imho, warning, a novel
lets face it guys, pickup trucks really confuse the dot . ive been fighting what all of you guys have been discussing for the last 15 years. the hotshotters that have appeared in the last 10 years or so are part of the reason for the added scrutiny on all pickups used interstate, "commercially" the logic behind hotshot express was why pay the large motor carriers the high freight bill, mileage, etc. to transport a tractor, car, or anything undersized, when a pickup and trailer could transport the same load cheaper? what everyone needs to realize is these guys are indeed "for hire motor carriers" need the proper registration, load documentation, fuel permits, apportioned tags , just like any trucking firm. the difference between them and all of us that transport our loads across state lines is the thorn in our side. most of us are definitely in persuance of commerce when we are working across state lines, but would you consider youself a common carrier? no, then what exactly are we? okay, heres what ive learned from the va, sc, md {by the way mr miller, i think youve run across someone who didnt study his dot manual very well before becoming an officer} nc, west va, ga, ky , delaware, and most importantly, the usdot, the men in black that sometimes invade you state weigh stations and make life hell for all of us. first of all if you stay within your state lines, you are only under that states dot regs. if you go interstate, you must comply to whatever that state's regs are plus federal regs. unless you gcvwr over 26001, you guys that haul for pleasure can stop reading right now and go to another post, none of this applies to you . if every tt stopped at weigh stations it would shut down the transport system. for those of you with 2500's , you just lucked out also, unless your trailer gwr is 17000 lbs, and i hope it isnt. the consensus that ive heard over the years, [and ive heard every imaginable combination of what our trucks should have to make them "legal" is really simple. actually the regs in the usdot manual are simple if you read the fine print. first, take the gvwr on the inside door panel of your truck {duallys remember this because it is over the magic # of 10100 lbgs} the take the gvwr of you trailer,{the mnf tag is stamped somwhere on that trailer by law} if your over 26001 lbs, when you combine the two, congratulations, you are now the proud owner of a commercial vehicle. if you stay in your homestate, maybe, if you travel into other states, definitely. under 26001 combined but still travel interstate, logbook, med card. by the way a dot physical is not something that you need a cdl to have, none of our guys have cdls, and we all have med cards. the only difference between a dot phys and a private phys is the cost, about 100 dollars more. that is to take care of the paperwork that the doc's office has. drug test? nope, not unless you are applying for a cdl or your employer asks for one, another $100. next, register your truck at the highest gcvwr under 26001 that you need, the higher this amount the more it costs you, and thats the revenuers at work. as far as the trailer registration goes make this as light as legally possible, remember, they are going to pay much more attention to the drive unit's registration because its usually where the tax money comes from. these next pearls of wisdom really apply to everyone that pulls. mounted fire ext, safety triangles[not flares, flares and a diesel spill dont mix] extra fuses,{yep thats on the inspection list for a comm veh] dot reflective tape on the trailer, working breakaway assembly, tires, lights, inspection stickers, no alcohol or drugs , no weapons, not one but two safety chains, common sense stuff. if you are going down the interstate with half of your lights out of order, or your load flopping in the wind, you are alot more likely to catch the eye of a bored dot officer, waiting for his next meal. weigh stations, logbooks, med cards, et al are usually up to what that particular group of dot troopers find is worth their time and effort. the cdl isnt a big deal, the test written and road, is hard and strict, and the pts against your driving record are more severe, but overall it makes sense. there are alot of people out ther that have alot more rig than they need, and the motorcoaches out there driven by folks that have no idea what it takes to control their ride is a good example. the cdl was originated to prevent just anyone from driving an 80000 truck . remember when drivers used to carry five or six drivers lics, and when one got revoked they had four more? well, thats changed, and the way all of us that pull alot of weight, with our trucks have changed. my advice to all of y'all is simple. try what ive told you. we still have guys that work with me that never stop at weigh stations, and they have never been stopped, i do and sometimes have regretted it. when you go into one you are a sitting duck , you have now classified youself as commercial, and when the judge asks why you pulled in to begin with youve shot yourself in the foot. common sense, these guys really dont want to hassle you, but we are fair game and good revenue source. take the fine, fight it in court, sometimes you win sometimes you lose, we've always won. impoundment is a different story. you will definitely lose in that situation, regardless of the circumstances.
Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Also, it said that our trailer hitches from the factory are only rated for 6,000 #. The reason I'm asking these are that my buddy would like me ot haul a John Deere 830 Diesel home for him. I think it weighs ~ 8,000 #. So, I guess that leaves out pulling with a bumper hitch. I'll have to find someone with a flatbed gooseneck. Anyone know how much a 92 W250 weighs?
