commercial vehicle questions
#1
commercial vehicle questions
I got stopped yesterday coming out of Oklahoma into Texas. Was up there doing work.
I was in my 3/4 ton dodge pulling a 6x12 trailer that weighs about 4k. Trailer contained my tools, etc, nothing I was hauling for hire just my tools for my work.
Officer says I am over 10k and am involved in interstate commerce. I get several tickets and a total of 21 violations.
Things like no medical card, no log book, no us dot number, tinted windows, no commercial inspection sticker, etc. All this was new to me. I always thought under 26k then there are no problems but it seems 10k is the limit when you cross state lines.
Has anyone had to deal with this? Any idea on the costs involved in coming into compliance for a pickup and a small trailer? Officer said I would be perfectly legal if operating in Texas.
My dilemma is I have only gone out of state for work maybe 3 times in the last 15 years. I know I will be going back to Oklahoma maybe 2 more times in the near future but after that likely may never go again.
Just trying to weigh my options here. Tickets cost me about $600. Maybe just go again and if I get caught it is another $600 or can they do more than just issue me the same tickets?
Seems like once you get the DOT number it opens up a whole can of worms for audits, reporting requirements, etc.
I was in my 3/4 ton dodge pulling a 6x12 trailer that weighs about 4k. Trailer contained my tools, etc, nothing I was hauling for hire just my tools for my work.
Officer says I am over 10k and am involved in interstate commerce. I get several tickets and a total of 21 violations.
Things like no medical card, no log book, no us dot number, tinted windows, no commercial inspection sticker, etc. All this was new to me. I always thought under 26k then there are no problems but it seems 10k is the limit when you cross state lines.
Has anyone had to deal with this? Any idea on the costs involved in coming into compliance for a pickup and a small trailer? Officer said I would be perfectly legal if operating in Texas.
My dilemma is I have only gone out of state for work maybe 3 times in the last 15 years. I know I will be going back to Oklahoma maybe 2 more times in the near future but after that likely may never go again.
Just trying to weigh my options here. Tickets cost me about $600. Maybe just go again and if I get caught it is another $600 or can they do more than just issue me the same tickets?
Seems like once you get the DOT number it opens up a whole can of worms for audits, reporting requirements, etc.
#2
Administrator ........ DTR's puttin fires out and workin on big trucks admin
I would arbitrate that ticket immediately. A magistrate or judge may reduce or find you not responsible once you explain yourself. We have those laws here in mass. Anything over 10k and used for commercial purposes, including a contractor hauling his tools in a trailer.
- the truck must be registered as a commercial vehicle
- it must be lettered if you own your own business
- if hauling a trailer, it must also be registered commercial and be lettered.
- you must have DOT numbers and ICC numbers if you are going to cross state lines.
- you will have to pay road use tax
These are only the ones I remember off the top of my head.
It will be expensive to bring yourself up to compliance. If it were me I would try like heck to stay in Texas if it is legal to run the way you are running now.
I think you will find similar laws migrating across the country. It is a cash cow for the local governments.
Good luck,
Tim
- the truck must be registered as a commercial vehicle
- it must be lettered if you own your own business
- if hauling a trailer, it must also be registered commercial and be lettered.
- you must have DOT numbers and ICC numbers if you are going to cross state lines.
- you will have to pay road use tax
These are only the ones I remember off the top of my head.
It will be expensive to bring yourself up to compliance. If it were me I would try like heck to stay in Texas if it is legal to run the way you are running now.
I think you will find similar laws migrating across the country. It is a cash cow for the local governments.
Good luck,
Tim
#4
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If you are hauling your own personal tools from your job back to home, the truck is under 10000 pounds and the trailer is under 10000 pounds you should be exempt from all dot rules. Go to court and fight it.
