Is your GCWR > 10,000 lbs.?

[2Fast4U]

If your GCWR > 10,000 lbs. do you meet all of the Department of Transportation (DOT) commercial operating requirements? Do you have a DOT number? Do you display it on your TV? If so what other "stuff" do you do to stay legal?

Doesn't this apply to most of us? How do y'all handle this legal wrinkle that I haven't seen discussed here before.

DOT Mandates May Apply When Using Trailers - Articles - Safety & Accident - Articles - Work Truck

Thanks!

[jcl]

Are you a commercial carrier?

[cwf]

Meet your state requirements.

[overlander63]

Unless you are a company, the rules for commercial carriers should not apply.
If you own a truck as a tow vehicle that normally would be considered a commercial vehicle, you probably need to apply signage to the effect that it is a private use vehicle.

[r carl]

RV's are exempt.

[TomKirk]

It's gotten so you hafta have a Commercial Driver's License just to go on vacation. LOL

Tom

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by TomKirk

It's gotten so you hafta have a Commercial Driver's License just to go on vacation. LOL

Tom

Vacations are big business, you know....

[tjdonahoe]

I never seen the DOT ever check a tourist , but it is a federal law about above a certain weight you need breakaway brakes and brakes,on the newer vehicles ,there will be brakes on all axles,no one will be checking until after the accident, then only if there is a fatality,maybe.

[SteveH]

My GCWR is 20,000lbs., (actual combined weight is 18,500) and I've never had anyone say a thing to me about it. Last summer on our way home from Colorado, we had a county sheriff stop us in the panhandle of Texas, tell me I was speeding, but really all he wanted to do was look at the trailer.

[PaulnGina]

In Arkansas. RV's are exempt. The GCWR of my Ford F250 and our 1987 Avion 34W is 20K. I have not weighed our actual weights, but I have a pretty good feeling that we travel relatively light.

[RAH]

Do I Need a USDOT Number?
You are required to obtain a USDOT number if you have a vehicle that:
Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater; or
Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or
Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or
Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous and transported in a quantity requiring placarding.
AND is involved in Interstate commerce:
Trade, traffic, or transportation in the United States—
Between a place in a State and a place outside of such State (including a place outside of the United States);
Between two places in a State through another State or a place outside of the United States; or
Between two places in a State as part of trade, traffic, or transportation originating or terminating outside the State or the United States.

A commercial motor vehicle is any motor vehicle used on a trafficway for the transportation of goods, property or people in interstate or intrastate commerce.

Examples of Included Vehicles:
A trucking company or individual owner/operator hauling a business' goods for a fee. (For-Hire Carrier)
A manufacturing company hauling its own products to retail stores, and retail stores delivering products to its buyers. (Not For-Hire Carrier)
A farm hauling its produce to or from the market.
A motor coach, airport shuttle or hotel-owned shuttle bus or limousine service transporting passengers.
Government-owned trucks and buses.
School buses transporting students to/from school or school-related activities.
Rented or leased trucks used to transport either commercial or personal goods.
A truck greater than 10,000 lbs. that is owned and operated primarily for commerce that is being used for personal transportation or transportation of personal goods.

Examples of Excluded Vehicles:
A personally-owned truck or passenger vehicle meant for personal use, even if greater than 10,000 lbs.
A non-commercial, horse owner transporting hay bales from his pasture on one side of the road to his stables on the other side in a truck with a GVWR greater than 10,000 lbs.
A homeowner carrying recyclables to a drop-off point in a personally-owned pickup truck greater than 10,000 lbs.
A large family of 10 persons taking a trip in the family's 12-person van.
A personally-owned pickup truck hauling a boat, horse, or utility trailer, with a GCWR in excess of 10,000 lbs. and not operating in commerce or as part of a business.
A family operating a personally-owned and registered recreational vehicle or motor home.

