Why would he buy a 60' genie lift? How would he transport that? My buddy in the business has a 45' and has to transport it on his backhoe trailer.
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CDL Truck or not?
- Thread starter Tifosi
- Start date
Why would he buy a 60' genie lift? How would he transport that? My buddy in the business has a 45' and has to transport it on his backhoe trailer.
Billct2
Active Member
Seems to me the best solution is to stay away from anything requiring a CDL, if at all possible.
A lot of the buckets that are heavy is due to the utility bodies they are on. Personally I've always preferred
a low deck flatbed with a few undermount boxes to leave room to carry the signs. They're tough to find though. Which is why so many end up with former utility trucks that weigh a lot.
A lot of the buckets that are heavy is due to the utility bodies they are on. Personally I've always preferred
a low deck flatbed with a few undermount boxes to leave room to carry the signs. They're tough to find though. Which is why so many end up with former utility trucks that weigh a lot.
You are absolutely correct. Flatbed with under deck storage is the best. the only time you get one is if you have the truck built new or stumble on someone else's sign truck. If you are planning on pulling trailers and doing bigger jobs you really need a heavier duty truck
rjssigns
Active Member
It would appear I understand quite a bit. And you're getting stressed out for nothing.
I've been there done that since I travel to race. I also talk to the truckers whose trucks I letter. Besides my BIL being in the trucking business. I need to be prepared wherever I go and that means meeting minimum DOT requirements wherever I tow. DOT regs are DOT regs period.
The difference is how motor carrier enforcement doles out the punishment after and incident. And it varies...a lot.
I also studied transportation management in college. I wrote a paper for finals detailing the morass of things I have to do to pursue my racing.
Weight wise here is what I know. Stay in state and have an accident. Then tell the trooper you're legal because you know the law better.
I know the main motor carrier trooper. In his words: "If you have not met the minimum legal requirements wherever you tow there will be no end to the tickets written".
I will close by saying: "Have at and let me know how that works for ya".
knucklehead
New Member
And, by the time one gets through reading this thread, the laws have probably been updated/(changed for no reason, other than change), only be-knownst to the ones who made the changes.
dale911
President
dot rules and trucks
I've been a road cop for 11 years in Indiana and even I don't understand all the laws when it comes to trucks. That's why they have motor carrier enforcement. Now, that being said, I own a sign shop and a mobile DJ business. We had considered getting into the inflatables world until I did a few jobs with some inflatables people. There is a US DOT restriction on weight that's around 10k pounds combined weight. That is the truck and the trailer and the people and the contents. If you go over weight, you MUST have a US DOT number. You don't have to have a CDL, but you have to have the number. When you get into CDL world, it gets much much more complicated. Federal law mandates the medical rules and what is required to be on the vehicle. Each state may be more restrictive, but may not be less restrictive. That's in all law. (that's why feds are still jailing people in states where marijuana is legal. Federal law supercedes)
The CDL world is a pain. If I run into someone that is supposed to have a CDL and doesn't or it's invalid due to failure to follow medical or whatever, it's not just a ticket. It's a motor carrier call and they come over and write every ticket they can and then they tow the vehicle and put a hold on it for whatever they wrote the tickets for. You end up with a bunch of tickets, you have to have whatever fixed before it can leave the lot, have a valid operator with a CDL to get it out and tow fees and storage fees. And the trucks that tow the big trucks run inteh ballpark of $950 for half hour of use, not mileage. That's because their truck payment and their insurance is so high. ( A standard wrecker service has insurance in excess of $10k a year. Multiple trucks increase it substantially. I know some companies that are in excess of $30k a year just for insurance)
I would avoid any chance of needing a CDL or having a CVGR (combined vehicle gross rating) that requires a DOT number. There are fees associated and they are also yearly. Some states also add inspections to the mix. Good luck. Also, never take the word of a single officer on advice like that. I run into situations all the time where officers told someone wrong or they interpreted it wrong and they are still violating the rules and end up getting cited. READ THE LAW! If you don't understand it, consult more than one officer to make sure you are getting the same information. It's really not worth the ownership of something like that unless you are making tons of $$$$. Keep subbing it out and let someone else deal with the headaches.