#5
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its carrying capacity not vehicle weight so if what the truck and trailer can carry together is over 10k and you working for money then legally you are commercial. you mite be able to fight some of it but they probably wont drop it all uasualy they write only 2 tickets and the rest are warnings was txdot or okdot thet got you. uasaully ok wont let you leave without paying on the spot or at least the scales are that way
#6
TXDOT got me. They we waiting just on the edge of the river and saw me drive across. The $600 sucks but I assume it is a done deal and I will pay it and move on. They did show me the law and at over 10k I am commercial so really nothing to argue there.
Really I am just trying to figure out what to do as I have to go back to OK next week. If it was something I did all the time I would just go through all the hoops but being that I have a couple trips I might just chance it. Just want to have a good idea what the consequences are.
Really I am just trying to figure out what to do as I have to go back to OK next week. If it was something I did all the time I would just go through all the hoops but being that I have a couple trips I might just chance it. Just want to have a good idea what the consequences are.
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its carrying capacity not vehicle weight so if what the truck and trailer can carry together is over 10k and you working for money then legally you are commercial. you mite be able to fight some of it but they probably wont drop it all uasualy they write only 2 tickets and the rest are warnings was txdot or okdot thet got you. uasaully ok wont let you leave without paying on the spot or at least the scales are that way
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#8
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if you are hauling your own equipment and getting paid for using said equipment then it is commercial. when you say combo of 26k that is for drivers liscense and dot the fed regs say anything total gvw over 10k wether single or combo is usdot. it doesnt matter if its personal or not he is using them to make money same as if i took my tractor to a job and made money with it it doesnt have anything to do with hauling for someone at this point. i deal with this stuff on a daily basis because oif my company operations. his job was a contract not a continuios job also which changes it. got my first dot ticket hauling a backhoe that was mine for a job i was doing thing i was doing the job for someone and getting paid, therefore it made me commercially obligated. look at rule 390.5 article 1 under definition under commercial vehicles
#9
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TXDOT got me. They we waiting just on the edge of the river and saw me drive across. The $600 sucks but I assume it is a done deal and I will pay it and move on. They did show me the law and at over 10k I am commercial so really nothing to argue there.
Really I am just trying to figure out what to do as I have to go back to OK next week. If it was something I did all the time I would just go through all the hoops but being that I have a couple trips I might just chance it. Just want to have a good idea what the consequences are.
Really I am just trying to figure out what to do as I have to go back to OK next week. If it was something I did all the time I would just go through all the hoops but being that I have a couple trips I might just chance it. Just want to have a good idea what the consequences are.
#10
Truck GVR 9k, Trailer GVR 7K. I was not weighed but guess truck was around 8500 and trailer around 4500. They said combined weight rating of over 10k is what got me. He had scales but said they was no need to weigh me because my rating was over 10k.
As far as the consequences I was just wondering if there was any provisions for repeat violations, etc. The trooper really was polite and friendly about the whole deal. I think he believed me that I had no idea about these laws and he gave me a break on a couple things. There were a total of 21 violations he found but he only gave me three tickets. I was just worried if I got caught again next week if it would not be worse.
As far as the consequences I was just wondering if there was any provisions for repeat violations, etc. The trooper really was polite and friendly about the whole deal. I think he believed me that I had no idea about these laws and he gave me a break on a couple things. There were a total of 21 violations he found but he only gave me three tickets. I was just worried if I got caught again next week if it would not be worse.
#11
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they catch you on 35 or 75. you can try it but if the same trooper catches you it will be worse. double check your ticket and look and see if they gave you more then 2 tickets like i said before most of the time the first 2 are the tickets and the rest is a warning. if it was 75 i got popped there before. they seem to be working a lot more then they used to
#13
They caught me on 79 coming north out of Wichita Falls. Thinking of a different route when I go back. I am not one who trys to run around breaking laws but this defys common sense.
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the no dot number is a class a misdemeanor they will redtag you nad possible jail; if i remember right the others are redtag offense. you dont need a logbook if you are under 150 miles from your base operations or house. fought that one in san angelo and one when my driver was staying in abeline