DOT and Trailering

[Johnski]

DOT and Trailering Equipment
I went to an open house today at the local John Deere dealership and they had two troopers from the Mass. State Police Truck Team there to give use some info and answer questions. They had a tag trailer with a tractor on it to demonstrate the proper way to tie it down and also what they look for when checking you over. I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion on the new laws. I would rather talk to these guys when they are not busy writing if you know what I mean. ;>)

1. Trailer under 10,000 lbs = no CDL

2. Trailer over 10,000 lbs, truck and trailer combined under 26,000 lbs = no CDL

3. Trailer over 10,000 lbs, truck and trailer over 26,000 lbs = CDL A

4. Equipment under 10,000 lbs 2 tie downs, over 10,000 lbs 4 tie downs

5. Tie downs must be rated for half of the equipment weight and are rated by the weakest component (chain or binder working load rating).

6. 2 tie downs can be rated at full working load rating but 4 tie downs are to be rated at half of working load.

7. Everything on trailer must be tied down or secured in a closed top box (dunnage, gas cans,extra chains, etc.)

8. Chains/binders or straps are acceptable but straps must be protected from rubbing on any sharp edges of the equipment or trailer.

9. Brakes required on all axles and a breakaway system is required on all trailers over
3000 lbs. The cable for the breakaway is to be connected separately to vehicle not on the safety chain hook or hitch pin.

10. A current DOT Medical card is required for drivers of all vehicles over 10,000 lbs.
(Massachusetts Municipal employees are exempt from this rule) I don't know about other states.

A lot of other things were discussed that were mostly common sense. No loose bolts or visible wear on pintle hitches or couplers. Chains must be the right size and in good condition with no deformed links or bolts in them. The bearing covers must be on all wheels and all lights must work.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I wonder why they mentioned having the bearing covers on...hmmm.

 

[Johnski]

They were just showing us some of the things that they typically find and mentioned that any missing wheel bearing cover would result in an out of service violation.

P.S. Did you know that if you get caught moving an out of service vehicle the fines are $2,750 for the driver and $11,000 for the owner?

 

[Anonymous-0]

But why would a missing bearing cap render a trailer "out of service"?

No matter, I'll give my bearing caps an extra tap to make sure they're on : )

 

[Ray]

The booklet i got from the federal Dot says if your over 10000 pounds in any combination,truck alone or with trailer and you cross a state line you are under dot regulations. If you have the intent to make money with whatever your hauling,your a commercial trucker and need a log book and a bunch of other nonsense.

 

[Johnski]

You are correct about coming under the DOT regs if you go out of state. I was trying to make sense of the correct class of license for pulling a trailer. I wrote these down today before I forgot them and they are only for general knowledge not to be used instead of the rule book. HTH Jf

 

[john in la]

11. All implements must also be tied down in excess of the tractor. In other words if your tractor has a front end loader and a brush cutter hooked to it you need the 2 or 4 chains on the tractor (per weight) plus you need 1 chain holding the loader down; and 1 chain holding the brush cutter down.

That medical card rule is tough. Most states only require a medical card if you have a CDL.

The bearing cap is a out of service because dirt and water can get in making the bearings fail prematurely.
You got to remember most of these rules come from big truck rules and there bearings are not packed with grease. They run in gear oil.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I just renewed my health card today. What a joke.
I need a card because my pickup and trailer are over 10k. But I do not need a CDL because they are under 26 combined. I use them for construction and therefore considered commercial. you do not need a CDL if you do not exceed 26k.
I've been stopped 7 times.

 

[504-2]

If the cap is missing dirt can ruin the bearing over heating it, and the tire wheel assembly can come off the trailer.

 

[Jim H SW-PA]

I heard tell of a tanker driver, getting fined $90.00 for a missing valve cap hauling fuel here in PA

 

[Anonymous-0]

Alright, kinda what I was thinking. Thanks!

