12:09:27pm, Friday, April 26, 2024
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DOT hassles
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Registered: 04/28/2011 Posts: 137 |
I'm trying to make plans of getting involved in this sport as a beginner. My plan is pulling a farm stock and a tractor weight of 14,000. I want to secure my transportation before buying my tractor. My question is what type of truck and trailer would be best to avoid DOT hassles. I'm looking at a single axle tractor and goose neck. My only purpose for this truck and trailer would be tractor pulling, so I don't want to invest a ton of money. There are no pulls in my state so I will have to cross state lines. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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If you plan to travel to Iowa, get a enclosed trailer. If you are haling farm machinery or pulling tractor, you're going to get stopped. Then they want CDL, medical card, and every thing that goes with commercial driver. According to them you are pulling for money so you are a commercial driver. MACK |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 04/28/2011 Posts: 137 |
My states would be Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Louisiana. I also could license it as a farm truck if that would help. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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DJL
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The more you can make it look like a RV the better off you will be. And enclosed trailer too. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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There are a lot of things to look at or think about with the DOT, the best way to explain it is that the rules are as clear as mud meaning there is a lot of gray and if you
read the hand book a lot of it comes down to a persons interpretation . there are three big questions to ask your self if needing a DOT, question one are you doing it for (money) cash prize sponsor ect what is the max gross weight of the truck and trailer 10,000 if you cross state lines and 26,000 if you stay in the state some states will vary, in a nut shell those are the three big questions they is a lot of what if's but when it comes down to it the DOT makes and reinforces the rules and they want everybody to be safe .there are some things to consider is that in some situations if you use a not for hire or RV you might not need a sticker . Keep in mind that all a DOT stick shows is that the vehicle has been inspected, weather it needs to be inspected or not all motor vehicles are subject to road side inspection . If you have any questions you can call or go to the state DOT web site for more info |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 04/28/2011 Posts: 137 |
Thanks |
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Re: DOT hassles
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two banger
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I don't know what state you live in, but here in Illinois, the State Police told me I would need a CDL with a medical card. He said if you win a ribbon, money, a trophy or prize of any kind you would need this. It's called competition. It doesn't matter if it's a fair, homecoming, or picnic. He also said you can not run w farm plates. Because you are not hauling farm machinery. Been there done that!! |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Posts: 81 |
From FMCSA 390.3:
Question 21: Does the exemption in ยง390.3(f)(3) for the "occasional transportation of personal property by individuals not for compensation nor in the furtherance of a commercial enterprise" apply to persons who occasionally use CMVs to transport cars, boats, horses, etc., to races, tournaments, shows or similar events, even if prize money is offered at these events? Guidance: The exemption would apply to this kind of transportation, provided: (1) The underlying activities are not undertaken for profit, i.e., (a) prize money is declared as ordinary income for tax purposes, and (b) the cost of the underlying activities is not deducted as a business expense for tax purposes; and, where relevant; (2) corporate sponsorship is not involved. Drivers must confer with their State of licensure to determine the licensing provisions to which they are subject. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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buckin
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Farm tags and play dumb. Just be careful how you answer their questions and don't offer any other info. Farm tags always throws the cops off and even those know it all DOT cops. The only problem I see for you is traveling in multiple states. We can do that in Pa. but not if over 150 air miles and the state you are going through has to accept farm tags. A farm stock tractor that looks stock with no side shields etc. is just a farm tractor on a trailer period. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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lewis
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Kentucky is trying to pass a law as we speak if you pull any kind of trailer boat lawnmower or whatever you will have cdl s |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Moderator Registered: 01/11/2009 Posts: 1,578 |
Lewis this is the first I have heard of that. We've gotten a pass in this state I think versus other states because there's a million car trailers in this state without plates let alone working taillights, just about every where else I go every trailer is plated and registered it seems. Who's your source? I know a bunch of people who would be chirping in their state representative or senator's ear if this is the case. Bryan Lively - 
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 09/13/2014 Posts: 155 |
JD Diesel, your explanation of the weight limits is a little confusing, but non-CDL is 26,000lbs and under for the truck and that truck can haul up to a 10,000lb trailer. Anything over those weights would put a driver with no CDL out of class. I'm not sure if that's what you were trying to explain, but your wording made it hard to follow. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 07/09/2008 Posts: 270 |
This is my answer to ending all issues with the DOT. I may sell it if someone is interested. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 10/01/2017 Posts: 34 |
Well I can speak from recent experience as I was pulled over in Indiana by a DOT trooper just a few weeks ago headed home from a pull. Trooper was really nice and he was about as understanding as I was about the laws regarding hauling a pulling vehicle... Upon some phone calls he made to Indiana State Police headquarters for some clarification, here is the just of what I learned...
