Stovebolt.com Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts DOT numbers

I saw a little ad in the SC Farmer magazine that said that SC is set to start enforcing federal INTRAstate DOT laws 10-1-11. These apply to any vehicle used in "commerce" with a GCVW of +10k lbs. Read this as your half ton and a trailer, the literature they sent me said so.
This means, to begin with, a name and DOT number displayed. The little blurb about meeting "DOT health and safety regulations" has me really worried, up until now "Farm" tags in SC ment you could drive anything w/o a CDL, health card, DOT inspection, etc.
I really hate the idea of having to get my '52 COE (19,500 GVW) to pass a DOT inspection, and I can't afford to have a play pretty truck that gets 5 mpg. Anybody out there been through this?
Anybody got any good ideas for displaying DOT numbers that don't look so gawky? And you might want to check into it if you are working your old trucks, I can hardly believe SC is the only state to make this up, we aren't first in anything.
Thanks,
Scott

Write to your State Senators to try to get it stopped. Sounds like a bunch of nonsense to me. Too many rules and regulations on too many things lately. Could be some kind of money producing thing. Maybe you could start a petition. Keep us posted.

Bill

Bill, while this is indeed a SC law it is part of the Federal Motor CarrierSaftey Regulations, so it could be coming to a state near you. For the time being it is free to get a number, but failure to have one is where the fundraising comes into play. I also figure there were some federal highway dollars involved. That is why I was sounding the alarm here.
Scott

In commerce, or for commerce. Because both of those will mean different things. If you are in commerce, as in going to the feed store to buy feed for your own operation, or to the lumberyard, I would think that you would be exempt. Now if you were a framing contractor or a landscape contractor, it would shift to be for commerce, and become a commercial rig.

Sounds like another Federal government Carrot on a stick for the states. They lure you in with the carrot, and when you aren't looking, whack you with the stick!

In Texas as well as several other states obtaining a DOT number is part of the registration process.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration-licensing/registration-usdot.htm

Getting a DOT number is not very difficult. In Wisconsin they push having a number and displaying it on the truck. They even require that the bigger toy haulers and race car guys have it. It makes the roads safer for all of us. The bigger the rig the bigger the dangers. Don

Scott, I sure hope things don't start changing, but I'm not real confident. Still here in Virginia, if a vehicle is actually used for Farm Use, we still don't even need license plates. You can buy some "Farm Use" tags at the store, or just Paint "Farm Use" on the back of your truck. The only thing different lately is instead of the truck being covered under the farm insurance, you now are required to pay a little extra per vehicle. We also have state issued Farm tags, but not sure about any special privleges with those. The only trucks I ever see with DOT numbers are some long distance heavy haulers.

Keep us posted on how things turn out in your state.

Bill

DOT numbers are for commercial vehicles.So if you are hauling for money you need one.

How about if you are hauling your own product?

Bill

If it is for profit,yes you need a DOT no.NowIam not talking about hauling personal stuff like ng over to Sears to pick up a new fridge.