At one time this was a free country now your only free to comply with whatever some badge wearing gun toting individual makes claim to . They all claim the other cop in the other state doesn't know what he's talking about.
It is about road taxes and protecting the general motorist from ill kept equipment. I've seen some junk taken out of service at weigh stations over the year. In my area we had a problem with half broken down dump trucks for years. It took someone getting T boned and killed at a light by a busted up piece of junk dump truck who had bad brakes to things cleaned up around here.
Still blows my mind that you even need a Class B w/ passenger endorsement to drive a 10+ passenger van in California (commercially). But you can go out and buy a 40 foot Motorhome and tow a boat behind it with no prior experience needed...
Thanks for making great videos! I’ve been stopped at the AG station on the 15 towing my RV trailer back from Vegas. I keep a not for hire on the truck now to keep the DOT mosquitos away.
Idk about comifornia but most states if it’s not being used or owned by a commercial entity there is absolutely no need for any dot numbers or pulling into weight stations
@@DieselRamcharger Sadly, I wanted to get myself a flatbed for personal use as it'd be cheaper then replacing my clapped out bed. This has me hesitating to do that, I don't live in CA but I do want to take trips there in that truck as it's my only mode of transportation.
@@92powerdiesel61 I'm fairly certain that if your truck has a flatbed on it and it is registered out of the state of California then I don't think that they can do anything about it.
I was owner/operator of big trucks. Hauled sand rock ect. I was NOT FOR HIRE. AS LONG AS YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PRODUCT\/ YOU BY PRODUCT N HAUL ""YOUR"" PRODUCT. IT DOES NOT BECOME OTHER PERSONS PROPERTY TILL I DUMP LOAD ON THEIR PROPERTY THEN U COLLECT YOUR MONEY BACK PROPERTY!!! IF U R NOT FOR HIRE N OPERATE WITHIN 200 MILE RADIOUS OF YOUR HOME BASE U """"DO NOT"""" HAVE TO HAVE YOUR NAME ON DOOR!!!!! OPERATE IN YOUR STATE ONLY, DO NOT HAUL OTJER PEOPLES PROPERTY U DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE USDOT # EITHER!!! USDOT IS FOR FORHIRE IN STATE N APPORTIONED TAGS TO RUN INTERSTATE!!!!! AS LONG AS U BUY ENOUGH WEIGHT TAGS IE= 30,000 # TAGS TO COVER EMPTY WT + LOAD WT WITH SOME EXTRA POUNDAGE TO SPARE GROSS VEHICLE WT TAG INSIDE DOOR JAMB DOSE NOT APPLY TO WHAT YOUR GROSS WT IS WHEN LOADED! DONT FORGET EVEN THOUGH U NOT FOR HIRE U STILL NEED CDL LICENCE IF U OPERATE VEHICLE LICENED (OVER)-26,000#, PERIOD!!!! EVEN UNDER 26,000# U STILL NEED CDL IF YOUR TRUCK HAS AIR BRAKES!!!!! IE:: AIR OVER HYDROLIC, OR STRAIGHT AIR!!!!!! THANK U FOR READING THIS. I HOPE IT HELPS. I WAS OWN/OP FER30 YRS... JUS LETTIN YALL KNOW WHAT IVE LEARNRD DEALING WITH THOSE SHIT FER BRAINS DOT/DMV ASSWIPES HERE IN GPOD OLE NAWTH KACKALACKY!!!!---aka -NORTH CAROLINA. YALL KEEP DA BUGS OFFN YER GLASS N DA BEARS OFFN YER ASS!!! IM GONE!!!!! HIPPIE
Love all your setups, Sam... learned a lot from your videos and I think you're an asset to people who use RUclips for tutorials, product reviews, and just general entertainment..
Call D.O.T. and tell them you have a F450 dually and it's only ever used for personal use but you want a DOT # anyway. They will refuse to issue you one. I know. I tried.
I'm a DOT Officer. You are correct Sir. You are subject to the Federal Regulations if you are in commerce (making money, furthering the business (any business)), and registered over 17,000 lbs intrastate or registered over 10,000 lbs interstate. People use "personal use" a lot and we have to determine if they are telling the truth. "Not For Hire" means nothing to me. If I can't 100% determine if you are in commerce I give you the benefit of the doubt. I would definitely stop you with that setup and see if it's personal use. I would question why such a big trailer for personal use but you explained it and are free to go. I would think it is a big setup for personal use but not unheard of. A recent example..... I saw a F-550 towing a large trailer with a large excavator on it. No DOT numbers on the truck. He was interstate and registered over 10,000 lbs. total. I checked the registrations and they came back to an out of state construction company. I spoke to the driver and he owned the company but said he was taking the excavator to his daughters to help her do work at her house. I asked what her address was and he didn't know but said she was about 10 minutes away. I asked him what her name was and he gave me her maiden name not married name. I wanted to cross reference her name in our computer to see if I could find an address for her. Nothing came up and everything was sounding suspicious. I gave him the benefit of the doubt because he had his family in the truck and wasn't wearing traditional work clothes. An opposite example.... I stopped a guy in his own personal pickup with a large personal trailer and some kind of machinery/generator on the trailer. Everything combined was registered over 17'000 lbs (intrastate). No DOT numbers or name on the truck. The truck and trailer were registered to him. He said he was taking the generator to be tested for his company and they needed it there quick so he volunteered to use his truck and trailer. He is on the clock for the company and also this would be "in commerce" because he is furthering the company and he needs the company's DOT name and number on the truck and is subject to ALL the Federal Regulations. Some are clear cut and some are not. At least 90% of the citations I write go to the company and not the driver.
Peter Bilt - I have a question for you. I will be pulling a 11,500lb skid steer with a few forestry attachments from Dallas to Magalia California to help my mother in law with clearing fire breaks around her property. This setup will surely be a tad over 26000lbs, however everything I’m hauling is my person equipment and i will not be advancing any type of company or profiting on this trip. Would this constitute not needing any of the DOT / FMCSA requirements, or will I need any certifications ? Thanks in advance
Austin V you are NOT subject to the Federal Regulations (DOT numbers/FMCSA, etc) since you are not making any money even though you are registered over 10000 pounds traveling interstate (crossing state lines). However you will most likely need a higher class license for your state. I am in PA and you would need a non-commercial CDL based on weight. I am not familiar with Texas to California state law requirements but I’m guessing you need the higher class non-commercial CDL. We get this a lot with personal RV type vehicles and trailers with drivers not realizing they need a non-commercial CDL based on weight.
Peter Bilt, I am an owner of a company that from time to time might need to transport small forklifts or electric pallet jacks between our warehouse locations. If I'm using a company pickup truck pulling a personal flatbed trailer with a 9,500 lb. GVWR, would this be subject to Federal Regs? The trailer has brakes on all four wheels with breakaway, etc.
Greg Read this will depend on the registered weight of your pickup truck. By what you have said I would determine you are “in commerce”. If you are intrastate (not crossing state lines) I would add the registered weight of the truck to the registered weight of the trailer. If it is over 17,000 pounds total, then YES you are subject to the federal regulations. The trailer registered to you and not the company does not matter because you are in commerce for the business (furthering the business by moving equipment where it needs to be). Let’s say your truck is a half ton which would register around 7000 pounds. 7000 (truck registered weight) plus 9500 (trailer registered weight) is under 17000 so that configuration is under 17000 pounds and NOT subject to federal regulations. I have seen registration weights at exactly 17,000 pounds which is NOT subject to the regulations. Add 1 pound and they would be. AND........ when I get a vehicle or trailer that the weight is under-registered to save money, I pull out the portable scales for overweight violations. Then we go by what the door VIN tag says for weight which is the vehicle weight rating by the manufacturer. I see that every once in a while. Remember if you cross state lines (interstate) the weight drops to 10,000 pounds for the federal regulations.
Great job. I noticed some scales in California have signs that say “No Pick Ups” so you can modify a bed to fit the 5500. The furniture you got from your sister can never ever be sold or it becomes a commercial load. No getting rid of it at a yard sale. Ha! Keep the great videos coming.
I came to this so late lol. If the GVWR of the truck is over 11500 no matter what use its for you are no longer a pickup and need special stickers and have to stop at weigh stations.
Love your style, and in CA too lol. I've struggled with getting a CDL but decided not to. My CVWR is 44,000 lbs (F550 with 20+5 dual tandem), I haul heavy loads, from bulldozers, loaders, even yesterday I hauled a 20' container BUT everything I haul is MINE, I own it and it is NEVER used in a commercial enterprise to make money. Every CDL manual for the states I've had to drive in or through has the exemption for the personal and or recreational vehicles, this is what makes me comfortable with my decision. Thanks for the video Sam!
@@renzorenzo9736 I've been pulled over by a few state troopers and they all want to know why I blew through their weigh station. I simply tell them I am non-commercial and show proof of ownership of truck, trailer, and goods on the trailer and they all give me a stink eye smirk and let me go on about my business.
Full support of you and the channel. You dot your I's and cross your T's always very calculated and within your capability. Hell even if you were an outlaw trucker I'd still be proud to roll with you
As far as it goes around here, you're perfectly legal in your personal vehicle. That's how people get away with hauling a 17,000 lb camper without having any special license.
Or boats. The difference here is the trailer is pulling is normally used for commercial work. He said he does have a class A license all the way to and including airbrakes. Like you said he should have no problems.
Whihc is absurd. Government logic. Someone can be in a 16 foot box truck or a cargo van with dual rear wheels that has a GVWR of 12k lbs....If those are being used for interstate commerce, or intrastate beyond a 150 air mile radius, these owner/operators must have a USDOT /MC number or lease to a company and operate under their Authority. Meanwhile, the states and federal government allows a septuagenarian with so-so eyesight and the reflexes of a three toed sloth be able to operate a 45 foot long 30k lb Motorcoach RV towing a 5,000lb full sized SUV and the guy in the box truck or cargo van is a menace to society.
