So you want to hot-shot? (Will be updated/edited frequently)

In order to carry freight you need a 102” trailer, 40’? I’m using a car hauler with a solid steel deck, 82.5” wide and 36’ long, can’t haul freight with that? It’s a 15k rig. I’d like to be able to haul freight like the above posted.

 

This is basically what I’m working with.

 

You could probably modify your trailer so that you could haul some freight. You’d need to add to the sides, to it to make it 102” wide. It would require welding work.

The big problem I have with your trailer is the steel deck. You’d need to really know what you’re doing when it comes to securing freight. Steel decks are very slippery.

Depending on your situation, it may be smarter to sell that trailer and buy one that’s built to haul both, freight and vehicles.

You really want that wood deck when it comes to hauling freight. Here’s a picture of the style trailer I run. It has a lower deck height then most trailers so I can get some taller freight, and vehicles on which can increase the rate per mile. It’s just a little more versatile then other trailers I’ve worked with. This style trailer is also less expensive (in more ways then one compared to a lot of others). These trailers cost approximately $14,000 brand new.

 

Thats awesome, that’s exactly what I wanted but a bit limited to inventory down by south FL. Mine cost about the same, with some extras like the full diamond floor and winch but I am very limited to loads. I’ve contacted someone for the welding as well but aside from adding to the sides, all of not most of the D rings will have to be relocated. It’ll prob be best to sell or rent out.

Where do they have those Delcos?

 

Roll on Brother, good to see you now and again !

 

So you don't need a CDL whatsoever if the whole truck and trailer loaded stays below 26k? Did you still have to get a DOT physical and med card even with a regular driver's license? No drug consortium? That would all be news to me. The under 26k pickup guys that lease on with the RV hauling outfits are definitely required to do pre-employment and random drug screening and maybe even required to get a DOT physical...not sure on that one since I've always had a CDL and needed a med card anyway but would consider getting rid of it to save myself the $100 every 2 two years on the med card and increase my legal BAC back up to .08 like the rest of the adults. (Not much intention of going back to driving big truck for a company anyway. Those days are over I think.)

 

Total RATING under 26k, not actual weight. If the pickup has a 10,000 GVWR nd the trailer has a 14,000 GVWR, he's legal in most states without a CDL. Once he hooks to that 20,000 gooseneck, it doesn't matter if its empty, the combination's rating is now 30,000 lbs and requires a Class A CDL.

ALL commercial haulers must be in a drug testing consortium, whether CDL territory or not. This includes drivers expediting freight in cargo vans. All commercial haulers are required to have a medical card, too.

I worked with a guy who was using a Chevy 2500 and a 10,000 lb enclosed trailer with no CDL in TX. DOT nabbed him and put him OOS for no logbook and no medical card. Required him to stay there for 10 hours, and was waiting for him when he pulled out after the required break only to hit him again for not getting a DOT physical before pulling back out. Back OOS again, lots of $$$ in fines.

Just keep the CDL and med card current. Remember you need a logbook for anything over 10,000 lbs (E-log now). Its not all fun and games anymore; you can thank that craptacular show "Shipping Wars" for making every Joe Blow with a pickup think they can make a lot of money driving their pickups around. This is what brought the heat from the DOT.

 

Most of what you posted is true. I do not need a drug testing consortium operating out of my home state. My state does not require a CDL for running under 26k. I was grandfathered in for CDL back in the 80’s when it was implemented, I still maintain it. Shipping Wars is a made for TV to promote their Website who in the world wants to be the lowest bidder to get a load ? All for TV. The other things not needed below 26k in my state is no IRP or IFTA . Always check your home state because each state has different guidelines. I need medical card and ELD as about half the time I go 150 miles from my terminal.

 

I think I covered most in above post

 

That's kind of what I thought but got excited there for a few minutes thinking maybe I could skip all that crap.

You're right, the Class A license does remove the 26k GVWR limit thing...that comes up a lot at the RV haulers where a non-CDL guy has a 14k GVWR 1-ton DRW and can't legally hook to a trailer with a GVWR above 12k, which is quite a few of them. My truck is 12.5k so 13.5k would be the trailer limit...long story short probably a bad idea to get rid of the CDL on purpose if I have to have a med card anyway. 26k actual scale weight is still the hard limit per what the truck is plated for. (I've never been close to that pulling RVs...21k maybe)

Interesting (bad) story about the guy in TX. Unless you're running local-local in what the IRS considers your "tax home", everybody should fill out the logbook for one reason just as important as keeping the DOT happy...it's worth money as a tax write-off for per diem at the end of the year. DOT doesn't technically require a RODS if you stay within 150 air mile radius, but I would still log all that if staying out overnight because you could be well within the 150 mile air radius but well outside your tax home and thus be considered "traveling for work" and allowed to write off per diem on your taxes ($69/ day for 2022).

So, med card and pee-pee test is required for anybody operating a vehicle under a DOT-MC number for hire. I know how much the med card costs...about $100 every two years to renew it. How many Brandons per year does the drug consortium cost?