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DOT #'s for private carriers (in Iowa)


85_Ranger4x4

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Any one heard about this thing? I heard it was starting up in Sept, looked it up and it had been suspended, a guy I work with went to a tractor club meeting last night and they had there talking about it and they said it is starting in July.

Did Iowa just suspend the Iowa part and federally you still have to have one or what the heck is going on?

Looks like I might get a lot more road time on my tractors...:annoyed:

http://www.iowadot.gov/usdotnumbers.html
 


Will

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That shit is very clearly worded, but very confusingly enforced. For instance, the bold wording below is generally ignored by officials and you have to argue with them.

Look up the definition of Commercial Motor Vehicle in your state motor vehicle code. here's Indiana's (the bold is mine):
IC 9-13-2-31.5
Commercial vehicle
Sec. 31.5. "Commercial vehicle", for purposes of IC 9-18-2-4.5, means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport property if the motor vehicle:
(1) has a gross combination weight rating of at least twenty-six thousand one (26,001) pounds, including a towed unit with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than ten thousand (10,000) pounds;
(2) has a gross vehicle weight rating of at least twenty-six thousand one (26,001) pounds; or
(3) meets both of the following requirements:
(A) The motor vehicle has a gross vehicle weight rating of at least seven thousand (7,000) pounds, but less than twenty-six thousand one (26,001) pounds.
(B) The motor vehicle is owned by a registered carrier holding a valid Indiana fuel tax permit under IC 6-6-4.1.
As added by P.L.150-2001, SEC.2.
If it is not used in commerce, you should be able to drive it. But it may be enforced differently than the code is worded.

Anyway, the DOT number is federally required to carry passengers or cargo between states. The federal government does not require it if your vehicle doesn't cross state lines. Some states require it as a condition for obtaining a registration for a commercial vehicle. So with Iowa, it is a state requirement in question, not a federal one. What I put above is Indiana's requirement for a vehicle to be registered as a commercial vehicle--and would require the DOT number to do it.
 

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That is good to know. There was a farmer I know that got a warning last January, he was hauling his own restored antique tractor with his '09 F-350 and gooseneck flatbed.

Not really for sure what the big thrill would be in making everyone pulling a trailer have a number.

I have heard that if you are hauling to anything that offers a prize can get you in trouble for hauling for profit... even if it is for a $3 trophy. They just wait until you leave and pull you over. I only go to rides and shows anymore, so no worrys there.
 
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I know up here (MN) the DOT will leave the mudders alone if they look to be properly chained down and a safe trailer. However if they have a racing team name or club name on there truck they tend to get stoped.

I have never been stoped (knock on wood)and a1ton is my DD.
 

Will

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The DOT guys are hired to enforce commercial vehicles to take the load off of the troopers. In Indiana, for instance, each trooper is required to randomly weigh 25 trucks a week--and the actually weighing can be delegated to civilian employees. The DOT guys are not hired to mess with non-commercial traffic, and don't have authority to do so. here is a link from Indiana's website.. When I had a LN700 I carried copies of pages of the Indiana Code that pertained to this stuff. I never got stopped, but I was ready to argue with one of those DOT guys if I did.

If you have what are obviously non-commercial loads then I don't think there is much of a chance you will get stopped by one of those guys. If you are carrying something that could be commercial, they have the right to stop and inspect you. I think you would have to prove it was personal stuff and not a for-hire load, and that could be in front of a judge. Actually, the judge probably hates those DOT guys as much as truckers do. So I guess being polite is the best bet if you are stopped and looking really competent on the road is the best defense against being stopped.

Come to think of it, I haven't seen a DOT car in so long I think maybe Mitch Daniels disbanded them. I'll have to check that out.

EDIT: Yeah, Indiana laid off over half of their motor carrier inspectors. I'll assume it was all of the patrol car drivers and only the ones manning the weigh stations (always closed anyway) are remaining.
 
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85_Ranger4x4

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If they were picking on a close to brand new one ton pulling a newer gooseneck with a muesum quality restored tractor on it, my less than new half ton pulling a borrowed car trailer with a puffcan special tractor won't stand a chance.

My wanting to look compliant is why I asked about the # thing, if they are required it would be an obvious problem if I didn't have one. I don't care for the looks, don't haul for hire, and don't cross state lines, and don't haul past a weigh station (not specifically, they just are not on the way) when I haul so I am not all that eager to run out and get one if I don't have to.
 

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The DOT guys are hired to enforce commercial vehicles to take the load off of the troopers. In Indiana, for instance, each trooper is required to randomly weigh 25 trucks a week--and the actually weighing can be delegated to civilian employees. The DOT guys are not hired to mess with non-commercial traffic, and don't have authority to do so. here is a link from Indiana's website.. When I had a LN700 I carried copies of pages of the Indiana Code that pertained to this stuff. I never got stopped, but I was ready to argue with one of those DOT guys if I did.