I was up in New Hampshire in 2016 with my Lance truck camper on the back of my 2012 3500 Dually crew cab 4x4 but have the truck registered commercial through my business and have a class A CDL and medical card.... pulled into a rest stop and right into a D.O.T and State police inspection....so I'm like okay.... waiting my turn and two troopers come up to me and say.... what are you doing in this line ?... I'm like sign says DOT truck inspection.... They said you are exempt because you're carrying a camper and recreational vehicles are exempt...I said but It's a commercially registered company truck which I also use for camping... and I have a class A license and medical card....he says..as long as you have a camper whether it's truck mounted or towing it..you don't need to stop for any scales or inspections.... I'm like okay.. but is that only in New Hampshire ? He says nope that's a federal law so you're good anywhere you go.... He also says. We already ran your plates and license and your all good.... and have a great trip !
@@hey_youtubeim_back2159 ... that's the rule for most cases, but as soon as you have camper or RV plates you are basically exempt from everything, including air brake endorsements. They treat a 40k lb Prevost RV the same as an E-350 camper conversion.
When it comes to crossing or passing scales, the dot can treat you however they want. Legal or not. They can always find something to mess with you over. Im glad that you are doing well.
The more your channel grows the more critics you will hear from. You will have people determined to ruin and do as much damage as possible. The true followers who appreciate your work and your efforts to share your life will continue to follow and as always the thumbs up. From your fan in Italia.
In California last I understood all pickups are registered as commercial vehicles and are charged dmv fees based on "toneage" weight ...1/2 ton being cheapest and going up from there. If you put a tonue cover or shell on it you can register as passenger vehicle, but can get in trouble hauling items in it. California loves their fees
Different states have different requirements. Difference between your enclosed trailer and your open trailer as far as the bug station, they can see what you're hauling on the trailer. DOT regulations are for commerce. You can drive a semi as personal use. You need "Not for hire" signs visible and you're not under DOT regulations.
All good information. Your not the only one with an out of the box disappointment. A few months back, I bought a PJ dump trailer, got a deal🙄. Brakes out of adjustment, two of four wheels loose and missing 4 lug nuts, hydraulic reservoir over filled and blew all over the place, back doors were out of alignment and needed to be worked. Happy now though😃. Enjoy your new set up and thanks for sharing👍👍👍🇺🇸
I know I took my set up (3500 srw diesel with a 40 ft 20k lb trailer) with pictures to the dmv office here in Florida and explained it was to haul my mudding toys to events and they called the state office in Tallahassee and said I did not need a cdl or dot numbers of any kind. Same scenario as a 45 ft class A diesel pusher motorhome with a 30 ft enclosed trailer behind it. No special licensing needed.
73cjproject ... you can thank the RV industry for that. You can drive a 40k pound Prevost RV with a big trailer without a CDL as long as it's privately owned.... and no age limit (retired people) or medical card needed.
I was about to get a gooseneck for my personal ram dually, My friend very knowledgeable in the matter told me you’ll have slap at the hand first time and he told me to get a 10k trailer. I am still studying and hoping you give us and update on this matter after 5 years of this video. My study, you have no issue to do it because you have class A in wallet, If I want to do the same as you, I must have Class A restriction 88 CDL even it is my personal truck and personal load. Thank you for great clips.
Great info. Appreciate it. I’m not even a trucker. Iam 66 yrs. old And I plan on getting my class B license to help out my son with his wild fire fighting water 6 wheel drive truck in Northern California. Have safe travels.
Did you know that emergency vehicles do not require a CDL license to drive them? Fire departments or hot shot crews driving water trucks. As long as you are on the job of firefighting, you dont need a CDL. I believe when I found that, FEMA website had that information. But DO NOT TAKE NY WORD FOR IT, do your own research on Government websites Not personal opinions from want a be drivers.
The back of my tilt car trailer hangs out past the rear axles like that. Makes turning at intersections a little hairy if you are squeezed into lanes with other people next to you
In the Drone world, if you make a RUclips video with the drone and get money from it, that flight is commercial. So if the FAA was running the DOT, you might technically get a lengthy warning letter lol. But my Cummins has passenger plates too so I feel ya! Fun video.
In Ca all of our personal pick ups are registered commercial. the give away is the one letter on the plate in lieu of 3 for a personal non commercial truck or car(truck with a shell) can be registered non commercial
There are videos floating around that to pull a personal fifth wheel camper with a 3500 dully you need a certain class CDL. ( I can not remember what class was talked about in the video)Or for that matter any trailer. I haul my New Holland TC33d compact tractor in my 12,000 lb dump trailer with my 03 Dodge 2500 a lot of the summer. I have never been stopped by the DOT. Your video is great information! Thank you
hopeandbranden 🤦🏻♂️ its just funny guy no need to get pussy hurt, i don’t care what you drive. I have a 3500 dually thats a flatbed that I use to daily drive too... I bought a gas saver because a dually isn’t practical for doing 150+ miles a day.
@@blacksheep9734 ask what your point was. You act like your better then anyone else. News flash nobody cares. Some folks will only drive fullsize diesel trucks as a daily and some drive mini vans.
I have a Place in Michigan and Farm in Kentucky Farm plated F250 and same trailer. No stickers nothing F Kalifornia I ride through Ohio weekly never bothered.
I’ve been a trucker for 40 years. My father also owned a trucking company he started in 1966 in California. Most of the truck drivers out there have no business making comments because they’re full of shit and don’t know anything. Pay no attention to them because you practically have to hire a D.O.T. attorney to decipher all of California’s ridiculous rules. Most truckers out there under 50 years old don’t know what they’re talking about . A lot of CHP Officers don’t even know what they’re talking about. I once got pulled over near Oxnard in my brand new Ford dually back in 2000 because I had tinted windows. I had just got back from Oklahoma and tagged it there. I own property there but I lived in Lake Elsinore, CA at the time. This stupid officer became beligerent and told me my dually pickup was illegally licensed because I didn’t have a California tag. I had a California Class A license so he said the truck had to be tagged in California. I told him it wasn’t illegal to own property in different states but it WAS illegal to have 2 drivers licenses. He was very rude. I went to court in Ventura and brought the deed to my little house in Seminole, OK to prove to the judge that I owned property there. I had the window tint removed before I went to court so that citation cost me $10 and the judge threw out the illegal registration citation. I had the window tint put back on the next day. California can bite my Bakersfield born butt. I’ve been in Oklahoma for many years now and I don’t regret it. All you truck “drivers” out there that don’t know the laws need to shut up and leave this young man alone. 😏
Gearjammer agree 100% best I have ever heard it put with the attorney deal and is totally true that’s why some law firms as well as specialty companies exist just to get people / companies legal because it’s a nightmare that no single person can possibly explain especially cops who for some reason people believe “know” , they know SHOW ME THE MONEY!
I live in SW Wisconsin and only a 15 minute drive from both Iowa and Illinois. I have talk to all three states DOT about this same thing and they have all told me as long as I'm not making money that I don't have to worry about DOT number. And just because your buddy is paying you 20 bucks to take his lawnmower across town that doesn't count as making money.
@@VBELTandSON How does the title read for it? Is it in your personal name and your personal insurance or is your business paying for the tags and insurance? That is what defines the difference between commercial and personal. As you will be using that trailer for work at times. It a gray area. Be safe, great videos
@@VBELTandSON Just going from past experience . I guy from work borrowed the big trailer from work. He got in to a bad accident while towing it. The D.O.T took the trailer to go over the load and check the chains, brakes the whole 9 yards.The lawyers ended up taking the company to court and won as the had bigger pockets to drain. I'm sure legal wise your fine to tow it as you did but liability wise it goes off who's name is on the trailer.
I was just pulled over twice in the last 6 months. I was hauling my little tractor not for hire as well. They both told me one cop a dot and one cop chp. They both told me the same thing 26k with a single vehicle if u add a trailer anything over 10k for personal not for hire needs a none commercial cdl no dot numbers needed. If making money with it need cdl mc and dot . I still have the tickets if interested in what they wrote me up for.
Nice video. I dont run DOT just CA number. Go into oregon all the time no problem. Also says trucks with 20k gvw must enter good thing were at 19.5 lol
I have a cargo trailer that I turned in to a house trailer I go right past the scales with no problem and I don't have dot number on my one ton dully or my name either I work fairs so I cross meny state lines
Man I love the content, been watching your channel for years. Just don’t pay the super truckers no mind. It doesn’t matter if you are over loaded all the damn time or not. It’s non of anyone’s business. I feel sure they don’t abide by the laws all the time. You have to get the job done either way. Regardless you have covered everything just fine man. Keep it up!
Whoa there buddy calm down..there is a difference between over loaded by 10lbs vs 10,000. just like with anything in life you have to use common sense.
We operate in the South, headquartered out of Mississippi, we run 550s and 36' goosenecks, and we don't worry about any numbers in our commercial pickups, we only run DOT numbers on our tractor trailers and have no issues
It's private not personal. The people are not persons. Persons are employed. People have no duties. Using the legal name and date of birth incorporated you into the corporation as a citizen. Never call yourself citizen or resident unless you fully comprehend and you want to. This is not a joke.
So long as NOT for compensation requires NO DOT Number, in MO once cross 32,000 license must have name, vIn and home town on sides, DOT still not required.
I got the William Painter sunglasses ad before the video. It’s the same pitch man as the Dr Squatch soap ad. I ask you, is he the new Billy Mays? Here’s hoping.
its absolutely legal. I'm from Texas and I'm working in Minnesota currently. Pulled my 40' gooseneck all the way here and will be pulling it back next month. I always drive 5mph or more over the speed limit. I never stop at scales, no DOT #'s and have never had any problems. I have Class A CDL with all endorsements and DOT #'s on my SEMI. I haul anything i want on my gooseneck because everything i do is personal use.
Oklahoma 24k requires DOT unless Farmed tag. Quad tandem usually is that and dually truck puts your combine over that. That is why used quad tandem trailer are usually cheaper in OK.
