An intro and a question about drug testing.

I registered on TTR in 2008 and this is my first post. Back when I registered I was working in the construction industry and I wanted out of it so I was seriously considering getting my Class A (I had already had a B and some 10 wheel experience) and do OTR. An opportunity arose in the airline industry to work as an industrial maintenance mechanic and I went in that direction and it has worked out extremely well for me since then.

Here is my situation which is why I have a question about drug testing. I moved from the LA area to a town about an hour east of Amarillo. My hobby is restoring old machine tools. I’ve already moved about 40,000 pounds of machinery with a Penske box truck and my F-250 and a gooseneck trailer. I still have about 200,000 pounds of machinery to move from Hesperia, CA to Texas. At 10,000 pound a trip I won’t be out of there until the end of next year. I made the decision to get my Class A and buy a real truck to finish the move. I ended up with a 1989 Peterbilt 567 flatbed (488,000 miles, Cat 3406B, 13 speed, 10 wheel with a duel wheeled pusher and 54,000 lb. GVW). I had it gone through at a shop and all of the mechanical and DOT safety issues have been fixed. I plan on keeping the truck after I’m done with the move because I will have a use for it in the future, and it was a heck of a lot less money than a decent F-350 with a heavy duty gooseneck. I am not and will not be using this truck to make money. It is strictly for my personal use.

So here is my question. I was reading the Federal regulations for drug testing and my understanding is that an O/O has to put themselves in to a drug testing pool for random testing. Since I’m not using this truck for business purposes do I still have to place myself in that testing pool? Since I’ve never done any type of illegal drug I’m not worried about failing a test. My concern is that if I’m at my regular job I can’t just leave to go take a test. I can’t find an answer to my particular situation so any information would be appreciated.

 

Thanks for the welcome! Just FYI, I am NOT going to Califonicate Texas. I been asked that question more than once.

I’ll pay a visit to the DPS office and ask them. Thanks for the advice on that!

Old lathes, mills, drill presses, etc. They didn’t skimp on the cast iron when this stuff was made. Thus the need for a heavy duty truck. I also have an International 500C crawler loader that will be going in the shop as soon as I get my machinery set up.

 

I’ve been reading the regulations on HOS and I did find where it says that I can log in as Off Duty so long as I’m hauling my personal property. Knowing that, I would just as soon keep proper logs and HOS just to avoid the hassles of not doing it. Even though I can prove in court that I’m not hauling for hire I still don’t want the hassle of doing so.

You’re right about convincing a DOT or Highway Patrol officer that I’m hauling my own stuff. I know a guy that bought a 25,000 pound metal planer that he and a friend hauled home to his shop with a F-350 and a gooseneck trailer. They blew by a weigh station and were chased down and stopped. He somehow managed to convince the cop that it was for his personal use and avoided a ticket. I will be pulling in to the weigh stations just to avoid that kind of aggravation. And if I’m ever asked, I don’t sell any of it. As of right now that is true. But I know that that will be changing once my move is complete. No matter what, my plan is to just play by the rules of a commercial business. Again, it’s just easier to do it that way.

 

I’ll most definitely be over 26,000 pounds and pulling over 10,000. LOL That’s why I bought the truck that I did and why I’m getting a Class A.