If you have what are obviously non-commercial loads then I don't think there is much of a chance you will get stopped by one of those guys. If you are carrying something that could be commercial, they have the right to stop and inspect you. I think you would have to prove it was personal stuff and not a for-hire load, and that could be in front of a judge. Actually, the judge probably hates those DOT guys as much as truckers do. So I guess being polite is the best bet if you are stopped and looking really competent on the road is the best defense against being stopped.

Come to think of it, I haven't seen a DOT car in so long I think maybe Mitch Daniels disbanded them. I'll have to check that out.

EDIT: Yeah, Indiana laid off over half of their motor carrier inspectors. I'll assume it was all of the patrol car drivers and only the ones manning the weigh stations (always closed anyway) are remaining.

Indiana laid off most of the civilians and replaced them with troopers.... they wanted a DOT officer that was a total package (you know ... guns ... arrest powers) I just got cornholed at the mile marker 80 scale on I69........ apparently load securement laws have changed since September..............
 

Will

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If they were picking on a close to brand new one ton pulling a newer gooseneck with a muesum quality restored tractor on it, my less than new half ton pulling a borrowed car trailer with a puffcan special tractor won't stand a chance.

My wanting to look compliant is why I asked about the # thing, if they are required it would be an obvious problem if I didn't have one. I don't care for the looks, don't haul for hire, and don't cross state lines, and don't haul past a weigh station (not specifically, they just are not on the way) when I haul so I am not all that eager to run out and get one if I don't have to.
You don't want a DOT number. They won't give you one anyway. You aren't a commercial hauler.

BDAB, Indiana has been doing severe budget reductions since Governer Mitch Daniels has taken office. I know they are redirecting troopers to duties civilian employees used to do, but it was budget cuts, not for any noble reasons. Those troopers are probably pissed at having to do the job now. Daniels has reduced lots of governement so I'm not unhappy. Indiana has an archaic system now, going right down to township government. We have a very awkward and costly and annoying system that is in no way aligned to modern times. I pay my property tax to some lady that lives in a trailer. We have a seriously inefficent grassroots type of system here. Daniels has been attacking these useless layers and reducing costs in an effort to make Indiana solvent. This is the best state I've ever lived in.

I don't drive a semi. I've never been stopped for anything though.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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They won't know I am not a commercial hauler until they pull me over, we hire people to haul in dead tractors all the time.

The guy I know that got a warning wasn't hauling commercially either.
 
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TomB1269

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Some states have adopted Federal DOT standards, each state is diffenent. In some states you may have to get a DOT # to haul even if it is INTRASTATE (inside state lines)not INTERSTATE (over state lines AKA Federally regulated commerce). So if you state has adopted DOT regs for Intrastate commerce then you will need a DOT # and markings. Again, markings for intrastate are also state by state. You may need to register commercial and list the business name and address on the truck / trailer, or you may only have to list DOT # or both. Check you state laws, check the web for your states DOT, contact you state DOT. Because not knowing can hurt and hurt seriously.
 

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The DOT guys are hired to enforce commercial vehicles to take the load off of the troopers. In Indiana, for instance, each trooper is required to randomly weigh 25 trucks a week--and the actually weighing can be delegated to civilian employees. The DOT guys are not hired to mess with non-commercial traffic, and don't have authority to do so. here is a link from Indiana's website.. When I had a LN700 I carried copies of pages of the Indiana Code that pertained to this stuff. I never got stopped, but I was ready to argue with one of those DOT guys if I did.

If you have what are obviously non-commercial loads then I don't think there is much of a chance you will get stopped by one of those guys. If you are carrying something that could be commercial, they have the right to stop and inspect you. I think you would have to prove it was personal stuff and not a for-hire load, and that could be in front of a judge. Actually, the judge probably hates those DOT guys as much as truckers do. So I guess being polite is the best bet if you are stopped and looking really competent on the road is the best defense against being stopped.

Come to think of it, I haven't seen a DOT car in so long I think maybe Mitch Daniels disbanded them. I'll have to check that out.

EDIT: Yeah, Indiana laid off over half of their motor carrier inspectors. I'll assume it was all of the patrol car drivers and only the ones manning the weigh stations (always closed anyway) are remaining.
If you want to make sure the DOT doesn't bother you, get decals made for the side of your truck that says "Not For Hire". That will be another deterrent to show you are non commercial.

Will, the DOT Officer powers were delegated to the troopers to cut cost.

I got pulled over in my brothers company F-450 with his dump trailer a couple weeks ago for a seat belt ticket. It has a DOT number on the side of it (all though it is an INDOT number, it is still a DOT number). Since I could prove I was using it for personal use, I was moving with it and was loaded with house hold items, he gave me a $25 seat belt ticket instead of the $125 commercial seat belt ticket. I asked the officer if he needed to see my DOT physical card since the F-450 had a GVRW of over 10,000# and he said since I was using it for personal use it didn't matter. He did state that to technically be legally used as a personal vehicle, it had to have the DOT number and the company info covered. He was a really nice guy about everything.
 

