Ok; you probably won't like the answers, but here goes:

You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned interpretation. We were told to use discretion and ask questions. If someone is hauling a trailer with a race car and the driver owns the truck, trailer and race car and only does this on weekends in my opinion, he is not a CMV and does not need a CDL or even a DOT #. It doesn't even matter if he is over 26K or not. Very similar to the retired guy driving a large RV that is over 26K, as long as it's his and not being operated for profit, he's good to go. No DOT # and no CDL. Now if that same guy is winning say $15K a week in winnings, then that, in my opinion, he is earning a profit and would be subject to a DOT # and if over 26K a CDL. But, how would I know unless I asked and you told me? As far as that Farm issue goes, that orange implement sticker must be a state issue as I've never heard of it. You are fine DOT wise and most Farm Trucks are exempt anyway from most DOT regs. Now, don't get caught using your exempt Farm Truck for hauling something other than Farm related items for profit or using dyed diesel on the highway. That can get very expensive. I hope this helps a little.

Your GVW, truck AND trailer, would dictate whether you are legal or not.

 

truck is 7400 lbs, trailer pronely 3400 lbs, tractor with bush hog or alike, up to 13500 - 14500 lbs, all on safe side, that is with 3 axle

 

Man what a mess....I guess I'll just tell the guy I'm going up to Illinois for a leisurely trail ride, not a rodeo. How's he going to know the difference?

 

i have small bread route here in town. i use my 07.5 c/c box truck that is a 12.5k gvw truck but my state dose not have 12k plates so i had to get a 14k plate. my trailer is a 12k inclosed car trailer. can i run this up to ny from ky to clean out my house that i sold. i don't have or need dot#s here in town to run my route . i have a cdl B with a med card from my old job if it will help. i don't want to have to get dot's or a cdlA just for this one trip. the only other thing i could do is use my 3500 pickup and the trailer but i'm not sure i will have enough room for my stuff and i don't want to make 2 trips. 2k miles round trip is more fuel then i want to burn already.

 

You should be fine. If you are using your own truck to haul your own property not for profit then there should not be an issue.

 

And HOW MANY years can you claim a loss with a company before they consider it a hobby ??

 

That's a discretion call. If they think you are trying to pull a fast one on them it is likely to get expensive for you... If it's supposed to make a profit, then it counts.

 

Question is, how do you prove otherwise?

I own an actual semi (not a pickup) that I'm building into a show truck. I don't pull a trailer with it, I don't make money on it. The registration is in my name, not in a company name.

I do have a CDL, so I'm good there -- but I don't have a USDOT number or an IFTA sticker. Obtaining those looks like it will be unreasonably expensive (especially IFTA). On the drive from Indiana to Florida to get the truck home, I was stopped at a scale in Tennessee for not having an IFTA sticker. They argued "any vehicle with 3 axles" was a commercial vehicle; I pointed out the obvious counterexample (RVs) and was told "that's different. You have a truck."

They ended up letting me go after I asked them to show me the applicable rule and showed them in their own rule book that those regulations pertained to "commercial motor carriers". But if they'd decided I was a commercial motor carrier, it could have meant a long court battle. I can't afford to risk that every time I want to take my truck out for a spin.

Seems even following the rules that apply to you is no guarantee -- they can still penalize you for not following rules that DON'T apply to you.

---AutoMerged DoublePost---

Related question: I own a Peterbilt tractor that I purchased for a show truck project. I may be moving in the next couple of months, and I'm considering renting a dryvan trailer to do that move.

I do have a class A CDL, but would this combination also require me to get a DOT # and apportioned registration? Or does this still fall under the non-commercial use exemption?

To really stretch things: If I get reimbursed by an employer for the move (relocation package), is that considered "profit"?

 

If you get stopped and tell them you own the truck and are hauling your own personal items not for profit, and show them a registration in your own name, you should be ok.

 

I was told by a DOT officer here in Iowa that the rules is as follows:
If you truck GVWR is 10,000 or over your have to get a federal inspection and DOT numbers no matter if you are pulling or not even if it is just your toy.

Also if your combined GVWR on truck and trailer is over 26,001 lbs you need a Class A cdl ( no air brakes), but if truck and trailer combined is less than 26,001 lbs ( does not matter if your load is more) you only have to have a D-2 which is a chaffuers. If you cross state lines you have to have a log book, fire ext., flares, etc... so hope this helps too.