Your personal vehicle doesn’t need to be registered period. If you decide to put it in service then you register it. I have an F250 it’s been a grocery getter. Eventually it’ll go into service and I’ll get my DOT and MC numbers at that time. Great video man
In not entirely sure the ag station is a dot scale it may be a combination of the two but ag station just keep moving trucks and boats from bringing invasive species into ca. Fire wood is a big no no and fruits and house plants.
Well I'm not in or from California. But to answer your question. I believe for ( personal ) use no numbers needed but you said it's a back up to the work rig so in the event your using it as a back up doing what ever the work truck normally does then you would need the lettering at those moment's to be compliant. On a further note where I live if I'm off duty of my business but doing something for the business I need to log it as business related becouse it's a tax right off on milage or fuel. Also if tou work in construction at a site but are hauling your acquirement to the site that's a work activity so you are on the clock the moment you start driving. At least that's how it is in my state of Massachusetts
Imagine how mind blown the haters would get when they find out you can buy a tractor and full size trailer and still not need a CDL while not for hire.
This is not true. You need a CDL at 26,001 lbs and over on the GCVWR. It doesn't matter if it's personal or not. The question is if officers are going to enforce it or not. Generally, they leave people alone on personal vehicles, but you are definitely subject to the law, whether you are for hire or not.
I'm a class a heavy hauler semi/hotshot/dump truck driver, laid off right now, but ohio is supposedly changing it to where most people will have to have a class a non cdl . We have large cattle trailers/dump trailer/flatbed trailer (goose neck) for the inlaws farm. So told my inlaws just to call me of they are going to want anything heavy towed. I mentioned this stuff about what ohio dot is doing to my father in law and nephew, now whether they go down that route or not is on them. But i know also in ohio if only for agriculture they will grant you so many miles and can make your regular license into a class b .
I took a Chevy 3500 dually with a 30’ gooseneck, put a 3500 duramax on the gooseneck hauled it from Minnesota to South Carolina for personal use. Never hit a scale never was stopped. Talked to a state trooper when I was filling up the truck. It’s a non issue.
It is an issue, you just havent been caught yet. I guess it's not illegal until you get caught. Commercial DOT cops are different than regular cops. Regular cops are clueless in commercial FMCSA rules, because they hand out parking tickets and know nothing else.
under your circumstances you do not need a MC Number,DOT or CA Number unless you are 10k pounds or above combined weight and are registering as a commercial vehicle...If not a commercial registered unit then no none are needed,not even a not for hire sign. Read up on the FMCSA rules and Calif. rules and double check for yourself,if you have not done so yet. clears up alot.
True ; it's a not for hire set up , for personal use. However , at any point you can be pulled over a given a road side inspection on any vehicle personal or for hire.
I drive my own stuff(private) was told by my local Hyway Patrol "Do Not Put NOT FOR HIRE sticker on trucks". He says they are a Target for Police. Burden of Proof is on them to prove you are hauling commercially. Be Blessed
If you keep the stock style bed you won't get hassled as much. If you got an aftermarket bed such as the CM truck bed CA dot automatically assumes your a commercial truck, at least the one's in the tulare ca to fresno ca area.
@19:53 you can see what it is if you look closely at the logo. LoL but ya I'm a gear jammer and I don't run anything that small. So you do you and i do me. Don't know why everyone hate to hate on everyone else.
I have been a tractor trailer driver since 1996. I have a class A cdl. As long as you're using your pickup and trailer totally for personal use you are not a commercial vehicle and you are not required to have all the markings on your pickup. With that said you can also use your work truck that does have all the MC numbers and use it as a personal vehicle and be legal to use it as a personal vehicle as well. As long as you're not engaging in any for hire commerce
I run Not for hire and personal use only stickers on all my trailers in Washington. But my truck is licensed for 32000 witch makes it so I need my CDL. In Washington it states any trailer gvw over 10000 lbs is required to have a CDL. But they are just now starting to in force the laws. Love your videos. Im a retired trucker 2 million miles on the road . Now I just play with my tractor's
Just because its a gooseneck trailer does NOT mean that it is used for COMMERCE. Lots of people own gooseneck trailers and use them personally to haul atv's/utv's like he said. I've used mine to haul tractor/brush hog to land I owned at the time while when we were building our home. I haul firewood to family members. I use it for lots of things. The part people don't/can't seem to understand is that if your not using it in a way that generates revenue/income then it's considered PERSONAL USE. PERIOD, END OF STORY!
@@markrugman1435 Wrong! Being a gooseneck has nothing to do with the way a trailer is being used. If its not being used in a manner that supports/generates revenue/income then its considered personal use. Hauling furniture, automobiles, motorcycles/atv's, gravel, brush, dirt, or anything else possible. If it's being used for COMMERCE (either intrastate or interstate) only then is it required to have DOT #'s, Gross weight rating, etc. etc.
I roll in Atlantic Canada. Run an F800 with 2 trailers I own, all 3 registered in my name. Have a CDL, and paid the registration fees for the DMV's weight-rated haulers. Even paid a new additional fee to become an NSC operator. I haul my own items only. Not commercially plated either, as such is not required... but paying for weight is O.K. The mandatory-minimum of $2M insurance is hefty / annually. Every time I'm close to a weigh scale, I pull into the right lane. If my trailer is empty, the lights after the camera's say "Truck pass scale". If anything is loaded on my trailer... "Truck report to scale". No issues yet, but given the times of today, safely guess it won't be long until the needless hassle begins. In Canada, "NOT FOR HIRE" decals are like an automatic target. I also do not have decals that state :Fire extinguisher inside", nor "First Aid Kit on board". Respects to you. Love your videos. Tom.
The way I see it, if your GCWR is above 21,000 pounds or if the vehicle has air brakes, you should need a CDL. The only time you'd need a DOT/MC number is if you are engaged in inter/intrastate commerce, otherwise a "not-for-hire" sign should be posted.
I haven't studied this for awhile, but I believe there are two entities that we are capable of engaging others as: 1. We conduct commerce as a public citizen, with other public entities, and 2. We can contract as private entities with any other private entity, and that our right to contract without restriction is protected by constitution. So, as far as I know, that means that you can even "earn" in some situations in whatever vehicle you choose. Or as you say, "personal use", because, for example, earning a wage to eat and survive is a right protected by the 9th amendment, etc.
Yeah here in GA it is really simple. Is it purely personally owned and personally used, but over a set weight? You need a class A. Is it owned/operated by a business? You need a commercial registration.
The only time ive been stopped at the ag station is when hauling loads of hay into the state. They would always stop me and check the hay for bugs. Other than that i never had a problem there.
Okay to begin with you said your trucks up forwards going to make you money you do your own homework and double-check it just to cover your butt and stay within your legal limits don't worry or be concerned about what all these other wannabes say out here I was a driver for 31 years and I drove on and off military bases doing high-security loads and otherwise I was considered just a common carrier to the public I made some very sweet money and I don't care who said what I did all of that with a college education I made more money driving a truck grew up around the business and just stay with your legal limits on what you need to do it doesn't matter what the other guy thinks they're just a bunch of bucket mouse anyway that's all so just wish double-check do your homework and it's a money make you a money maker keep it plain and simple stick with the basics in life and I do mean the basics and you will go far you take care of Ella and have a good time Trucking out there there's nothing wrong with it I made a good living with it for many years
From what I have looked into if any vehicle and trailer is cable if caring over 26k pounds then you have to have at least the lowest class of cdl. When you have a cdl and the vehicle and trailer are not intended to be in use at your business then you don’t have to have dot and all the other stuff. Just a cdl of any class
I could be wrong but I believe that you don't need DOT numbers for personal use trucks , going over state lines, if you are under 26k lbs gross weight. I think that once you are over 26K lbs, it requires DOT numbers. So your truck might have a door sticker that says 19.5k lbs but it requires a registration that includes the gvw of the trailer. So it trailer is 20k and truck is 19.5k , then the gross combined weight it 39.5k on your registration, which puts you over 26k.
The part where you're correct is its personal not for money. You hold a class A cdl so you have the license for the weight if the dot does stop you. However that is not necessarily a requirement. Most states have an alternative either endorsement ie "recreational" or a non commercial class A.. I think alot of it comes down to the mood of the officer that stops you, as to how hard he wants to try to prove or make you prove whether or not you're making money with it. That includes if a 3rd party is paying for your fuel. What gets me is that according to TX troopers that I have spoken with its perfectly legal to drive a 350/3500 which have ratings over 10,001lbs on a class C.. but they stop you for looking commercial (ie large trailer) or even hauling an rv. Because your rating is high enough to require..... Several years ago there was an incident: So empty trailer 40' goose and a 3500 a guy was stopped and shut down. Turns out that he was driving his sons truck back to the house after something happened causing the son to stay with the other vehicle (wife got sick or something) Son did do hotshot but I do not recall much from it I don't recall there being dot numbers ect. But the trooper said the design (gvwr) of the combination and length required a CDL A. The son took to Facebook looking for someone to finish the drive and they would be given a ride back where ever they needed along with some cash. (It was more specific about pay) so between this incident and my talks with TX dot it really depends on the officer to decide if he wants to look at the vehicle as possible commercial violation. Another tidbit I heard was that those who put the "not for hire" stickers drew more attention as alot of hotshot companies were doing that at least at that time..
25 year California CDL (Class A) holder chiming in. "Personal" [Not for Hire] means personal. "Commercial" [For Hire] means commercial. No jurisdiction for personal vehicles (to my knowledge). In 25 years of trucking, I've never known it to be different.
My GMC 4500 is my personal and business truck. No #'s on my truck. However when I hook to my trailer to move my skid steer all my info is on my trailer. Now the Ma. statute says otherwise , info must be on my truck. When I ask the DOT they don't have an answer.
Im in so cal and I work at a feed store and I can’t tell you how many people have dually pick up trucks. They all have them for personal use. Never seen dot #. And some are up there in Weight. But seem to do just fine. I think you are ok with the grocery getter.
hi! quick question, can I do this with my box truck, less than 20,000 in gross weight. if so, would I need, commercial insurance and all this extra stuff, or just regular tag, regular insurance & be able to cross state lines because based on gross weight etc its exempt from irp tag.