Will

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He did state that to technically be legally used as a personal vehicle, it had to have the DOT number and the company info covered. He was a really nice guy about everything.
Find that tidbit in the Indiana Code book.:icon_confused: It makes sense, but that seems to be that particular trooper's interpretation. And that's what it all boils down to when it's you and the officer on the side of the road. There is a lot of overlapping rules since most people don't venture into that area. When I converted my school bus into an RV I had to get it inspected by an officer to verify that it was an RV and not a bus anymore. There were two officers and since there is nothing written in the code as to what makes it an RV, they looked at each other, shrugged and signed off on it. They could have decided that it needed a hot tub, a wet bar and to be filled waist deep in packing peanuts, and not signed off on it just as easily. Anything not specifically stated in the books means the officer has to interpret it on the roadside. And if you fight it, the judge will probably side with them if they prove that they have been enforcing it that way regularly.

Not For Hire means the truck isn't used to haul public cargo. Cummins has it on their personal trucks, for instance. It's something to do with fuel tax exemptions I believe. I don't think there is any requirement to have it labled, but I haven't looked through that area of the code much. It doesn't mean it's a non-commercial load. It's like In Transit I've seen people slap in the rear window when they have neglected to get temporary plates. Maybe a cop sees it and hopes they get out of the state before wrecking, but it doesn't mean anything.
 

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In select states, all registrants of commercial motor vehicles, even intrastate and non-Motor Carrier registrants, are required to obtain a USDOT Number as a necessary condition for commercial vehicle registration.

States which require this:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Commercial Vehicle (49 CFR Part 390.5)
Any vehicle used in interstate commerce that -
* Is designed or used to transport 9 or more people for compensation
* Is designed or used to transport 16 or more people (Whether or not for compensation)
* Has a GVWR or GCWR over 10,000 pounds Whichever is greater. Note this is the RATED weight, not the registered weight.

Technically, any full size pickup falls under the category of a commercial vehicle -
The Ranger has a maximum GCWR of 7,000 pounds
The F-150 has a minimum GCWR of 10,400 pounds and a maximum rating of 17,100 pounds.
 

TomB1269

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390.3 General applicability
b) The rules in Part 383, Commercial Driver’s License Standards; Requirements and Penalties, are applicable to every person who operates a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in §383.5 of this subchapter, in interstate or intrastate commerce and to all employers of such persons.

f) Exceptions. Unless otherwise specifically provided, the rules in this subchapter do not apply to—
(f)(3) The occasional transportation of personal property by individuals not for compensation nor in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise;

§383.91 Commercial motor vehicle groups.
(a) Vehicle group descriptions. Each driver applicant must possess and be tested on his/her knowledge and skills, described in subpart G of this part, for the commercial motor vehicle group(s) for which he/she desires a CDL. The commercial motor vehicle groups are as follows:

(a)(1) Combination vehicle (Group A)—Any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds).

(a)(2) Heavy Straight Vehicle (Group B)—Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more), or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) GVWR.

(a)(3) Small Vehicle (Group C)—Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that meets neither the definition of Group A nor that of Group B as contained in this section, but that either is designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, or is used in the transportation of materials found to be hazardous for the purposes of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and which require the motor vehicle to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR part 172, subpart F).
383.5 Definitions.
Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle—

(a) Has a gross combination weight rating of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds); or

(b) Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 11,794 or more kilograms (26,001 pounds or more); or

(c) Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or

(d) Is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials as defined in this section.

:icon_confused: Clear as Mud........:dunno: The short, unless you are doing business or transporting HAZMAT, your F150 / 250 / 350 is fine for personal use towing. That is how Uhaul can rent a 28 foot truck and a full car trailer to the average Joe.
Exception of NY City
What constitutes a "truck" in New York City?
Pursuant to Section 4-13 of the New York City Traffic Rules
, a truck is defined as any vehicle or combination of vehicles designed for the transportation of property that has the following characteristics:
two axles and six tires, or;
three or more axles
For the purposes other than parking, stopping and standing rules, a vehicle designed, maintained, or used primarily for the transportation of property or for the provision of commercial services and bearing commercial plates is considered a commercial vehicle.
Vehicles from other states or countries bearing commercial or equivalent registration plates from other states or countries shall not be deemed trucks or commercial vehicles unless they are permanently altered and marked as required in the above bulleted list.

You got to read from top down and watch for the exceptions. 6/7 years of decifering for my company's employee shuttles.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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(a)(1) Combination vehicle (Group A)—Any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds).
That 26,001 thing would catch a well optioned Superduty with a nice gooseneck...

I am way, way below that, and the vehicle being towed might weigh 5000 (tractor weights 4500 with me on it, dunno what my plow weighs)

If I remember correctly that is about what is required for a CDL too.
 

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