DOT for short term intrastate rentals?

F2 would not apply as a fire department isn't a department of the State. Well maybe not. Around here and where I grew up in Texas it's a private company contracted to the State for fire prevention services, etc... They are not employees of the government. I assume all jurisdictions are the same, but maybe not.

 

Get it for free... See if there is a National Guard or Army Reserve transportation company nearby, and see if they will move it for you as "training" for their troops. Their budgets will cover the fuel and personnel, and they have line haul tractors (and even better, depending upon the conditions where its being delivered) with 30-53' trailers (the 53s are 48+5 step-decks, the M871A3). You would only have to be open to weekend pickup and delivery.

 

A city would be covered as a "political subdivision of a state." Where I live, we have a volunteer fire department. They get some state funding, and some from the county. They also do some fundraising, but operationally, they function as an Osage County agency.

 

A little late to the party but here goes. Here's the problem, as I see it.
1.) Can you rent for 2 days, a CMV class 48'/53' flatbed and tractor without an MC/DOT number from the rental company? That's the first thing to check.
2.) I know a lot of municipalities can be self-insured, so the question becomes are they, and will the insurance cover any damages from this kind of activity.
3.) Is the load OS/OW? If so, you may, everything else being allowed, need to pull permits along the county routes. Insurance must also be considered, OS/OW.
4.) It's important to know that if the municipality you work at requires you to have a CDL. If so, you need to know two things:

a.) You and the municipality, upon the requirement of the CDL are now bound by two rules they are no longer exempt from:

1.) Drug Testing - this is the reason many municipalities require a CDL thereby bypassing Union Contract Negotiations to subject personnel to it.
2.) Load Securement - Because of the requirement, the city and you are liable for load securment rules and regulations, not just good sense.​

Check with the State department responsible for DOT enforcement (State Police, DMV, etc) for clarity...before you do any of the other things on this list.
Although government agencies tend to cut each other some slack when going through their borders, it's not a guarantee, so a cash strapped municipality next door may zealously enforce DOT regs regardless of who it is, which is why those above two mentions are important for you to realize. You and the city are not exempt from them, and a state of bordering municipality, county,...etc could enforce them, including weight, so make sure the load is NOT OS/OW without permits.
Yes, I can speak to this authoritatively.

Almost forgot, as far as RODS, is concerned, as long as you abide by the intrastate and Short haul regs, you most likely wont have to log, but you must stay within those rules, including number of hours you can operate for those two days, which, depending on those rules requires you to return home for at least 8 hours, and limits the number of driving hours during the on duty time.