Just a quick topic for those of you who think the DOT won't have an impact on your life.
In Oklahoma, they are now deciding to enforce the "commercial" rule....if your vehicle has signage, and it is obvious that it is used in a commercial endeavor, you can be subject to the idea that a CDL is needed to drive the vehicle....especially if your combination weight is more then 10,000 lbs. Matter of fact, it is left up the officer making contact with you what the rule will be and how he/she interprets the said rules...not what common sense or your own attorney may say.
Case in point: I was driving to a job site in my 1 ton flatbed work truck, not pulling a trailer, and not being pulled over for a traffic stop. I rolled into a DOT check point.....now, since I was not pulling a trailer, I was thinking self, I don't have to stop, I will drive right on through like all the cars and pickups.... WRONG. I was waved over to wait my turn for the endoscopy....and here is where this one went:
Officer: May I see your license and insurance, inspection report, log book, and fuel receipts?
Me: Here is my license and insurance card for this truck, and why am I being stopped?
Officer: You have commercial signage on your truck...you use this truck in business?
Me: I do, but I am not hauling anything.
Officer: Wait here. He takes my tag number, heads off to his car...after 10 minutes he returns and asks "why are you running a private tag and registration in this truck"?
Me: I am not a commercial hauler so I don't need a commercial tag, according to my accountant. I am a sole proprietor, I own this vehicle as an individual, and thus, I register it privately and expense my mileage.
Officer: You have a gooseneck ball on the truck, we can see you pull trailers.
Me: I am not hauling anything for hire.
Officer: The law says you cannot haul anything without being in compliance with the law, and since you have a CDL class A license, you obviously should know this:
Me: I am not hauling for hire, or for commerce:
Officer: Ok...I have had enough of this conversation. You are commercial in our eyes, and thus, you need a commercial tag, and follow the rules like everyone else. We enforce the laws for your safety.
Me: I am following the law, and This truck does not exceed 10k, and according to the IRS, I am doing exactly as I am supposed to with my vehicle tag...there is no law about me having my construction company logo's on my truck.
Officer: I can write you up today, but I am going to let you slide, so get your stuff together. Here is what the law says big boy...you will either remove your logo's, or you will add a DOT number, (which your license says you are associated with already), you will tag this vehicle as a commercial vehicle, you will register a vehicle weight, you will get an inspection on this vehicle, and you will carry an inspection report form filled out daily, with all fuel receipts, and mileage reports, plus a log book if you are over 90 miles from your place of origin. PERIOD. You will carry all safety equipment, spare light bulbs, and if you insist you do not haul for hire, then you will also install signs above your DOT number that say "not for hire".
Have a nice day, and he walked away.
Now........we know he would have written me up, but he wasn't quite sure when I used the IRS line and my vehicle expensing, plus private tag. But wow.....what will be next?
So after reading as much online as I can locate, the laws are going to be strictly enforced, to raise revenue, and insure safety. Maybe we can all drive Toyota Prius's and carry our tools in the trunk?
In Oklahoma, they are now deciding to enforce the "commercial" rule....if your vehicle has signage, and it is obvious that it is used in a commercial endeavor, you can be subject to the idea that a CDL is needed to drive the vehicle....especially if your combination weight is more then 10,000 lbs. Matter of fact, it is left up the officer making contact with you what the rule will be and how he/she interprets the said rules...not what common sense or your own attorney may say.
Case in point: I was driving to a job site in my 1 ton flatbed work truck, not pulling a trailer, and not being pulled over for a traffic stop. I rolled into a DOT check point.....now, since I was not pulling a trailer, I was thinking self, I don't have to stop, I will drive right on through like all the cars and pickups.... WRONG. I was waved over to wait my turn for the endoscopy....and here is where this one went:
Officer: May I see your license and insurance, inspection report, log book, and fuel receipts?
Me: Here is my license and insurance card for this truck, and why am I being stopped?
Officer: You have commercial signage on your truck...you use this truck in business?
Me: I do, but I am not hauling anything.
Officer: Wait here. He takes my tag number, heads off to his car...after 10 minutes he returns and asks "why are you running a private tag and registration in this truck"?
Me: I am not a commercial hauler so I don't need a commercial tag, according to my accountant. I am a sole proprietor, I own this vehicle as an individual, and thus, I register it privately and expense my mileage.
Officer: You have a gooseneck ball on the truck, we can see you pull trailers.
Me: I am not hauling anything for hire.
Officer: The law says you cannot haul anything without being in compliance with the law, and since you have a CDL class A license, you obviously should know this:
Me: I am not hauling for hire, or for commerce:
Officer: Ok...I have had enough of this conversation. You are commercial in our eyes, and thus, you need a commercial tag, and follow the rules like everyone else. We enforce the laws for your safety.
Me: I am following the law, and This truck does not exceed 10k, and according to the IRS, I am doing exactly as I am supposed to with my vehicle tag...there is no law about me having my construction company logo's on my truck.
Officer: I can write you up today, but I am going to let you slide, so get your stuff together. Here is what the law says big boy...you will either remove your logo's, or you will add a DOT number, (which your license says you are associated with already), you will tag this vehicle as a commercial vehicle, you will register a vehicle weight, you will get an inspection on this vehicle, and you will carry an inspection report form filled out daily, with all fuel receipts, and mileage reports, plus a log book if you are over 90 miles from your place of origin. PERIOD. You will carry all safety equipment, spare light bulbs, and if you insist you do not haul for hire, then you will also install signs above your DOT number that say "not for hire".
Have a nice day, and he walked away. Now........we know he would have written me up, but he wasn't quite sure when I used the IRS line and my vehicle expensing, plus private tag. But wow.....what will be next?
So after reading as much online as I can locate, the laws are going to be strictly enforced, to raise revenue, and insure safety. Maybe we can all drive Toyota Prius's and carry our tools in the trunk?