The split speed limit on a two lane road, like 395 North of Reno, it becomes more of a hazard because four wheelers passing when there is oncoming traffic. This causes more head on crashes and deaths than big trucks driving the same speed as cars drive. I thought in California it is illegal to tow a trailer in any lane except the right two lanes. It looked like you were in the left lane as you were heading up the hill toward the scales.
I use a class 8 truck to pull my 5th wheel and occasionally my backhoe and skid steer on a flat bed. The equipment is only used on my mountain property never commercial. No CDL or DOT#. No problem
you DO NOT need any commercial markings if a vehicle is NOT used for business. you have your vehicles correctly marked as NOT for hire as required which exempts the requirement for all the markings. the same applies to class A vehicles not used for commerce. I do the same thing up and down the east coast and have not been challenged anywhere. any DOT official may stop any vehicle on the roads and do an inspection.
All scales in cali say no pickups and defines that as a standard box style bed not contractors beds doesnt matter if your hauling commercial or not you dont have to go into scales. In any vehicle hauling non commercial personal use if required to go into the scales you may use the empty lane as the load is not commercial, so if sam was to drive the 5500 he would be required to enter the scale but as long as the load was personal he could take the empty lane. I have been doing this for year past so cal scales weekly
Excellent video, I don't know the laws in the states cause I live in Newfoundland,Canada and I don't know all the details in towing trailers here, but if it's a commercial vehicle you have to enter into the scale area.
Wonder what your thought is on a Gusnack trailer 14 gvw. 20 foot 6 Foot dove tail dual axle single tires. I have a 3500 Dodge, not a dually I want to move my 20-foot shipping container with my stuff. from California to Utah?
it depends on how much the truck it self weights. like where I am from DOT do mess with 1ton dually because they are 10000 lbs or more. empty and DOT are not needed but are supposed to be annually inspected
OK so a couple things. The 1st one would be your truck having a not for higher sticker on it. You are technically not for hire if you are transporting your own equipment. Many super truckers miss understand what not for hire means. If you are for hire it means you are transporting someone else's equipment or product. Not for higher means you transport your own product and/or goods regardless to whether you are making money or not. Examples would be and equipment rental business such as I owned in the past. Another example would be rock quarries or building material house. As for the DOT number, California did start requiring that a few years ago. There's really nothing to it. Basically you fill out the paperwork and you have a dot number. Now we are not talking about a motor Carrier authority. That would be something different. But again you only need a DOT number because you are technically not for hire. Btw, Congrats on the new trailer purchase. 👍
Tex Garcia hey Tex, man we have had much different experiences! I own a rental company and was stopped in 2017 towing absolutely nothing but a cat 277, no attachments at all just the machine and the guy was set up at an abandoned gas station about a 1/4 mile from the off ramp where I got on this particular road and in this distance I was going idk maybe 40-45mph and this “officer steps out from behind a sign right in front of me and I am telling you it was a matter of feet with me standing on the brakes to keep from hitting him, if I would have been blinking when this guy stepped out I would be in prison right now for running over this guy it scared me to death lol. Says to me “can you get this thing in this parking lot here”? Yes sir I say and pull into the rather small parking lot where I see his cruiser and spot the grey van tucked on the other side, now I can tell you from head on this guy had no idea if I was sporting all the legal stuff or not or for that matter what I was pulling but he was clearly going to check it out either way. After I got parked guy walks right up as I’m rolling the window down drops the tool on my window as it’s in motion to check for tint which I did have at the time and was under the legal limit in my state btw,..then asked for my paper work while stating “I would appreciate it if you could put a move on it’s quitting time” , hand this guy the normal stuff immediately, License, registration and proof of insurance...while he was checking that out I was getting my binder with all the other stuff that is neatly organized in there when 5 seconds later I hear “ahh ha”! To shorten this up I was there for about an hour and a half and had the entire deck of this 35’ trailer “that I owned” covered with paperwork, when it was all said and done I left there or “attempted” to leave there with $3800 in fines including tint, lack of IFTA, over weight and something else I can’t remember. In this particular combo of my personal truck which was registered for 13580 (roughly) and gooseneck which was registered commercially at 20000 I weighed 27 something all up on portable scales and was given a citation for being 17 something over (whatever the difference over the personal truck was registered for). I was cordial as possible with these guys until the end, keep in mind I cordially explained after being asked that I owned all of this stuff...they don’t care as one guy sat in the back of the van and referenced books as I asked questions at the end. I was red tagged and had to break the combo up and retrieve trailer and skid steer later with “appropriately registered truck” in order to leave there...I was 20 minutes from my destination and 7 hours from home too when I was told “this can’t stay here this is private property and we don’t know who’s it is” , I say so help me understand this you are telling me I can’t leave here he says “correct” and you are also telling me I can’t stay here he says “correct”... I then ask ok what do you recommend that I do? "sir I cannot give you legal advice”...guy walks to his cruiser as the other guy is buttoning up the van and I suppose out of pure shame the guy walks back and says I can tell you this...in the entire state 2 dot officers are currently on patrol duty and we are going that way when we pull out have a nice evening. This was with all personally owned, late model stuff that was nice and shiny with enough paperwork to start a library. My luck I guess, I have other stories that are far crazier, some are actually funny looking back on them. Steven King couldn’t make this stuff up. I can say that until I started venturing out past about an hour radius of my hometown I never had a single issue ever. I don’t know others experiences and can’t speak to them but it seems to me from what I have gathered over the years that it boils down to luck of the draw as to what is legal and what is not legal and that’s why I have said in previous comments on the topic that it makes no difference who you ask or what anyone says really it just seems to matter who stops you and how the quota looks that day I guess. I should probably say that I do a lot of driving (I don’t want to but have to) shuttling around various compact equipment and specialty items to my different sites all over and therefore probably have a greater chance of being caught for something than most I don’t know. It also seems that rigs like Sams make easy targets for these guys as I have sat after being flagged into inspections while I watch them wave old junk freightliners thru with coat hangers and duct tape holding parts on and then spend an hour with a fine tooth comb going over my stuff. I know there is a lot of good law enforcement officers out there and I don’t envy the job at all but it sure seems that “To protect and serve” has turned into “collect and suffer” at least on this front. Have a good one Tex.
The first mistake is being in California!
You remind me of JB from Louisiana Cajun Recipes, check out his channel if you want to learn some BBQ techniques.
Amen brother. California: The Land of Fruits and Nuts
Spell it right.
CRAPifornia! Or
COMMIfornia!
If you can start a private business in California and survive you are doing something right and will survive in any state except maybe New York
@SEAL CYCLE You didn't move to Texas did you?
At one time this was a free country now your only free to comply with whatever some badge wearing gun toting individual makes claim to . They all claim the other cop in the other state doesn't know what he's talking about.
It is about road taxes and protecting the general motorist from ill kept equipment. I've seen some junk taken out of service at weigh stations over the year. In my area we had a problem with half broken down dump trucks for years. It took someone getting T boned and killed at a light by a busted up piece of junk dump truck who had bad brakes to things cleaned up around here.
@@thomasritter3159 they don't protect shit stop lying
@@Mvp-AngelOfGod save your breathe, they can burn the world in the name of safety..
Slowly but surely, this gets worse with every day that goes by. We are slaves ...and stuff :-(
Lot of sad little boys, your fathers should have spanked your ass so you would act like a man when you were older.
Still blows my mind that you even need a Class B w/ passenger endorsement to drive a 10+ passenger van in California (commercially). But you can go out and buy a 40 foot Motorhome and tow a boat behind it with no prior experience needed...
Holy crap that is stupid
@@lmsendit9531 wait till your stuck behind a bunch if them towing side by sides stacked on the 10fwy doing 35mph across all 5 lanes
As long as it’s under 26001
That would be confusing if you thought a cdl-b was some sort of actual qualification. Hint: it's not, it's just to tax your business
NY now requires to get a endorsement on your class d license now if you drive RV or motorhome
Thanks for making great videos! I’ve been stopped at the AG station on the 15 towing my RV trailer back from Vegas. I keep a not for hire on the truck now to keep the DOT mosquitos away.
Idk about comifornia but most states if it’s not being used or owned by a commercial entity there is absolutely no need for any dot numbers or pulling into weight stations
"I just bought this and here is the paper work" solves just about any trouble on the way home
@@DieselRamcharger Sadly, I wanted to get myself a flatbed for personal use as it'd be cheaper then replacing my clapped out bed. This has me hesitating to do that, I don't live in CA but I do want to take trips there in that truck as it's my only mode of transportation.
@@92powerdiesel61 I'm fairly certain that if your truck has a flatbed on it and it is registered out of the state of California then I don't think that they can do anything about it.
@@92powerdiesel61 CALI isnt the only state that does this - NY wouldnt register my vintage flatbed with regular plates. I had to get historic plates.
I was owner/operator of big trucks. Hauled sand rock ect. I was NOT FOR HIRE. AS LONG AS YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PRODUCT\/ YOU BY PRODUCT N HAUL ""YOUR"" PRODUCT. IT DOES NOT BECOME OTHER PERSONS PROPERTY TILL I DUMP LOAD ON THEIR PROPERTY THEN U COLLECT YOUR MONEY BACK PROPERTY!!! IF U R NOT FOR HIRE N OPERATE WITHIN 200 MILE RADIOUS OF YOUR HOME BASE U """"DO NOT"""" HAVE TO HAVE YOUR NAME ON DOOR!!!!! OPERATE IN YOUR STATE ONLY, DO NOT HAUL OTJER PEOPLES PROPERTY U DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE USDOT # EITHER!!! USDOT IS FOR FORHIRE IN STATE N APPORTIONED TAGS TO RUN INTERSTATE!!!!! AS LONG AS U BUY ENOUGH WEIGHT TAGS IE= 30,000 # TAGS TO COVER EMPTY WT + LOAD WT WITH SOME EXTRA POUNDAGE TO SPARE GROSS VEHICLE WT TAG INSIDE DOOR JAMB DOSE NOT APPLY TO WHAT YOUR GROSS WT IS WHEN LOADED! DONT FORGET EVEN THOUGH U NOT FOR HIRE U STILL NEED CDL LICENCE IF U OPERATE VEHICLE LICENED (OVER)-26,000#, PERIOD!!!! EVEN UNDER 26,000# U STILL NEED CDL IF YOUR TRUCK HAS AIR BRAKES!!!!! IE:: AIR OVER HYDROLIC, OR STRAIGHT AIR!!!!!! THANK U FOR READING THIS. I HOPE IT HELPS. I WAS OWN/OP FER30 YRS... JUS LETTIN YALL KNOW WHAT IVE LEARNRD DEALING WITH THOSE SHIT FER BRAINS DOT/DMV ASSWIPES HERE IN GPOD OLE NAWTH KACKALACKY!!!!---aka -NORTH CAROLINA. YALL KEEP DA BUGS OFFN YER GLASS N DA BEARS OFFN YER ASS!!! IM GONE!!!!! HIPPIE
I really liked how you explain everything about DOT NOT FOR HIRED
Love all your setups, Sam... learned a lot from your videos and I think you're an asset to people who use RUclips for tutorials, product reviews, and just general entertainment..
