OK I have been planning on crossing state lines hauling private freight, and have just spent the last few hours going through all of those 741.345 statutes...LOL and attempted to fill out an online "im not sure" application for DOT number. Let me back up...today I got a phone call from an intrastate processor that will give me the rates I need, so I have decided to stay in state, I entered in that I will be over 10,001 GVW, etc, etc and intrastate...it came back that I dont need a DOT number, is this correct?

If it is correct, am I still bound by the same laws, scales, etc?

 

I have had a hard time trying to get answers like yours to. As far as I know you can go anywhere hauling whatever you want as long as you are private. Some states, any private vehicle over a certain weight are required to stop at the scales if their open. They will have a sign stating so before you get their. Ive pulled trailers from kansas to ND I even hauled a 4450 JD on my flat bed from nebraska to ND wen't through one scale in SD got weighed no questions asked and on my way.

 

Ramrod is right, as long as it's for yourself you can haul anything. you have to have a CDL class A if you're going to be over 29,001 lb GVWR. other than that you got no worries. pass the scales and keep the hammer mashed down. if you have to stop at the chicken coops they will chase you down and ask about your load who's it is and other stuff. tell them it's your personal stuff.

 

its over 26,000 lbs not 29,000 lbs that you need CDL

 

I was told by the not so friendly NM highway patrol that I needed a DOT # because I was a commercial (for profit) business. I explained that I was a private not for hire rig and he said it didn't matter- I was engaged in a commercial activity so I needed a DOT # and was required to stop at scales. I swear I get different answers no matter who I talk to...they all make it impossible to be legal.

 

Seems everyone interprets these laws the way they want to, and then there's the various state laws...

My latest issue of the Nevada Rancher magazine contains a warning to all ranchers. Seems the Nevada Highway Patrol recently discovered a little known clause in some obscure law that REQUIRES anyone pulling a gooseneck trailer to have a special endorsement on their drivers license. So now the NHP is pulling over all the horse haulers they can find on the highways and writing them up. Anything for more revenue....

 

Same thing here in CA...seems there is a little known law that any 5ver RV trailer over 10K you need a special endorsement and you can only go up to 15K...over that and you need a CDL. This means all those toyhaulers out there are most likely illegal. It stinks that the RV dealers don't tell people about this. Of course all the state sees is $$$$$$.

 

Same thing happened up here. Gotta have a Class 1A or CDL equivelent to haul a trailer over 20ft long. I have not heard of it being enforced yet but since I have the A for the air brake...I will get the Class 1 this summer.
Is some ways I can see how they need to have this with the increasing number of folks out there pulling trailers, but our insurance companies should be informing us.
A course on pulling a trailer is definately something someone should do if they have never done it or never been taught the 'correct' way to do it.

We have to be registered in our own province here and then it gets a bit obscure on what is needed outside the province or in the USA. It sure would be nice if the rules were all the same...everywhere.

I wonder what kind of insurance I would have if someone in the wrong hit me when I had a trailer longer then 20ft hooked up? Bet I would get cited and lose my insurance. Maybe its a way for the insurance companies to duck out on a possible claim.

Scotty

 

I use to have a commercial license & dropped it in the 80's, Since then it's just gotten worse. In Ca were I just moved from it's anything with a gross over 26k, combination length of over 40 ft, trailer manufacture weight of 10k or more,loaded or empty, more than 2 axles on truck, air brakes, liquids, haze mat, passenger, all need CDL. Motor home may be except from air brakes & axle limits. Any truck with non factory bed,flat bed,utility bed,ect is supposed to go into scales.Nobody does it would shut down the scales, but I have heard of CHP chasing down flatbeds ect when board. Now this is were it gets dicey,if you are in a pick up from out of state hauling from your property to you property out of state & meet your resident state requirements, the state your in should let you slide. If the state your traveling in post all trucks including pick ups into scales you need to do it. If your in Ca your screwed,one way or another. I have equipment in Ca I am going to haul out with my 95 Dodge 3500 diesel,cause it's hard if not impossible to get commercial trucks to go into the state because CARB's tier 4 enforcement, fines, ect. Sorry to hear about the goose neck trailers, now I'll have to make more trips or haul heavy. You wonder why there's outlaws. Hmmm! Hope this helps,stay out of Ca & haul to you from you for you, nobody's getting paid, or stay out of Ca & get an CDL