Can I Haul My Own Freight When Empty ...?

Well most companies won't allow this.

 

you would be in a real mess if you did and something went wrong, you do not have your own operating authority therefore you can not legally haul freight you cannot be for hire. The company could make those arrangements but you as a driver under their authority can not.

 

No Dude. It's called "unmanifested inter(or intra)state cargo" and it is ALL about who has the legally authorized authorities to haul cargo and meets the regs on insurance, safety programs, apportioned registrations and fuel taxes - all the State and Federal crap you have to go through to be LICENSED to haul cargo of any sort for someone LEGALLY. That would be the company (hopefully) with the USDOT or ICC/MC number on the door of the truck you drive.

That was your question; right? Legally? ANSWER IS NO: Not the way you described. Plus your company will get TOTALLY ticked and can you and black ball you if you get caught. To THEM, you stole their freight haul. In a way - you did. If you did it. This is all hypothetical isn't it? Hope so.

Not slamming you by any means. Perfectly legitimate question we ALL ask when we start. The Hmmm's come out real big when you are starting. It's natural. Pay sucks starting and if the company is ALREADY paying the fuel etc to go where I'm going and I'm not harming them - what's the problem? Should be OK right?

Should be but ain't. Well, ain't LEGAL. I'll stay out of the ain't "right" issue. Legal and "right" are rarely in synch in our biz. It ain't RIGHT to not have to pay a driver overtime, like a factory or grocery store or construction worker or anybody ELSE in the employment land. Guess what. Interstate Motor Carriers are EXEMPT from having to pay INTERSTATE Drivers overtime. Minimum Wage? Yes. Overtime? No. Why do you think a driver's work week (Hours of Service - you know - 70 in 8 days; who else in the world has an EIGHT day work week - and can ANYBODY tell me what our eighth day is called? Is it Satususundamonday?) is based on 70 hours as the STANDARD work week: not 40 w/ overtime - 70 and more at STRAIGHT time for interstate OTR drivers? Last thing ANY of us (you OO's too) want to do is divide that net spendable income by what you spent in the truck earning it.

Folks; We are ALL nucking futs!!!

Something about that truck and road, though. Powerful call to say the least. Shame the fat cats take advantage of us roadies that keep everything in America moving (four minute challenge: In four minutes you can't name 7 inanimate things that at SOME point didn't move on a truck. Some animate things too LOL. Look around. Think about start to finish. How did it get there?)

Point being: Right and legal ain't often the same. What you gotta chose is which side of the line do you walk on. What you want to do ain't legal. The "right" and risk? Well, that's your call and your's alone whether it's worth it. If you get caught you'll go down hard. If you don't - you won't.

For what it's worth - I hope whatever you choose works out for you.

 

Good post. I hope it gets the point across. I know people don't like to hear what if but in our business it can mean time in a cell. You get in an accident at no fault of yours and the freight somehow causes problems there're be a line of lawyers waits to sue you in civil court. And you'll have no leg to stand on. So is it worth the risk?

 

Excelent post!

 

An add on to the OP's original question, what if you are an O/O on home time could you haul your own stuff not getting paid say like your RV to a campground for the weekend?

 

No. Not in a company's truck.

 

Yes, it is your truck. You would just need non-trucking use insurance.

 

Become a power only operator and contract with a big company like Werner. The contract allows you to pull their trailer and find your own loads in between pulling theirs. My old employer was a power only contractor with Werner.

 

Yeah I noticed that. Don't start multiple threads on one topic. It just clutters the forums up and spreads your answers out. I merged two of them. This kind of makes a third. Help us out with housekeeping and keep it all in one thread!