[paiceman]

What RAH said: Except if one owns a 15 passenger van with 15 seat belts one needs a Class B license. Does not have to be a CDL Class B, but should be a Class B or CDL B. My wife just went through this. She drove a school bus for 25 years, had a CDL Class B with two endorsements, Air Brakes and School Bus. Her license was to expire so she went to the DMV and the person suggested she change over to a "Personal Class B" as he called it in the event she ever wanted or needed to drive a 15 passenger van, like a church van as a volunteer.

[overlander63]

Again, what was posted direct from DOT: personal vehicles are exempt.

[m.hony]

Your pickup and Airstream going to the lake for the weekend is classified as a "commercial motor vehicle".
Commerce/trade changes everything. You are also exempt from having apportioned plates on your pickup.
Ditto to what everyone else said-

[85 Sovereign]

The post above is partially incorrect. Otherwise, it and the others are spot on. Your pickup and Airstream going to the lake for the weekend is NOT classified as a "commercial motor vehicle" unless your pickup has a GVWR of 26,001+ lbs (not GCWR) or unless you're hauling someone else's Airstream for a fee (like delivering).

As long as you're not towing someone else's trailer as a delivery or transport service where you will be paid, and you're not towing it in order to transport other goods for sale across state lines, you're fine and don't neet a DOT number. Take it from a guy that has a Class A,M CDL with every endorsement except for HazMat and Passenger/School Bus, and used to be someone who could be behind you in the car with a funny paint job and blue lights.

[paiceman]

Originally Posted by 85 Sovereign

The post above is partially incorrect. Otherwise, it and the others are spot on. Your pickup and Airstream going to the lake for the weekend is NOT classified as a "commercial motor vehicle" unless your pickup has a GVWR of 26,001+ lbs (not GCWR) or unless you're hauling someone else's Airstream for a fee (like delivering).

As long as you're not towing someone else's trailer as a delivery or transport service where you will be paid, and you're not towing it in order to transport other goods for sale across state lines, you're fine and don't neet a DOT number. Take it from a guy that has a Class A,M CDL with every endorsement except for HazMat and Passenger/School Bus, and used to be someone who could be behind you in the car with a funny paint job and blue lights.

Ha Love it, everything including HazMat but NO blue light history, except following me at times.

Take Care

[HowieE]

The federal CDL regulations do not apply to RVs, trailers or MOHOs. However each state has it's own regulations on towing a trailer. The biggest consideration in these regulations is when a trailer has to have it's own braking system. Since almost all RV trailers exceed the lowest of these regulations it should not be an issue.

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by 85 Sovereign

The post above is partially incorrect. Otherwise, it and the others are spot on. Your pickup and Airstream going to the lake for the weekend is NOT classified as a "commercial motor vehicle" unless your pickup has a GVWR of 26,001+ lbs (not GCWR) or unless you're hauling someone else's Airstream for a fee (like delivering).

As long as you're not towing someone else's trailer as a delivery or transport service where you will be paid, and you're not towing it in order to transport other goods for sale across state lines, you're fine and don't neet a DOT number. Take it from a guy that has a Class A,M CDL with every endorsement except for HazMat and Passenger/School Bus, and used to be someone who could be behind you in the car with a funny paint job and blue lights.

I meant to say "not". I left it out by mistake-
Oops.
I am a DOT compliance guy who apparently cannot type very well.
Towing your own travel trailer requires no special training, apportioned plates, or special driver's license.
The DOT rules and regulations apply to commercial motor vehicles, for hire, doing trade or commerce.
Also, your pickup and Airstream trailer do not have to cross the scales at weigh stations.


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[2Fast4U]

Thanks to all for the great information. My wife WILL (hopefully) sleep better tonight not having to worry about this any further.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, in California, I looked this up a few years back because a co-worker was going from an already too heavy toy hauler trailer to an even larger toy hauler. The rule was that if the trailer weighed, GVWR, not actual weight over 10,000 lbs, you had to get a non-commercial Class A driver's license.