I just recieved a mailing and according to DOT regs all trucks (even pickups) with farm or specialty plate has to have a DOT#.

I was stopped 1/2 mile from the local elevator the other day and was asked where my DOT# was. I said I only live 3/4 mile from the elevator and why is it required. He shrugged his shoulders and said for me to get the DOT# which I now have.

Anyone have any idea why we need this #?

 

I got this from Google.

http://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/

 

I just looked as to who has to have dot# and it has been removed.

 

You mean the DOT gov't page has been removed ?

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/forms/formspubs.htm

 

I was told by the IL DOT that we only need fed numbers if we travel over state lines and only on our 10k and heavier trucks

 

From Michigan state police motor carrier division - Private owned farm trucks , plated with farm or specialty plates are considered commercial vehicles. Commercial vehicles over 10K (single or combination) are to be marked with dot#. This applies to for compensation or not for compensation vehicles. This is taken from section 390.5 of the FMCSR.
This regulation applies to intrastate and interstate vehicles operated in commerce. This does not apply to recreational or personal use vehicles.

This is out of the pamphlet I just got in the mail.

 

Just the page that says who is required to have DOT #'s

 

By federal law if the vehicle is linked in anyway to a company, making it a commercial vehicle, and travels on state/or federal roadways, that vehicle is required to have a usdot#. The only exception is single vehicles below 10,000 lbs. Now this would require a contractor pulling a trailer to have one but, i've never seen one.

We have to list our dot number on our f-350's, whereas my uncle does not, even though he pulls more than we do(his cargo is personal property) our cargo is contract carried.
The number tells the dot officer's everything about you before they even ask a question. Consider it a social security number for transportation company's.

If your vehicle can gross over 10,000 lbs. and is used for your business(even if it's just to get you to and from work) it is supposed to have a dot #. Remember the gov't consider's a farm to be a business, so farm vehicles are included.

The key to get away from it- don't get pulled over when doing something for the company. And only a dot/transport police officers(we have public safety officers down here) Will even know/notice anything about it anyway.


Also when I say "used for your business", it has to be linked on paper to the business, company pays for it, company bought it/owns it, company pays for all of fuel/gas, It is used most of the time in combination with company equipment, and so on with being company linked.

 

what I gather'd

You need a USDOT number if:

You are going to be working for yourself (NOT leased onto another company)
You are operating interstate (crossing state lines). If you are never leaving your home state, check with your home state for rules and regulations.
Regardless of whether you are hauling "for hire" or "not for hire". So, if you need an MC number, then you must get a USDOT number, but not vice versa.


If you are getting an MC number, I would suggest getting the MC and USDOT numbers at the same time. The same warning applies to getting your USDOT number with regard to insurance.

 

Also, in Illinois it allows a vehicle to be tested only once a year instead of every 6 months. It also applies to a trailer that is tested when being pulled by the vehicle with the DOT #'s. We got the # on two of our pickups, and we got two trailers, plus two semi's with 3 trailers, a dump truck, two tandem grain haulers, so it saves a bit of time and money having them all tested once a year instead of twice.

 

The state of Wis., and I believe Ia., require DOT #'s also. It's another way for the states to make money.

 

A logo on the side of an enclosed trailer makes the trailer and the veicle pulling it considered commercial ... as was explained to me as the Texas State Trooper was writing a warning citation for my nephew's printing business logo was blazened on the side of my car hauler.

Said nephew gave no monetary support to my team. It was a kind gesture on my part that almost cost me a bundle.

It seems that US DOT regs are superceded by local state DOT regs.

 

umm for the here exactly how hard and what is involved to get a "USDOT" #?

 

go to www.dot.gov and look for the new # link. It is a free # just have a credit card ready for verification that you are really you.

 

If you want a little more thought about all this, most of it came down after 9/11.

I guess terrorists would never consider loading a 5th wheel RV with explosives.

If you only run intrastate, you add your state abbreviation letters after the numbers.

Here I would add WV after the DOT number if I never left WV.
You still have to get the number from the feds.
And state regulations may be more than the fed regulations, but the fed regulations are the minimum.

The 10,000 pound single or combination weight is the federal law.
It applies to anything other than an RV being operated by the owner.