Finally got my own truck

The point is, you are not a legal motor carrier. Therefore you can't legally engage in interstate commerce. Do what you want. It doesn't affect me what so ever. But no matter how you try to spin it, it's illegal.

 

If you don't have a dot number and an mc number. 750,000 in liability insurance. And a few other things. You can't legally do it.

 

Thanks for this answer, it's helpful. Is a bill of lading a requirement for your specific company to move something? Why is that and do you see it as something that limits your ability to move freight and make money? As for the 53' van, the idea would be focus on things that fit inside instead of looking at towing doubles..like easy sofa's, motorcycles, etc..that you can strap down and go.

With all the valid complaints about reduced freight prices, it seems like out of the box thinking and looking at all avenues of revenue is the way to go however it seems like there's a good bit of resistance or archaic policies that prevent it.

 

Respectfully, a private citizen using a vehicle or combination under 10K GVWR, that is not designed to carry more than 9 passengers, is not transporting Hazmat, but is involved in incidental commercial activity is not required to register as a legal motor carrier, apply for a DOT number, MC number, or carry $750K in liability insurance. For a while I was thinking about starting a side business and researched the FMCSA quite a bit. As a side result, I remember reading 49 CFR, specifically Part 390.5: Definitions, which specifies who is subject to the FMCSA regs.

EDIT: To be fair, you're partially right because the time I delivered the car my RV + trailer was over 10K lbs. There was no way for anyone to know since I don't have a company or plaster logos on my truck but technically, I was involved in interstate commerce and should have had a DOT number. Still seems to be a bit gray though because of the distinction between private person and being a company.

 

Thanks for the interesting perspective and sharing your reasons, I look forward to keeping up with your travels and numbers.

 

I think the main reason besides price is thoese type of coustemers usually expect white glove service and can be a total pain in the ###. Wants to meet you at some crazy place and want you to help load it and it's always damaged or ruined when it arrives. They are always totally unprepared for the loading and unloading of the product. Also never on time and always full of bs.

Whith the freight we haul it is mostly loaded and unloaded by the coustemer in a facility designed and equipped for our vehicles.

Now that I write it, this sounds just like what we do in flatbed work!!!

Lol!

 

That's your problem right there....There's something in the water...clouding your thinking...

This made me LOL...

 

A bill of lading can be written out by hand by a driver if the shipper is too incompetent to provide one. Yes, it is a regulation that you have one when transporting freight...

I wonder who has time for skinflints shipping a motorcycle or grandma's couch except for fake people on a reality tv show in a ridiculous race to the bottom? If I had to look for scraps of nothing like that on u-ship or craigslist I'd sell my truck.