I've been a road cop for 11 years in Indiana and even I don't understand all the laws when it comes to trucks. That's why they have motor carrier enforcement. Now, that being said, I own a sign shop and a mobile DJ business. We had considered getting into the inflatables world until I did a few jobs with some inflatables people. There is a US DOT restriction on weight that's around 10k pounds combined weight. That is the truck and the trailer and the people and the contents. If you go over weight, you MUST have a US DOT number. You don't have to have a CDL, but you have to have the number. When you get into CDL world, it gets much much more complicated. Federal law mandates the medical rules and what is required to be on the vehicle. Each state may be more restrictive, but may not be less restrictive. That's in all law. (that's why feds are still jailing people in states where marijuana is legal. Federal law supercedes)
The CDL world is a pain. If I run into someone that is supposed to have a CDL and doesn't or it's invalid due to failure to follow medical or whatever, it's not just a ticket. It's a motor carrier call and they come over and write every ticket they can and then they tow the vehicle and put a hold on it for whatever they wrote the tickets for. You end up with a bunch of tickets, you have to have whatever fixed before it can leave the lot, have a valid operator with a CDL to get it out and tow fees and storage fees. And the trucks that tow the big trucks run inteh ballpark of $950 for half hour of use, not mileage. That's because their truck payment and their insurance is so high. ( A standard wrecker service has insurance in excess of $10k a year. Multiple trucks increase it substantially. I know some companies that are in excess of $30k a year just for insurance)
I would avoid any chance of needing a CDL or having a CVGR (combined vehicle gross rating) that requires a DOT number. There are fees associated and they are also yearly. Some states also add inspections to the mix. Good luck. Also, never take the word of a single officer on advice like that. I run into situations all the time where officers told someone wrong or they interpreted it wrong and they are still violating the rules and end up getting cited. READ THE LAW! If you don't understand it, consult more than one officer to make sure you are getting the same information. It's really not worth the ownership of something like that unless you are making tons of $$$$. Keep subbing it out and let someone else deal with the headaches.
signage
New Member
FSKeith the back of my PA issued CDL class B says 25,000 (see attached photos). So I looked it up and they have raised since mine was issued!
I am not guessing at my statements! In my last job I supervised and trained employees in this vary Field. If you read the DOT laws they do state interstate and intrastate, so if you truck is registered in the state and no violations and/or accidents outside of you state you are good to go as intrastate. Now cross state lines and get a violation or accident the book will be thrown at you.
One other thing if you have a CDL you can not play dumb to these rules, you are required to know them. On the other hand have a regular license and you may be let got with a warning.
Oh and one other thing if the manufactures GVW is above those weights the vehicle falls under them as far as DOT is concerned. So an F550 w/cab and chasis fall in the 15,001 + range evan if you register it to a lower weight class!
I am not guessing at my statements! In my last job I supervised and trained employees in this vary Field. If you read the DOT laws they do state interstate and intrastate, so if you truck is registered in the state and no violations and/or accidents outside of you state you are good to go as intrastate. Now cross state lines and get a violation or accident the book will be thrown at you.
One other thing if you have a CDL you can not play dumb to these rules, you are required to know them. On the other hand have a regular license and you may be let got with a warning.
Oh and one other thing if the manufactures GVW is above those weights the vehicle falls under them as far as DOT is concerned. So an F550 w/cab and chasis fall in the 15,001 + range evan if you register it to a lower weight class!
Attachments
Well, I want to thank everyone for their input. We are talking with our insurance company to see what they say. The extra height and tools with the bigger trucks really makes me ponder. So far we have come close to covering a 1/4 of the cost of the truck in question with equipment rental fees this year. Not to mention all the other times the larger truck could have been used as a crane while the smaller truck mounted the signs.
Again, thank you for all of the input. I was not sure of the differences if any of a "sign truck" versus a hauling company tractor trailer and records that must be kept.
I will keep you all posted to what my findings uncover.
Again, thank you for all of the input. I was not sure of the differences if any of a "sign truck" versus a hauling company tractor trailer and records that must be kept.
I will keep you all posted to what my findings uncover.
sigsignman
New Member
in KY, the magic number is 26,001 before having to have a cdl. I purchased an Elliott L-60 bucket truck and it came "certified" to be under 26000lbs on the inside drivers door. I guess if you put 5000lbs worth of signs on top, you have a problem then.