Call D.O.T. and tell them you have a F450 dually and it's only ever used for personal use but you want a DOT # anyway. They will refuse to issue you one. I know. I tried.
I'm a DOT Officer. You are correct Sir. You are subject to the Federal Regulations if you are in commerce (making money, furthering the business (any business)), and registered over 17,000 lbs intrastate or registered over 10,000 lbs interstate. People use "personal use" a lot and we have to determine if they are telling the truth. "Not For Hire" means nothing to me. If I can't 100% determine if you are in commerce I give you the benefit of the doubt. I would definitely stop you with that setup and see if it's personal use. I would question why such a big trailer for personal use but you explained it and are free to go. I would think it is a big setup for personal use but not unheard of. A recent example..... I saw a F-550 towing a large trailer with a large excavator on it. No DOT numbers on the truck. He was interstate and registered over 10,000 lbs. total. I checked the registrations and they came back to an out of state construction company. I spoke to the driver and he owned the company but said he was taking the excavator to his daughters to help her do work at her house. I asked what her address was and he didn't know but said she was about 10 minutes away. I asked him what her name was and he gave me her maiden name not married name. I wanted to cross reference her name in our computer to see if I could find an address for her. Nothing came up and everything was sounding suspicious. I gave him the benefit of the doubt because he had his family in the truck and wasn't wearing traditional work clothes. An opposite example.... I stopped a guy in his own personal pickup with a large personal trailer and some kind of machinery/generator on the trailer. Everything combined was registered over 17'000 lbs (intrastate). No DOT numbers or name on the truck. The truck and trailer were registered to him. He said he was taking the generator to be tested for his company and they needed it there quick so he volunteered to use his truck and trailer. He is on the clock for the company and also this would be "in commerce" because he is furthering the company and he needs the company's DOT name and number on the truck and is subject to ALL the Federal Regulations. Some are clear cut and some are not. At least 90% of the citations I write go to the company and not the driver.
Peter Bilt - I have a question for you. I will be pulling a 11,500lb skid steer with a few forestry attachments from Dallas to Magalia California to help my mother in law with clearing fire breaks around her property. This setup will surely be a tad over 26000lbs, however everything I’m hauling is my person equipment and i will not be advancing any type of company or profiting on this trip. Would this constitute not needing any of the DOT / FMCSA requirements, or will I need any certifications ? Thanks in advance
Austin V you are NOT subject to the Federal Regulations (DOT numbers/FMCSA, etc) since you are not making any money even though you are registered over 10000 pounds traveling interstate (crossing state lines). However you will most likely need a higher class license for your state. I am in PA and you would need a non-commercial CDL based on weight. I am not familiar with Texas to California state law requirements but I’m guessing you need the higher class non-commercial CDL. We get this a lot with personal RV type vehicles and trailers with drivers not realizing they need a non-commercial CDL based on weight.
Peter Bilt, I am an owner of a company that from time to time might need to transport small forklifts or electric pallet jacks between our warehouse locations. If I'm using a company pickup truck pulling a personal flatbed trailer with a 9,500 lb. GVWR, would this be subject to Federal Regs? The trailer has brakes on all four wheels with breakaway, etc.
Greg Read this will depend on the registered weight of your pickup truck. By what you have said I would determine you are “in commerce”. If you are intrastate (not crossing state lines) I would add the registered weight of the truck to the registered weight of the trailer. If it is over 17,000 pounds total, then YES you are subject to the federal regulations. The trailer registered to you and not the company does not matter because you are in commerce for the business (furthering the business by moving equipment where it needs to be).
Let’s say your truck is a half ton which would register around 7000 pounds. 7000 (truck registered weight) plus 9500 (trailer registered weight) is under 17000 so that configuration is under 17000 pounds and NOT subject to federal regulations.
I have seen registration weights at exactly 17,000 pounds which is NOT subject to the regulations. Add 1 pound and they would be.
AND........ when I get a vehicle or trailer that the weight is under-registered to save money, I pull out the portable scales for overweight violations. Then we go by what the door VIN tag says for weight which is the vehicle weight rating by the manufacturer. I see that every once in a while. Remember if you cross state lines (interstate) the weight drops to 10,000 pounds for the federal regulations.
Peter Bilt thank you for all the great information !
Great job. I noticed some scales in California have signs that say “No Pick Ups” so you can modify a bed to fit the 5500. The furniture you got from your sister can never ever be sold or it becomes a commercial load. No getting rid of it at a yard sale. Ha! Keep the great videos coming.
I came to this so late lol. If the GVWR of the truck is over 11500 no matter what use its for you are no longer a pickup and need special stickers and have to stop at weigh stations.
Love your style, and in CA too lol. I've struggled with getting a CDL but decided not to. My CVWR is 44,000 lbs (F550 with 20+5 dual tandem), I haul heavy loads, from bulldozers, loaders, even yesterday I hauled a 20' container BUT everything I haul is MINE, I own it and it is NEVER used in a commercial enterprise to make money. Every CDL manual for the states I've had to drive in or through has the exemption for the personal and or recreational vehicles, this is what makes me comfortable with my decision. Thanks for the video Sam!
If you are a California resident they have a non-commercial class A and B license that is required for anything over 26k GCVWR or a trailer over 10k.
So you haul all of your equipment with a regular driver’s license?
@@projectmayhembronco5457 So is this guy just driving with regular drivers license?
@@renzorenzo9736 Yes, and have never gotten a ticket.
@@renzorenzo9736 I've been pulled over by a few state troopers and they all want to know why I blew through their weigh station. I simply tell them I am non-commercial and show proof of ownership of truck, trailer, and goods on the trailer and they all give me a stink eye smirk and let me go on about my business.
Thank you for making this.. much clarity... Thank you for your boldness.. haters are going to hate what ever you do.
Full support of you and the channel. You dot your I's and cross your T's always very calculated and within your capability. Hell even if you were an outlaw trucker I'd still be proud to roll with you
As far as it goes around here, you're perfectly legal in your personal vehicle. That's how people get away with hauling a 17,000 lb camper without having any special license.
Or boats. The difference here is the trailer is pulling is normally used for commercial work. He said he does have a class A license all the way to and including airbrakes. Like you said he should have no problems.
Whihc is absurd.
Government logic. Someone can be in a 16 foot box truck or a cargo van with dual rear wheels that has a GVWR of 12k lbs....If those are being used for interstate commerce, or intrastate beyond a 150 air mile radius, these owner/operators must have a USDOT /MC number or lease to a company and operate under their Authority.
Meanwhile, the states and federal government allows a septuagenarian with so-so eyesight and the reflexes of a three toed sloth be able to operate a 45 foot long 30k lb Motorcoach RV towing a 5,000lb full sized SUV and the guy in the box truck or cargo van is a menace to society.
I was up in New Hampshire in 2016 with my Lance truck camper on the back of my 2012 3500 Dually crew cab 4x4 but have the truck registered commercial through my business and have a class A CDL and medical card.... pulled into a rest stop and right into a D.O.T and State police inspection....so I'm like okay.... waiting my turn and two troopers come up to me and say.... what are you doing in this line ?... I'm like sign says DOT truck inspection.... They said you are exempt because you're carrying a camper and recreational vehicles are exempt...I said but It's a commercially registered company truck which I also use for camping... and I have a class A license and medical card....he says..as long as you have a camper whether it's truck mounted or towing it..you don't need to stop for any scales or inspections.... I'm like okay.. but is that only in New Hampshire ? He says nope that's a federal law so you're good anywhere you go.... He also says. We already ran your plates and license and your all good.... and have a great trip !
RV's are exempt from needing the same endorsement unitl a certain Weight threshold. Zcant remember that number but I believe it is 26k
@@hey_youtubeim_back2159 ... that's the rule for most cases, but as soon as you have camper or RV plates you are basically exempt from everything, including air brake endorsements. They treat a 40k lb Prevost RV the same as an E-350 camper conversion.
When it comes to crossing or passing scales, the dot can treat you however they want. Legal or not. They can always find something to mess with you over.
Im glad that you are doing well.
The more your channel grows the more critics you will hear from. You will have people determined to ruin and do as much damage as possible. The true followers who appreciate your work and your efforts to share your life will continue to follow and as always the thumbs up.
From your fan in Italia.
Thank you!
It's not a commercial vehicle/trailer as far as I understand. You don't need them!
Federal description of a Commercial Vehicle is “Any vehicle over 10k used in the furtherance of a business”
In California last I understood all pickups are registered as commercial vehicles and are charged dmv fees based on "toneage" weight ...1/2 ton being cheapest and going up from there. If you put a tonue cover or shell on it you can register as passenger vehicle, but can get in trouble hauling items in it. California loves their fees
I like the idea of two complete rigs,if you have a bunch of equipment to haul you could load both trailers the night before and save some time
Different states have different requirements. Difference between your enclosed trailer and your open trailer as far as the bug station, they can see what you're hauling on the trailer. DOT regulations are for commerce. You can drive a semi as personal use. You need "Not for hire" signs visible and you're not under DOT regulations.
