I got a friend who asked me about DOT Numbers. He uses his truck and trailer to haul his own equipment and other stuff, sometimes for profit, but like under the table. He often exceeds or is around 10,000 lbs in the GCVWR category (truck+trailer). Should he register for DOT numbers? He's concerned that he will have to keep a logbook even for daily driving of his truck when he's not doing any hauling. What are the exemptions and stipulations on this one?

And yes, he's got Commerical plates on the truck.

Figuring this is a truck forum, this shouldn't be much of a big question.

More info from the DOT website:

Commercial motor vehicle means any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle—

(1) Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater; or

(2) Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or

(3) Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or

(4) Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations prescribed by the Secretary under 49 CFR, subtitle B, chapter I, subchapter C.

This and other info taken from DOT web-site tells us:

1. any GCVW of 10,001lbs or greater must have a medical card
2. any GCVW of 26,001lbs or greater must have a CDL
In addition to these you must have a drug testing policy.

I'm guessing yes?

 

This is actually a very complicated question at times... The rules are sometimes hard to define per your situation. I would say "no" in your situation. If you are only hauling your own items, and not making money with them (under-the-table money doesn't count in my opinion), then you don't need DOT numbers.

 

Living in the same state as you, I can hopefully answer some of your questions. First of all, going with the numbers on your truck is a mixed bag. On the plus side, if you do everything required to go with the numbers, you may be able to fly a little bit under the radar screen. Remember, there’s more than just the numbers. There’s safety equipment, licensing, documentation, vehicle maintenance, etc. If you haul anything for money, though, you really need to have all of this stuff.

That said, having the numbers on your truck doesn’t guarantee you anything. I have a friend who runs a very nice Landscape and Snow Plowing company. He takes very good care of all of his equipment (I work on some of it) and makes sure everything is legal. (All of his trucks have DOT numbers on them BTW.) A NY State Trooper DOT truck pulled one of our trucks with a landscape trailer over last year. They went through everything with a fine tooth comb for almost 2 hours. The Trooper wrote almost $5,000 worth of tickets. (And this was on a well maintained truck and trailer!) Although the fine was significantly reduced by an attorney later, I think you get an idea what a racket this is. Oh yea, and when I look at some of our small competitors with one truck, a single axle trailer and a Wal-Mart riding mower, they’ll never get pulled over because there’s no money in it.

So would I go with the numbers? I keep a set of magnetic signs with legal DOT numbers in my truck for when I’m towing for the marina I work at. I try not to use them though because they kind of blink and say “pull me over and see what you can find.” If I don’t use them, one can sort of assume that it’s my personal boat.

Hope that helps.

 

2stroked, I was going to write a reply similar to yours and we have close to 20 trucks on the road with DOT numbers on them and it seems no matter what we do we get nailed at least once a year it's normally for being over weight in the spring time. My advice is run the way he is running and leave it at that. None of our P/U's have DOT numbers on them but we do have commercial plates in Michigan.

 

Yea, it's pretty much a no win situation. Since it's all about the money, putting the numbers on just seems to signify that you're willing to get scrutinized - and fined. I doubt that was the original intent, but then one has to wonder ...

What really pisses me off is all of the "little guys" running around waaay more illegal than those of us attempting to abide by the law - and they never get fined.

 

I guess he's been running it right then.

I've always wondered myself... I had a little underground moving business going on back in highschool to make me some cash. Moved quite a few people... and I know for sure I had my F150 and a buddy's trailer loaded way past 10,000 lbs... especially people that had an at-home fitness center. Never got caught tho... jeez, instead of getting busted on speeding, I'd get busted on being over the weight limit... bet not many teenagers would get busted over that nowadays.

 

Seeing as how most people's trucks on here weigh nearly 6000lbs (or above if you're in a SD), it's pretty easy to hit 10000lbs. As for the DOT numbers, he'd be better off without them. DOT numbers mean DOT cops, which mean they're going to weigh you and look for EVERYTHING.

 

Exactly. Best to keep it low down.