how do the hotshot guys legally get through dot?

[QRTRHRS]

Good point!

COBRAJET,



I think you hit the nail on the head. "Are you guys insuring for this or simply insuring the truck and hoping the insurance company never knows the better??" In addition to ignorance perhaps?



This is what I was saying in an earlier post on this thread. I had not really done my homework by just assuming I was covered. I am still working on changing my home/business policy. I will ask the agent next week what he knows about this.



I try to keep a disposable camera in my vehicles. In the event there is an accident. One (or more) pictures can be worth a thousand words and big bucks.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Check out the rig towards the end of this thread https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=256938#post256938

 

[COBRAJET]

The worst I've seen is a guy with an F350 that has a 3 axle car trailer. I have seen him at least a half dozen times with 4!!! Chevy Astro van conversions on the trailer. The first one is over the bed of the truck. He has too have some air lifts on it since the truck doesn't squat too much but his combined has to be close to if not exceeding 30K!!!. It looks completely assanine. I would have him pulled over in a heart beat if I could. I understand a living needs to be made... but he needs to clean up his act a little bit... . CJ

 

[rob10858]

some answers, probably not

those are all good points and things that ive wondered about, considering the combinations of trucks that we use. its real obvious that there is going to come a time when a lawyer gets smart enough to bring an overload question to court. but lets also consider someone like our co. that has tried to comply to every state and fed reg, for each seperate truck, has commercial ins at three times the rate of private [ $16000 a month, ouch] but we only haul our equipment, that is also covered by another policy, so what we are really paying for is what cobra jet has brought up. you have to wonder when you see a 3500 pulling three custom vans down the highway, and then an hour later seeing a semi carrying the same load. as far as our trucks go, ive tried to match the load with the truck, legally. but it always seems that our pickups come in with everything loaded a. s- backwards from the way they went out. from business trucks to private rvs, do the smart thing, get every bit of insurance that you can that limits your liability in an accident. what you are really paying for is "our lawyer is better than yours" because if you lose, and the insurance co has to pay, good=bye ins. in the meantime folks, if you think that you 2500 might be a little light, move up. i think we all know that the guts are the same, but be legal. itll pay off in the long run.

 

[COBRAJET]

Trying to comply with weight regs mandated by the feds and the states is one thing... operating a vehicle way outside its parameters is another. The states are only concerned with lbs per square inch being put down on their roads. If you are going to be over what is mandated they give you an overweight permit... which costs money to help offset the damage you just did. Operating a vehicle in a dangerous way is a decison being made way before the insurance is purchased. I would guess it is about 99. 9% monetary. I am sure most of the people behind the wheel feel they are completely fine and driving a very safe combo..... I am sure the family of a man killed this morning on LBJ and Marsh Lane wishes the F350 towing an overweight and improperly working trailer... no brakes, wasn't behind him this morning. I am a good friend of the DPD officer who worked that mess this morning. The guy got rear ended in morning traffic at close to 50 mph by the F350. The driver said he could not get it stopped when the traffic came to an abrubt stop. He was hauling a load of schedule 40. The tires on the front axle were not even on the trailer. It only had tires on the back two. No brakes... not even wired to the truck. There was 3 inches of space between the drivers seat and the steering wheel..... Plymouth Breeze, ie a NEON. Brakes would have helped and maybe a more careful driver... but nevertheless an overloaded truck. Now the guy has a good chance of going to a Grand Jury for criminal negligence.



I carry Commercial Ins. on both of my trucks because a lot of the G. C. 's that I work for require it. I can't get paid unless I provide it... and these are not company trucks... just ones visiting their sites. It runs about 50% more than the regular stuff. I am sure plenty of insurance can be bought for the cargo being shipped, and I am sure it is expensive since it is likely getting claimed on all of the time. I know if I made a habit out of hauling 26K for a living I would own a truck rated for that. It would likely be cheaper in the long run... CJ

 

[RDavidson]

Cobrajet, I agree. The ultamate goal of anyone who hauls ANY load, big or small, in a pickup, behind a pickup or on a big rig should be safety. Common sense, a rare commodity it seems, would go a long way toward saving lives and giving the DOT officers an early retirement option.

 

[Turbo Thom]

The one thing I don't understand is how a rating is determined anyway. Every year our trucks are being rated for more weight and I don't think with any more truck, just more power. What more can be done to a Dana 80 to handle more load? There was a fellow here in Atlanta that had his truck break in half hauling stone for a wall. Broke right behind the cab. the frame went, not the tires or the axles. This has really made for interesting reading. Even learned a few things.



. . Preston. .

 

[Eric_77]

I bet that truck that broke in two had the frame modified in some way previous accident holes drilled in frmae or heaven forbid the combining of a front and reat clip to make one truck out of two wrecked ones.



Weight regs are combinations of several different things wheels, axles, brakes, frame, and powerplant/transmission. So maybe the "weak" link in the combination was the cooling for the motor better flow allows more cooling and another 500LBS or maybe the addition of disc brakes allows another 1000 maybe a better wheel or decision to use a higher rated tire. A little bit here or there can add up to more load being allowed. Some of issue, I am sure, is what the manufacturer is willing to stand behind and as more trucks pulling more loads "over" their limit require less warranty work the more confident a company would be in allowing that "overload" to become standard.

 

[pwknapp]

First time jumping in so here goes. I've been hot-shotting with a 40 ft tandem dual gooseneck for 6 years with two 12k axles. '96 4x4 3500 with a flatbed. Truck and trailer empty weigh 17,800, registered for 35,000#. If running for-hire better have ducks in a row. Texas loves to do roadside DOT inspections. (son, whats wrong with your muffler? I stopped you because your rattlin' my windows. Mind if I do a DOT inspection?) Chicken coops seem to be mainly interested in whether you paid their states fees etc than anything else, also if you have fed authority(MCC #, DOT#) or if your lease papers are correct. Fuel tax (IFTA) stickers also help. Health cards, $750,000 liability insurance,single state registration and don't leave that bird dog on the dash(Miss-La border, $125 fine) Rumor from some east coast/mid atlantic drivers says MD and PA are starting to only let you register for the combined weight on the door post. Guess that means no more Jersey runs. Love my truck but next one for work will probably be a low-pro single axle Cornbinder or Freightshaker with a coffin sleeper. Oh yeah, Louisiana scales at Texas borders have been checking for hotel rcpts because no matter how nice you have the club cab set up for sleeping its not a legal size sleeper. ($1200 fine and 8hours out of service with an exscort to a hotel)





96 3500 4x4 scheiddeisel crank up, BD slow down,250 watts on ch 19,pyro,boost and 4. 11's,373,000mi and if you ain't settin of car alarms you aint loud enough. COWBOY UP!

 

[QRTRHRS]

pwknapp,



Man, all I can say is god bless you roughing out a living like that. I can't fathom how you can even put up with the posture etc. in a pickup cab compared to an air ride bostrum, better ergonomics, better visiblity etc. About two years after I guit driving for a living, I took a Ford F750 or so from eastern PA out to Peoria and back to pick up something for a friend. Like to killed me!