All good information. Your not the only one with an out of the box disappointment. A few months back, I bought a PJ dump trailer, got a deal🙄. Brakes out of adjustment, two of four wheels loose and missing 4 lug nuts, hydraulic reservoir over filled and blew all over the place, back doors were out of alignment and needed to be worked. Happy now though😃. Enjoy your new set up and thanks for sharing👍👍👍🇺🇸
I know I took my set up (3500 srw diesel with a 40 ft 20k lb trailer) with pictures to the dmv office here in Florida and explained it was to haul my mudding toys to events and they called the state office in Tallahassee and said I did not need a cdl or dot numbers of any kind. Same scenario as a 45 ft class A diesel pusher motorhome with a 30 ft enclosed trailer behind it. No special licensing needed.
73cjproject
... you can thank the RV industry for that. You can drive a 40k pound Prevost RV with a big trailer without a CDL as long as it's privately owned.... and no age limit (retired people) or medical card needed.
I was about to get a gooseneck for my personal ram dually, My friend very knowledgeable in the matter told me you’ll have slap at the hand first time and he told me to get a 10k trailer.
I am still studying and hoping you give us and update on this matter after 5 years of this video. My study, you have no issue to do it because you have class A in wallet, If I want to do the same as you, I must have Class A restriction 88 CDL even it is my personal truck and personal load. Thank you for great clips.
And that’s CA only, All other states just stay below 26000 and no problem.
Your grocery getter is all good. I totally agree with you 😎👍 Great video as always 👌
Great info. Appreciate it. I’m not even a trucker. Iam 66 yrs. old And I plan on getting my class B license to help out my son with his wild fire fighting water 6 wheel drive truck in Northern California. Have safe travels.
Did you know that emergency vehicles do not require a CDL license to drive them? Fire departments or hot shot crews driving water trucks. As long as you are on the job of firefighting, you dont need a CDL. I believe when I found that, FEMA website had that information. But DO NOT TAKE NY WORD FOR IT, do your own research on Government websites Not personal opinions from want a be drivers.
@m.weston7114 lies. You can’t drive a fire truck with a normal class c license.
The back of my tilt car trailer hangs out past the rear axles like that. Makes turning at intersections a little hairy if you are squeezed into lanes with other people next to you
Thank you for this, I've been looking for this information all week!
In the Drone world, if you make a RUclips video with the drone and get money from it, that flight is commercial. So if the FAA was running the DOT, you might technically get a lengthy warning letter lol. But my Cummins has passenger plates too so I feel ya! Fun video.
In Ca all of our personal pick ups are registered commercial. the give away is the one letter on the plate in lieu of 3 for a personal non commercial truck or car(truck with a shell) can be registered non commercial
3:20 i hadn't watched the rest of the video and, yep, ur right, totally legally. Done writing the comment at...4:23 now enjoying rest of video!
There are videos floating around that to pull a personal fifth wheel camper with a 3500 dully you need a certain class CDL. ( I can not remember what class was talked about in the video)Or for that matter any trailer. I haul my New Holland TC33d compact tractor in my 12,000 lb dump trailer with my 03 Dodge 2500 a lot of the summer. I have never been stopped by the DOT. Your video is great information! Thank you
“My grocery getter that happens to be a 3500” 😂😂😂 Lmfao
Mine is I use my f350 as my daily so what's your point?
hopeandbranden 🤦🏻♂️ its just funny guy no need to get pussy hurt, i don’t care what you drive. I have a 3500 dually thats a flatbed that I use to daily drive too... I bought a gas saver because a dually isn’t practical for doing 150+ miles a day.
@@blacksheep9734 ask what your point was. You act like your better then anyone else. News flash nobody cares. Some folks will only drive fullsize diesel trucks as a daily and some drive mini vans.
Chris Struble exactly 😂 i just thought him saying that was funny i dont get this guys problem.
Chris Struble i was thinking he was trying to sound like mr. Big dick bragging that he drives a f350, guess what nobody cares lol
Aren’t all pickups in California registered as commercial vehicles and registration fee is by weight?
I move my farm equipment back and forth Texas to Tennessee for our family farms no numbers or bs no issues
If youre a farmer its not against the law to do so. I think you have up to 75 miles radius from your home that its allowed (depends on your state)
@@mackwoodcock7484 I ignore that BS its a communist rule ... if I need equipment I have driven 1000 miles one way . I'll go
To hell with hiway nazis.
I have a Place in Michigan and Farm in Kentucky Farm plated F250 and same trailer. No stickers nothing F Kalifornia I ride through Ohio weekly never bothered.
If you move farm equipment and it’s over 26,001 lbs you better have a class A CDL, and if you go over 150 air miles you better be running a log book.
@@steventucker6422if its personal use owned then they can’t do anything
I’ve been a trucker for 40 years. My father also owned a trucking company he started in 1966 in California. Most of the truck drivers out there have no business making comments because they’re full of shit and don’t know anything. Pay no attention to them because you practically have to hire a D.O.T. attorney to decipher all of California’s ridiculous rules. Most truckers out there under 50 years old don’t know what they’re talking about . A lot of CHP Officers don’t even know what they’re talking about. I once got pulled over near Oxnard in my brand new Ford dually back in 2000 because I had tinted windows. I had just got back from Oklahoma and tagged it there.
I own property there but I lived in Lake Elsinore, CA at the time. This stupid officer became beligerent and told me my dually pickup was illegally licensed because I didn’t have a California tag. I had a California Class A license so he said the truck had to be tagged in California. I told him it wasn’t illegal to own property in different states but it WAS illegal to have 2 drivers licenses. He was very rude. I went to court in Ventura and brought the deed to my little house in Seminole, OK to prove to the judge that I owned property there. I had the window tint removed before I went to court so that citation cost me $10 and the judge threw out the illegal registration citation. I had the window tint put back on the next day. California can bite my Bakersfield born butt. I’ve been in Oklahoma for many years now and I don’t regret it. All you truck “drivers” out there that don’t know the laws need to shut up and leave this young man alone. 😏
Gearjammer agree 100% best I have ever heard it put with the attorney deal and is totally true that’s why some law firms as well as specialty companies exist just to get people / companies legal because it’s a nightmare that no single person can possibly explain especially cops who for some reason people believe “know” , they know SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Thanks for the info on your video. I think you are hitting the nail on the head.
Your fine. Personal use=NO need to add all the money and BS to that truck and trailer. People are just gonna hate. Keep the videos coming!
All legal, before I watched the video! Keep rolling Sam.
I live in SW Wisconsin and only a 15 minute drive from both Iowa and Illinois. I have talk to all three states DOT about this same thing and they have all told me as long as I'm not making money that I don't have to worry about DOT number. And just because your buddy is paying you 20 bucks to take his lawnmower across town that doesn't count as making money.
It makes a difference on who paid for it and how it will be registered. If the business is tied to it in any way now it is commercial now.
Dan what business? No business here
Dan not in Texas USA I have no idea about crazy California
@@VBELTandSON How does the title read for it? Is it in your personal name and your personal insurance or is your business paying for the tags and insurance? That is what defines the difference between commercial and personal. As you will be using that trailer for work at times. It a gray area. Be safe, great videos
@@VBELTandSON Just going from past experience . I guy from work borrowed the big trailer from work. He got in to a bad accident while towing it. The D.O.T took the trailer to go over the load and check the chains, brakes the whole 9 yards.The lawyers ended up taking the company to court and won as the had bigger pockets to drain. I'm sure legal wise your fine to tow it as you did but liability wise it goes off who's name is on the trailer.
Dan it will be paid for with my personal money. No business money paying for it. Personal name on title
I was just pulled over twice in the last 6 months. I was hauling my little tractor not for hire as well. They both told me one cop a dot and one cop chp. They both told me the same thing 26k with a single vehicle if u add a trailer anything over 10k for personal not for hire needs a none commercial cdl no dot numbers needed. If making money with it need cdl mc and dot . I still have the tickets if interested in what they wrote me up for.
Nice video. I dont run DOT just CA number. Go into oregon all the time no problem. Also says trucks with 20k gvw must enter good thing were at 19.5 lol
I have a cargo trailer that I turned in to a house trailer I go right past the scales with no problem and I don't have dot number on my one ton dully or my name either I work fairs so I cross meny state lines
Man I love the content, been watching your channel for years. Just don’t pay the super truckers no mind. It doesn’t matter if you are over loaded all the damn time or not. It’s non of anyone’s business. I feel sure they don’t abide by the laws all the time. You have to get the job done either way. Regardless you have covered everything just fine man. Keep it up!
yeah till its your people killed on the hi-way then its all a different story. or your new cars totaled and you lose thousands , in claims.
Whoa there buddy calm down..there is a difference between over loaded by 10lbs vs 10,000. just like with anything in life you have to use common sense.
We operate in the South, headquartered out of Mississippi, we run 550s and 36' goosenecks, and we don't worry about any numbers in our commercial pickups, we only run DOT numbers on our tractor trailers and have no issues
Jesus people, he DOES NOT NEED DOT OR MC Authority! A CDL is all that is needed for personal use vehicles over 26k gvwr.
Gene Fugatt haha thank you! Had fun making this video never the less
Thanks for watching
@@VBELTandSON no worries. Keep the great content coming.
As far as I understand. You can run anything even a Semi (80k) without USDOT#s as long as it's not a Commercial load. (Not For Hire")
J Claydon, thats the way I understand it also, hence these gigantic motor homes that don’t require CDL...
@@jclaydon3454 Correct. I haul a 40' 5th wheel RV with a Pete 330. I have a Class A, but not DOT, CA, or any other numbers required on that rig.
Don’t need if not hauling for hire . Can run personal with a cdl
It's private not personal. The people are not persons. Persons are employed. People have no duties. Using the legal name and date of birth incorporated you into the corporation as a citizen. Never call yourself citizen or resident unless you fully comprehend and you want to. This is not a joke.