 

[Brian Jasper co. Ia]

Ok, so if I decide to load up my CA Allis Chalmers with a 2 bottom plow on it, I need 2 ties on the tractor and 1 on the plow right? Now if I take it from Iowa to Missouri its going to be on a 6X12 tandem axle trailer pulled by my Silverado. Does this mean I need a CDL, log book, medical card?

 

[john in la]

Ok, so if I decide to load up my CA Allis Chalmers with a 2 bottom plow on it, I need 2 ties on the tractor and 1 on the plow right?
[color=red:34b41b3a03]Yes[/color:34b41b3a03]

Now if I take it from Iowa to Missouri its going to be on a 6X12 tandem axle trailer pulled by my Silverado. Does this mean I need a CDL, log book, medical card?
[color=red:34b41b3a03]No (unless making money from the move)[/color:34b41b3a03]

 

[JD4boltB]

the trouble with all this is stuff is this, our hobby is recreation. so unless you are making money buying, selling, trading, etc., and you are only hauling a tractor to and from a show or getting some work done on it by bringing it to a shop, you are a recreational vehicle and therefore are not required to have a CDL or medical card regardless of truck or trailer weight ratings. it is like the guy who let's say retires and buys a truck and fifth wheel camper (say the truck has a GVW rating of 10,000 lbs. and the camper has a GVW rating is 12,000 GVW), he does not need a special license or medical card to drive on down the road, even though he is over the total gross weight of truck and trailer combined. this is a recreational vehicle. same as the guy hauling a gooseneck or fifth wheel trailer with a pickup truck or dualie. i have been stopped numerous times and all i say is i am a recreational vehicle hauling my own tractors or implements (which they are) and have never had a problem. i also do not stop at weigh stations and have been chased down and been asked why i did not stop. i explain that i am a recreational vehicle, my trailer is not registered commercial nor is my truck. that is because i am not in business. DOT, no matter what state, clams up and says 'have a nice day!' and away i go. if they want to weigh me, they can knock themselves out. you can't stop them there. i am always within the load limits of my truck and trailer and they will find that out if they weighed me. i have never been weighed yet and do not overload my vehicle. the FED GOV'T was supposed to revamp the mandates and requirements a few years ago and still has not done so. my advice is if you are doing the right thing, don't worry about it. if you are trying to make a buck and are side-stepping the law, this is where we all pay the price. just my 2 cents.

 

[john in la]

While I will not get into why you are wrong unless you really want to talk about being legal.
I will just leave it at...........
You are dead wrong on some of your points.
Like I said if you really want to get legal I can show you the laws that prove my point.

Have a great day.

 

[buickanddeere]

Ask ten different cops and MOT inspectors about what's legal. You will get 10 similar but different answers. Enough different to get you busted good and fined.

 

[JD4boltB]

okay, put up or shut up. i want to hear what you have to say. as another post-er wrote, you can ask 10 police or DOT officers a question and get 10 different or somewhat similar answers. trouble is, the answer should be the same for all states and it is not. they seem to make the rules up as they are confronted with them. so then you are forced to either pay the fine if you get one or plead not guilty and fight it if you are summoned to court. i will stick by my post though and repeat that if i am driving down the road as a recreation vehicle, the laws for DOT do not apply.

 

[john in la]

(quoted from post at 13:37:43 03/31/08) okay, put up or shut up.
i will stick by my post though and repeat that if i am driving down the road as a recreation vehicle, the laws for DOT do not apply.

You are correct that a recreation vehical is exempt from DOT and CDL laws. The problem is you lump vehicals into this group that do not fit.
A recreation vehical has living quarters. I dought that you pickup; goose neck or the tractor loaded on the trailer have living quarters. So it does not meet the criteria.

While not being in bussiness will get you past DOT laws such as part 390. of the regulations it does not exempt you from CDL laws. Even if you were exempt from CDL laws it gets very hard to try and explain why you would have a truck large enough to fit the CDL laws for recreation use. Believe me the DOT has heard that story before.