DOT Numbers

[paulie]

weve been fight this for a couple yrs pulling job trailer with a pickup and not having name on or gvw plate on the pickup,just gor tired and started pulling job trailer with big truck and the problem went away. i pull my 30 ft car trailer with the motor home or pickup with nothing on it and dont even get looked at, there are also laws on lenth for trucks and trailers for hire but non for private use,im 75 ft long with the mh and trailer but with a name on it im allowd 65 only,same wirh air brakes,if theres a name need cdl,but if its private no need,dont make sents

[PaulyPal]

OK here is some interesting reading, granted this guy is in Wisconson, but I think it will apply to other states as well.

As I got up to speed back on the freeway we had a Train of 3 trucks pulling trailers with Pulling Trucks on them heading North. I was in the right lane doing 70 mph and the Truck at the end of the pack decided to take the lead from me, which I was wore out and let him go. He just got passed me and then he took a hard right into the slow lane and that kind of caught me off guard, then I looked in the mirror and seen the Blue and Reds behind me, As I pulled off to the shoulder the Officer pulled behind me and my night was going to get better. 8:35 p.m.
So I pulled all the paper work I had out of the glove box and started to look for the registration for the truck and trailer. I had all the paper for the last 8 years in there on all 3 truck and trailers I have. The Officer came to the window and said Sir the reason I stooped you tonight was I didnt see your plate on the back of the trailer, But as I was walking up here I see its on the side of your ramp. Can I see your License and registrations please? As I found the current years papers I handed him them and he said stay put Ill be right back. OK its now 8:45 and at 9:10 hes still in his car writing stuff down. Finally at 9:20 he shows up with a second officer and asked me to come to the back of the trailer with him.
OK heres where it gets really good.
The Officer says to me Mr. Homa for the most part you did everything right so far. But heres where you messed up. The plates have to be on the back of the trailer so Im giving you a warning for that. I said OK Ill fix that tomorrow. He said they have to be in plan view and luminated at night. OK Ill have to work on that seeing the back of the trailer isnt that user friendly.
Next:
You have to get a DOT number cuz youre a money making operation. Even if you dont make any money all year you still have the chance to make some money at each event you go to. And you have Advertising on the side of the Trucks being displayed as you drive down the highway as well as down the tracks where you pull. If you stay close to home 125 mile or less, you wont need a logbook more the 125 then you have to log everything down in the book.
Next:
He said heres the tuff part, you have a 12,000 # plate on your truck and you have a 20,000 # plate on your trailer, And in the state of Wisconsin. You need a CDL for anything plated over 25,000 #, mine is Plated @ 32,000 # . The Officer said I know your just trying to be legal in all aspect but YOU dont have a CDL Mr. Homa.
So he told me hed escort me to the next Truck Stop up the road where I can drop my trailer, And bring back someone with a CDL to drive it home. Or call someone with and CDL to come and get you tonight. Which my Buddy Bruce does have a CDL but he was driving home with the other guy that was behind me in the train and they where now 50 miles down the road when I called him to come back and get me. Well any ways as we where sitting at the truck stop waiting for Bruce to get there the officer gave me the warning and then a ticket for not having a CDL and I now have to go to court in a month to pay the fine of which I have no clue what its going to be. But Im sure the judge will make an example of me. Cuz the one thing the officer told me was to pass this on to your Friends. Were looking for ya all.
So today I punch up the web site for a DOT number and there it is in plan view as of July 5th there cracking down on us. Heres the linhttp://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/ to get your DOT number and become a Truck Pulling business. Because we all know how much money we all make at this sport.
Well Bruce finally got there and after the officer checked out his CDL to make sure it was valid we where on our way home 10:20 P.m. and I now know what I need to do to be more legal on the road in Wisconsin, After I get my DOT number Ill be taking my CDL test.

[jerboeve]

The only reason the DOT number were brought to my attention was because of my grandfather. He has to have DOT numbers for hauling his gooseneck livestock trailer with his pick-up. He gave me a business card of a lady that can help this sitiuation out. Her name is Carol Heinowski, and she is safety investigator for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, located in Lansing. I will try to contact her and post what I find out about this situation.

[quad killer]

It is just the latest and greatest way the state can put it to the little guy
i won't get dot numbers ---- no way in hell
i was forced in to the gvwr plate when i got pulled over with truck and trailer coming from silver lake
i told joe police officer this is a family trip not business
500.00 later yeah---the following year I went back to the reg plate
catch me if you can

[paulie]

the latest site for dot numbers,www.safersys.org that is in the newest bullitin i get in the mail and with the mess this state is in they need all the money they can get and for the most part most of you have to pas one or more scales to get to the tracks,as sad as it may be id remove the decals on the truck and trailer its a hole lot easier

[jerboeve]

Found some information out from the state of Michigan, we do need DOT Numbers. Also Truck and trailer need to be inspected, DOT medical card, log book; if driving more than 100 miles. Called the Intrastate DOT Numbers (888)464-8736 for the DOT Numbers. Lady at that number gave me another number, (800)682-4682, that guy told me about the other requirements. He also said there is 200 pages of documents that we need because of the insurance, hazardous material (batteries and fuel), and other things. I stopped paying attention to the other things because this is stupid just for a hobby sport.

[MORGAZM]

I have papers that I will scan and post up on here. I have a buddy who's a state trooper for Michigan and his buddy is a dot officer. The state trooper buddy broke it all done in words that we can understand. However I left the papers at my work and I am off today so I will bring them home and post them tomorrow night. Basically it says if you have business names on the outside of your rig (truck or trailer) than you show that you're atleast making sponsorship money. The other part of the law is based on how heavy you are and the two classes of cdl's you will need based on the weight. The way I understood it was as long as you don't have any business names visible from the outside they will not hassle you, but like I said I'll post up his words and let you decide how to take it.

[jerboeve]

Not having a name on the side of a trailer is fine going down the road and not getting hasseld. I have heard of officers pulling people over after leaving events. If they see you leave a race then it hard to say that you were not there.

[MORGAZM]

It doesn't matter if you were there, unless they can prove you were competing for money. You can take your car there for show or for test n tune, and that does not make you a business it remains a hobby.

[MORGAZM]

Ok this is what I was given hopefully it helps out with everything