1. Have a valid log book 2. Have commercial plates 3. Have a valid CDL WITH current medical card 4. Have all the paperwork you would need if you were hauling for hire as technically a puller winning prize money is the same in the eyes of the law as being paid to haul freight, etc... Trooper was very nice and I drove away with no tickets or warnings after a quick DOT inspection. He said they usually do issue logbook violations to motorsports hauler drivers as they rarely have theirs current. He also stated that anyone they caught hauling a pulling vehicle on farm plates would be issued a citation. We pull all over with PPL Cha,pions Tour so it was nice in a way to get some clarity on a few of the issues, I only wish it hadn't been on the side of I-465 lol!!! |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Log book
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Log book only applies if you are out of state or over 150 mile radius from home. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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two banger
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Here in Illinois the State trooper told me if you pulled a Farmell H or a JD 6030 .... you need a CDL with a medical card PERIOD. It's called competition.
No weight limit. No farm plates. You have to have truck and trailer inspected. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 02/19/2009 Posts: 526 |
Well then Illinois not on the same page , as regards to CDL book and state police. Under 26000 no CDL . I have never had a problem, display my dot number and go into to Wisconsin for pulls as well |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 06/16/2017 Posts: 24 |
DOT rules are usually up to the officer, have a book handy to prove them wrong...if you're right! These are the NY rules, I can use a pickup and trailer as long as the GCWR is under 26K. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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So how do some of the pullers handle it when they have a truck larger truck converted to an RV pulling an enclosed trailer. Are they licensed RV? The trailer would be over 10,000 so do they get a cdl? I have that setup currently and wondering what everyone does. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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New Alkyholic sorry for the confusion the 10,000 and 26,000 deal with state and federal law that would pertain to DOT . not every state will have the same regulations
but the federal covers the lower 48. Certain states mandate DOT on vehicles over 10,00 some do not all vehicles over 26,000 need DOT with some exceptions example farm trucks with farm plates, RV. I would strongly recommend looking at your state hand book, it gets very messy and unclear . |
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Re: DOT hassles
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lewis
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I work for the County and that's the talk going around in the Circuit court clerks office |
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Re: DOT hassles
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lewis
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That was for Bryan the answer for ky wanting to make everyone pulling a trailer of anykind have a CDL raising cash for the broke retirement system |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 02/08/2014 Posts: 406 |
Once you put a trailer 10,000 or over behind a pickup you need a combination license and that leads to a cdl drivers license and med card. If you run farm plates you just need the med. card. But as previously stated the police usually don't know what is what. I've yet to be pulled over with my trailer but have gotten Dot and fuel checked with our farm plates and permitted trucks. Always a nightmare. Last time they said I needed DOT numbers on my permitted trucks but finally said get going. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 06/07/2014 Posts: 87 |
Maybe it's because our tractor only weighs 6,000lb but my family has never been pulled over by DOT in Michigan. As long as we have a plate on the trailer, working lights, and a four point tie down they are fine. I have heard of pullers having the DOT driving behind them counting the chains to see if they have the four point tie down but that is it. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Registered: 12/28/2011 Posts: 48 |
40 years using pickup and open trailer with farm plates,never been stopped,and i run lots of miles every summer. In ill also. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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Dirt Monkey
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Here's the deal.... this is the only time state law will beat national laws, when it comes to CDL's. I have lived in PA, I had combination License, was under 26,000lbs, non CDL's. When I moved to Ohio, when I asked about combination license, they said we don't have them here in Ohio. Also the prize money, if you can prove that it's not your primary source of income, don't need CDL's. Now interesting comment, I was told to take off all your decals, class sponsors even association decals... put them on magnets. That will draw attention to yourself and could raise questions. Also the i was told by an DOT officer, you could buy a new semi and load your personal stuff up and drive from the east coast to west coast... don't need CDL's. |
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Re: DOT hassles
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private carrier
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I would not believe anything that DOT officer told you. You guys that think the DOT is hassling you is because they know you are breaking the law. Straighten up, fly right and your problems will go away. FWIW, State law can always trump Federal law. |
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