@@Youhaverights6 thanks
@@Youhaverights6 be a little more clear?
So long as NOT for compensation requires NO DOT Number, in MO once cross 32,000 license must have name, vIn and home town on sides, DOT still not required.
I got the William Painter sunglasses ad before the video. It’s the same pitch man as the Dr Squatch soap ad. I ask you, is he the new Billy Mays? Here’s hoping.
its absolutely legal. I'm from Texas and I'm working in Minnesota currently. Pulled my 40' gooseneck all the way here and will be pulling it back next month. I always drive 5mph or more over the speed limit. I never stop at scales, no DOT #'s and have never had any problems. I have Class A CDL with all endorsements and DOT #'s on my SEMI. I haul anything i want on my gooseneck because everything i do is personal use.
Tractor time with Tim did a RUclips video with a dot officer explaining everything
Dirt Perfect did as well except without all the hand and arm movements! Officer Hoover was the guy in both videos.
Oklahoma 24k requires DOT unless Farmed tag. Quad tandem usually is that and dually truck puts your combine over that. That is why used quad tandem trailer are usually cheaper in OK.
Very informative. Valid points you made. I think if it's titled in your name and not a company your considered private.
Valid points made from opinion, are not facts, just uneducated opinions and rationalizing.
Your personal vehicle doesn’t need to be registered period. If you decide to put it in service then you register it. I have an F250 it’s been a grocery getter. Eventually it’ll go into service and I’ll get my DOT and MC numbers at that time. Great video man
Good to go here in Texas, we do the exact same thing basically.
In not entirely sure the ag station is a dot scale it may be a combination of the two but ag station just keep moving trucks and boats from bringing invasive species into ca. Fire wood is a big no no and fruits and house plants.
Well I'm not in or from California. But to answer your question. I believe for ( personal ) use no numbers needed but you said it's a back up to the work rig so in the event your using it as a back up doing what ever the work truck normally does then you would need the lettering at those moment's to be compliant.
On a further note where I live if I'm off duty of my business but doing something for the business I need to log it as business related becouse it's a tax right off on milage or fuel.
Also if tou work in construction at a site but are hauling your acquirement to the site that's a work activity so you are on the clock the moment you start driving.
At least that's how it is in my state of Massachusetts
Imagine how mind blown the haters would get when they find out you can buy a tractor and full size trailer and still not need a CDL while not for hire.
This is not true. You need a CDL at 26,001 lbs and over on the GCVWR. It doesn't matter if it's personal or not. The question is if officers are going to enforce it or not. Generally, they leave people alone on personal vehicles, but you are definitely subject to the law, whether you are for hire or not.
@@karlmurphy290 farm here up to 80k non cdl
You got me there. Each state has a whole different set of rules under the farm classification.
@@tico9861 well there are exemptions Jesus h... lets split hairs.. ok 90 percent are not farners....
I'm a class a heavy hauler semi/hotshot/dump truck driver, laid off right now, but ohio is supposedly changing it to where most people will have to have a class a non cdl . We have large cattle trailers/dump trailer/flatbed trailer (goose neck) for the inlaws farm. So told my inlaws just to call me of they are going to want anything heavy towed. I mentioned this stuff about what ohio dot is doing to my father in law and nephew, now whether they go down that route or not is on them. But i know also in ohio if only for agriculture they will grant you so many miles and can make your regular license into a class b .
I took a Chevy 3500 dually with a 30’ gooseneck, put a 3500 duramax on the gooseneck hauled it from Minnesota to South Carolina for personal use. Never hit a scale never was stopped. Talked to a state trooper when I was filling up the truck. It’s a non issue.
It is an issue, you just havent been caught yet. I guess it's not illegal until you get caught. Commercial DOT cops are different than regular cops. Regular cops are clueless in commercial FMCSA rules, because they hand out parking tickets and know nothing else.
under your circumstances you do not need a MC Number,DOT or CA Number unless you are 10k pounds or above combined weight and are registering as a commercial vehicle...If not a commercial registered unit then no none are needed,not even a not for hire sign. Read up on the FMCSA rules and Calif. rules and double check for yourself,if you have not done so yet. clears up alot.
When I spent the winter in Cali, I observed the 55 speed limit. Lost 1 mpg because my truck is happiest at 62 mph
Gerald Koth right?! 100% believe that.
True ; it's a not for hire set up , for personal use. However , at any point you can be pulled over a given a road side inspection on any vehicle personal or for hire.
No wonder it's such a PIA the move freight in an out of CA. So much so, I try to never sell anything to anyone in CA.
I drive my own stuff(private) was told by my local Hyway Patrol "Do Not Put NOT FOR HIRE sticker on trucks". He says they are a Target for Police. Burden of Proof is on them to prove you are hauling commercially. Be Blessed
" Everyone needs a little inspiration from time to time " Thanks Sam #V-BELTandSON
If you keep the stock style bed you won't get hassled as much. If you got an aftermarket bed such as the CM truck bed CA dot automatically assumes your a commercial truck, at least the one's in the tulare ca to fresno ca area.
@19:53 you can see what it is if you look closely at the logo. LoL but ya I'm a gear jammer and I don't run anything that small. So you do you and i do me. Don't know why everyone hate to hate on everyone else.
cash5150 I was going to say the same thing haha
I have been a tractor trailer driver since 1996. I have a class A cdl. As long as you're using your pickup and trailer totally for personal use you are not a commercial vehicle and you are not required to have all the markings on your pickup. With that said you can also use your work truck that does have all the MC numbers and use it as a personal vehicle and be legal to use it as a personal vehicle as well. As long as you're not engaging in any for hire commerce
That's what california wants you to think, they want your money as soon as possible because it's a taxable item
I run Not for hire and personal use only stickers on all my trailers in Washington. But my truck is licensed for 32000 witch makes it so I need my CDL. In Washington it states any trailer gvw over 10000 lbs is required to have a CDL. But they are just now starting to in force the laws. Love your videos. Im a retired trucker 2 million miles on the road . Now I just play with my tractor's
V-BELT and SON - now you see why I recommended that Brand of trailer. Can't wait to upgrade to them as well 👍👍👍
Yes it does if you are polling Gooseneck trailers because they are work trailers not personal use trailers. Your breaking the law end of story
@@markrugman1435 What are you talking about? That has nothing to do with my comment
Just because its a gooseneck trailer does NOT mean that it is used for COMMERCE. Lots of people own gooseneck trailers and use them personally to haul atv's/utv's like he said. I've used mine to haul tractor/brush hog to land I owned at the time while when we were building our home. I haul firewood to family members. I use it for lots of things. The part people don't/can't seem to understand is that if your not using it in a way that generates revenue/income then it's considered PERSONAL USE.
PERIOD, END OF STORY!
@@markrugman1435 Wrong! Being a gooseneck has nothing to do with the way a trailer is being used. If its not being used in a manner that supports/generates revenue/income then its considered personal use. Hauling furniture, automobiles, motorcycles/atv's, gravel, brush, dirt, or anything else possible. If it's being used for COMMERCE (either intrastate or interstate) only then is it required to have DOT #'s, Gross weight rating, etc. etc.
I roll in Atlantic Canada. Run an F800 with 2 trailers I own, all 3 registered in my name. Have a CDL, and paid the registration fees for the DMV's weight-rated haulers. Even paid a new additional fee to become an NSC operator. I haul my own items only. Not commercially plated either, as such is not required... but paying for weight is O.K. The mandatory-minimum of $2M insurance is hefty / annually. Every time I'm close to a weigh scale, I pull into the right lane. If my trailer is empty, the lights after the camera's say "Truck pass scale". If anything is loaded on my trailer... "Truck report to scale". No issues yet, but given the times of today, safely guess it won't be long until the needless hassle begins. In Canada, "NOT FOR HIRE" decals are like an automatic target. I also do not have decals that state :Fire extinguisher inside", nor "First Aid Kit on board". Respects to you. Love your videos. Tom.
The way I see it, if your GCWR is above 21,000 pounds or if the vehicle has air brakes, you should need a CDL.
The only time you'd need a DOT/MC number is if you are engaged in inter/intrastate commerce, otherwise a "not-for-hire" sign should be posted.
I haven't studied this for awhile, but I believe there are two entities that we are capable of engaging others as: 1. We conduct commerce as a public citizen, with other public entities, and 2. We can contract as private entities with any other private entity, and that our right to contract without restriction is protected by constitution.
So, as far as I know, that means that you can even "earn" in some situations in whatever vehicle you choose. Or as you say, "personal use", because, for example, earning a wage to eat and survive is a right protected by the 9th amendment, etc.
Here's a boot for the Bob Barker's
🥾...lol and a button 🖲️ to push ,cause there fun to push....Have a great weekend ya'll..!
Yeah here in GA it is really simple. Is it purely personally owned and personally used, but over a set weight? You need a class A. Is it owned/operated by a business? You need a commercial registration.
Love learning about thingd i never knew
The only time ive been stopped at the ag station is when hauling loads of hay into the state. They would always stop me and check the hay for bugs. Other than that i never had a problem there.
Okay to begin with you said your trucks up forwards going to make you money you do your own homework and double-check it just to cover your butt and stay within your legal limits don't worry or be concerned about what all these other wannabes say out here I was a driver for 31 years and I drove on and off military bases doing high-security loads and otherwise I was considered just a common carrier to the public I made some very sweet money and I don't care who said what I did all of that with a college education I made more money driving a truck grew up around the business and just stay with your legal limits on what you need to do it doesn't matter what the other guy thinks they're just a bunch of bucket mouse anyway that's all so just wish double-check do your homework and it's a money make you a money maker keep it plain and simple stick with the basics in life and I do mean the basics and you will go far you take care of Ella and have a good time Trucking out there there's nothing wrong with it I made a good living with it for many years
I can't remember the last time I read so many words without a single period, comma, or semi-colon.
Wow.
From what I have looked into if any vehicle and trailer is cable if caring over 26k pounds then you have to have at least the lowest class of cdl. When you have a cdl and the vehicle and trailer are not intended to be in use at your business then you don’t have to have dot and all the other stuff. Just a cdl of any class
That's a Diamond C trailer, great trailer 👍🏻.
