around was a $5 fee and 5 minutes.

The trailer stuff needs to be mailed in around November or it will mess up the system as it goes out of registration on December 31.

BUT, the DMV had a nice little thing hanging that stated that all FARM trucks need DOT numbers. Naturally, they don't include any reference to legislation! Got the standard, "you can do it, but ..." line. I showed them the MV-1 form for registration that specifically does not include Farm in the requirement for USDOT number (unless it's for over 38,000#).

So, being paranoid, I spent day looking up stuff. Found WI Chapter Trans 327 referenced by a doc on the need for dot numbers. Here's that one
http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/statepatrol/docs/new-entrant-safety-prog.pdf

It stated that ALL 10,001 and above needs a USDOT. But, actually reading the referenced documents shows that in section 327.09(7) that the provisions of this chapter don't apply to any farm truck & semi-trailer or Farm Trailer under 26,001#. Plain as day. Naturally, that's only for intrastate. But that's all I need.

Anyone else care to read it and see if it's correct?

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/code/trans/trans327.pdf

Yep...this is your out...
(7) The provisions of this chapter do not apply to any farm
truck or dual purpose farm truck combined with any semitrailer
or farm trailer, or any vehicle combined with a horse trailer, if the
vehicle combination痴 gross combination weight rating, registered
weight, and actual gross weight do not exceed 26,000
pounds, the vehicle combination does not include a commercial
motor vehicle described in s. 340.01 (8) (c) or (d), Stats., and the
vehicle combination is operated solely in intrastate commerce

 

[john_bud]

Paul,

Thanks, that's what I thought it was meaning, but after reading A LOT of this type of stuff my eyes were watering, ears were ringing, fingers were tingling and my brain hurt!

I have printed that whole chapter and will carry it in the truck folded around the registration.


This is what the DMV has hanging on the partition of each cubical where the counter people are.

I also found lots and lots of stuff that says that farmers need USDOT numbers. But oddly enough, only one referenced the actual statue and when I read the exceptions it is obvious that they don't --> for 26,000 and under combined weight or rated / tagged weight.

Then again, who said government employees have the time to check out the facts? I probably have 30+ hours invested in getting to this point. (and yes, I have much more time than money, so 30 hours VS a large ticket is a good investment.)