Not For Hire

@brian991219

 

How is the truck registered? If registered as private ownership then you should be able to sticker “ NOT FOR HIRE “ on the side of the truck and roll. I think, but I’ve never done this.

 

You would be a private carrier. Enforcement isn’t as fascist when you’re not hauling for hire. Your truck, your trailer with your belongings on it. Still have to be in compliance, licences and insurance, log and mechanical fitness, and the taxes, highway use and fuel. But beyond that they have no reason to mess with you a whole bunch. You don’t even need a Bill of Lading, in your case a Manifest. The list you give the insurance company to show what they’re covering would satisfy that. I might suggest calling a permit service, tell them what you’re doing and they’ll tell you what you need for permits. If the permits are in place before you let the clutch out you’re already ahead of most of the bad that could happen.

 

As long as you have insurance,and registration or temporary tag, I have called or emailed a scale house in each state because each state will have different rules, some will want you to pull in, other scale houses want you to bypass the scale. Not for hire stickers are not required, but sticking them on the side of the truck and back end of the trailer reduced pull overs from the DOT for questioning. Drug testing has only been required for hire. Fuel tax for most states when not for hire are paid at the pump.

 

You need to register it as a normal vehicle in California.

get insurance as you would as a pickup or a non-commercial vehicle.

plate it as such.

and go … you don’t have to deal with fuel taxes, you don’t need to worry about weigh stations or anything like that.

Don’t even have to put not for hire on the truck because it is a personal vehicle and trailer with personal stuff on board.

 

I just did this last year, except I went from Washington to Kentucky in a boom truck pulling a 28' trailer

Weight doesn't factor into it, my truck weighs 33,500 by itself and I can still drive it without a CDL

Don't need a DOT number, FMSCA , fuel tax, weight fees, drug test, etc.

Some states I went through wanted everyone to stop at scales (even RVs) and others only require commercial vehicles to stop. Never got pulled into the scale house at the ones I did stop at. I have "Not for Hire" on the doors even though it's not required. No idea if that made a difference for not being pulled in but it certainly didn't hurt

I'll send you a private message. I made a printout of all the laws that pertained to what I was doing in every state I went through. Most were clear that I was 100% legal. Some, like Iowa, weren't super clear. Fortunately I didn't have any issues on the move, but I have had to give lessons on the law when I lived in WA

 

1 run and done? I know what I would do....I’d let East bound Az close and ride on by. I’d act like the New Mexico port wasn’t there. Texas be closed and Oklahoma and Arkansas be easy to get around. I’d plate it as a pickup etc for personal use and put not for hire on it. Plead ignorance should you get asked. Lots of different opinions and lots of scary if if ifs. In truth there are not lookin to hang anyone especially a guy like the OP. Reason I say stay off the coops is no need invites to questions and anal probes. If you do everything that’s gonna be advised by some you’ll save nothing and have more headache than just leaving your current #### behind and getting all new #### in VA.

Again my opinion won’t be popular however for what your doing it’s the most practical. It’s not a big deal to get from the west to the East and never go in a government funded robbery point

 

Only trouble can come from scales so avoid them, otherwise I probably wouldn’t worry about following every last rule. Not going to be very practical but if you travel at night or in rainy weather you will be much less likely to be questioned. They’re not going to get wet unless they think there’s a payday coming. As long as you have registration and insurance and can explain what you are doing and it’s believable they will most likely turn a blind eye as long as you don’t do anything stupid or have a wreck. the sad part is that we even have to have this discussion.