I could be wrong but I believe that you don't need DOT numbers for personal use trucks , going over state lines, if you are under 26k lbs gross weight. I think that once you are over 26K lbs, it requires DOT numbers. So your truck might have a door sticker that says 19.5k lbs but it requires a registration that includes the gvw of the trailer. So it trailer is 20k and truck is 19.5k , then the gross combined weight it 39.5k on your registration, which puts you over 26k.
👍🏻
The part where you're correct is its personal not for money. You hold a class A cdl so you have the license for the weight if the dot does stop you. However that is not necessarily a requirement. Most states have an alternative either endorsement ie "recreational" or a non commercial class A.. I think alot of it comes down to the mood of the officer that stops you, as to how hard he wants to try to prove or make you prove whether or not you're making money with it. That includes if a 3rd party is paying for your fuel.
What gets me is that according to TX troopers that I have spoken with its perfectly legal to drive a 350/3500 which have ratings over 10,001lbs on a class C.. but they stop you for looking commercial (ie large trailer) or even hauling an rv. Because your rating is high enough to require.....
Several years ago there was an incident: So empty trailer 40' goose and a 3500 a guy was stopped and shut down. Turns out that he was driving his sons truck back to the house after something happened causing the son to stay with the other vehicle (wife got sick or something) Son did do hotshot but I do not recall much from it I don't recall there being dot numbers ect. But the trooper said the design (gvwr) of the combination and length required a CDL A. The son took to Facebook looking for someone to finish the drive and they would be given a ride back where ever they needed along with some cash. (It was more specific about pay) so between this incident and my talks with TX dot it really depends on the officer to decide if he wants to look at the vehicle as possible commercial violation.
Another tidbit I heard was that those who put the "not for hire" stickers drew more attention as alot of hotshot companies were doing that at least at that time..
25 year California CDL (Class A) holder chiming in. "Personal" [Not for Hire] means personal. "Commercial" [For Hire] means commercial. No jurisdiction for personal vehicles (to my knowledge). In 25 years of trucking, I've never known it to be different.
My GMC 4500 is my personal and business truck. No #'s on my truck. However when I hook to my trailer to move my skid steer all my info is on my trailer. Now the Ma. statute says otherwise , info must be on my truck. When I ask the DOT they don't have an answer.
Im in so cal and I work at a feed store and I can’t tell you how many people have dually pick up trucks. They all have them for personal use. Never seen dot #. And some are up there in Weight. But seem to do just fine. I think you are ok with the grocery getter.
Lots of people speed, but doesn't make it legal
Do they have farm plates in your area? In Massachusetts, farm plates exempt you from commercial fed laws.
Cary same with nj
He’s in California no such thing as farm plates.
Farm plates have restrictions though
Personal use is exempt! If used for COMMERCIAL PURPOSES then it is required. Non commercial, personal use is exempt. Great video.
hi! quick question, can I do this with my box truck, less than 20,000 in gross weight. if so, would I need, commercial insurance and all this extra stuff, or just regular tag, regular insurance & be able to cross state lines because based on gross weight etc its exempt from irp tag.
The split speed limit on a two lane road, like 395 North of Reno, it becomes more of a hazard because four wheelers passing when there is oncoming traffic. This causes more head on crashes and deaths than big trucks driving the same speed as cars drive. I thought in California it is illegal to tow a trailer in any lane except the right two lanes. It looked like you were in the left lane as you were heading up the hill toward the scales.
When the traffic is going slow I will use the fast lane to pass them. Slower traffic stay right
The only thing that may be be questioned is the registration of the trailer if it is in your company name or not same with truck
lol trailer was bought hours before so it wasn’t even registered yet but both in my name. No comPany name
I use a class 8 truck to pull my 5th wheel and occasionally my backhoe and skid steer on a flat bed. The equipment is only used on my mountain property never commercial. No CDL or DOT#. No problem
you DO NOT need any commercial markings if a vehicle is NOT used for business. you have your vehicles correctly marked as NOT for hire as required which exempts the requirement for all the markings. the same applies to class A vehicles not used for commerce. I do the same thing up and down the east coast and have not been challenged anywhere. any DOT official may stop any vehicle on the roads and do an inspection.
All scales in cali say no pickups and defines that as a standard box style bed not contractors beds doesnt matter if your hauling commercial or not you dont have to go into scales. In any vehicle hauling non commercial personal use if required to go into the scales you may use the empty lane as the load is not commercial, so if sam was to drive the 5500 he would be required to enter the scale but as long as the load was personal he could take the empty lane. I have been doing this for year past so cal scales weekly
Excellent video, I don't know the laws in the states cause I live in Newfoundland,Canada and I don't know all the details in towing trailers here, but if it's a commercial vehicle you have to enter into the scale area.
Wonder what your thought is on a Gusnack trailer 14 gvw. 20 foot 6 Foot dove tail dual axle single tires. I have a 3500 Dodge, not a dually I want to move my 20-foot shipping container with my stuff. from California to Utah?
it depends on how much the truck it self weights. like where I am from DOT do mess with 1ton dually because they are 10000 lbs or more. empty and DOT are not needed but are supposed to be annually inspected
I hauled a 30 foot travel trailer with my 1 ton dually. I never stopped at truck weigh stations. If I had a skid steer then I could understand.
OK so a couple things. The 1st one would be your truck having a not for higher sticker on it. You are technically not for hire if you are transporting your own equipment. Many super truckers miss understand what not for hire means. If you are for hire it means you are transporting someone else's equipment or product. Not for higher means you transport your own product and/or goods regardless to whether you are making money or not. Examples would be and equipment rental business such as I owned in the past. Another example would be rock quarries or building material house.
As for the DOT number, California did start requiring that a few years ago. There's really nothing to it. Basically you fill out the paperwork and you have a dot number. Now we are not talking about a motor Carrier authority. That would be something different. But again you only need a DOT number because you are technically not for hire.
Btw, Congrats on the new trailer purchase. 👍
Tex Garcia hey Tex, man we have had much different experiences! I own a rental company and was stopped in 2017 towing absolutely nothing but a cat 277, no attachments at all just the machine and the guy was set up at an abandoned gas station about a 1/4 mile from the off ramp where I got on this particular road and in this distance I was going idk maybe 40-45mph and this “officer steps out from behind a sign right in front of me and I am telling you it was a matter of feet with me standing on the brakes to keep from hitting him, if I would have been blinking when this guy stepped out I would be in prison right now for running over this guy it scared me to death lol. Says to me “can you get this thing in this parking lot here”? Yes sir I say and pull into the rather small parking lot where I see his cruiser and spot the grey van tucked on the other side, now I can tell you from head on this guy had no idea if I was sporting all the legal stuff or not or for that matter what I was pulling but he was clearly going to check it out either way. After I got parked guy walks right up as I’m rolling the window down drops the tool on my window as it’s in motion to check for tint which I did have at the time and was under the legal limit in my state btw,..then asked for my paper work while stating “I would appreciate it if you could put a move on it’s quitting time” , hand this guy the normal stuff immediately, License, registration and proof of insurance...while he was checking that out I was getting my binder with all the other stuff that is neatly organized in there when 5 seconds later I hear “ahh ha”! To shorten this up I was there for about an hour and a half and had the entire deck of this 35’ trailer “that I owned” covered with paperwork, when it was all said and done I left there or “attempted” to leave there with $3800 in fines including tint, lack of IFTA, over weight and something else I can’t remember. In this particular combo of my personal truck which was registered for 13580 (roughly) and gooseneck which was registered commercially at 20000 I weighed 27 something all up on portable scales and was given a citation for being 17 something over (whatever the difference over the personal truck was registered for). I was cordial as possible with these guys until the end, keep in mind I cordially explained after being asked that I owned all of this stuff...they don’t care as one guy sat in the back of the van and referenced books as I asked questions at the end. I was red tagged and had to break the combo up and retrieve trailer and skid steer later with “appropriately registered truck” in order to leave there...I was 20 minutes from my destination and 7 hours from home too when I was told “this can’t stay here this is private property and we don’t know who’s it is” , I say so help me understand this you are telling me I can’t leave here he says “correct” and you are also telling me I can’t stay here he says “correct”... I then ask ok what do you recommend that I do? "sir I cannot give you legal advice”...guy walks to his cruiser as the other guy is buttoning up the van and I suppose out of pure shame the guy walks back and says I can tell you this...in the entire state 2 dot officers are currently on patrol duty and we are going that way when we pull out have a nice evening. This was with all personally owned, late model stuff that was nice and shiny with enough paperwork to start a library. My luck I guess, I have other stories that are far crazier, some are actually funny looking back on them. Steven King couldn’t make this stuff up. I can say that until I started venturing out past about an hour radius of my hometown I never had a single issue ever. I don’t know others experiences and can’t speak to them but it seems to me from what I have gathered over the years that it boils down to luck of the draw as to what is legal and what is not legal and that’s why I have said in previous comments on the topic that it makes no difference who you ask or what anyone says really it just seems to matter who stops you and how the quota looks that day I guess. I should probably say that I do a lot of driving (I don’t want to but have to) shuttling around various compact equipment and specialty items to my different sites all over and therefore probably have a greater chance of being caught for something than most I don’t know. It also seems that rigs like Sams make easy targets for these guys as I have sat after being flagged into inspections while I watch them wave old junk freightliners thru with coat hangers and duct tape holding parts on and then spend an hour with a fine tooth comb going over my stuff. I know there is a lot of good law enforcement officers out there and I don’t envy the job at all but it sure seems that “To protect and serve” has turned into “collect and suffer” at least on this front. Have a good one Tex.
@@1978caterpillar
Transporting a rental piece of equipment to or from a customer of a rental company does sould like commercial use.
Agreed, however if I am the customer that day....the water just gets muddied so fast.
@@MrRShoaf yes, commercial use. But not for hire none the less. The rental company is transporting its own property. Aka a private carrier.