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Some Transport differences US/Aust

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Oldschoolmack, Mar 13, 2013.

  1. Mar 13, 2013 #1
    Oldschoolmack

    Oldschoolmack Bobtail Member

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    Mar 9, 2013
    0
    Hi everyone
    I was having a read of the post "Becoming an owner operator" (in the US) and my first reaction is "What a headache!"
    I say that not to take a cheap shot at O/O's in the US, but to empathize with you guys when you think to yourself "Bugger this!!" I won't complain about the bureaucracy so much that we face in Oz.

    For the most part, the basics are the same:

    Go to Registered accountant - get company name, register for Company Number and Business Number (ACN/ABN), Pay Fee.

    Go to bank with said detail - Get Business account
    Set up contact framework for company - phones, faxes, emails etc
    Go to financier with plan/promised work/contract etc
    Get Money
    Get Equipment
    Get Insurance
    Pay transfer fess and registration as required - this gets you on the road straight away to tow one trailer
    Get Maps
    Get Lost
    Get Better Maps
    Get GPS
    Get Bored with one trailer
    Get more trailers (and converter dollies)
    Get Accreditation so that you can tow more than one trailer (based on the premise your truck is rated to do so)
    Get Restricted Area Vehicle Maps
    Go road-training

    The last part for accreditation can sometimes give you a crook in the neck, there are a few hoops to jump through.
    With being an accredited operator you have to keep records of all your hours/km's, adhere to fatigue management regs, record all faults with the gear, document all your repairs etc...

    It does however, look somewhat easier than the final stages as mentioned in the "Becoming an Owner Operator" post, ie:

    "     Set up Process Agent
    9. Pay Heavy Highway Use Tax
    10. Obtain Operating Authority and Fed DOT number
    11. State IRP, IFTA, Operating Authority, UCR, etc"

    What is a Process Agent?
    Heavy Vehicle fees are incorporated in our yearly registration
    What are the Operating Authority and DOT numbers for?
    And what are the items mentioned in 11 all for?

    Look forward to your comments....
     
    Oldschoolmack, Mar 13, 2013
    Oldschoolmack, Mar 13, 2013
    #1
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  3. Mar 13, 2013 #2
    Autocar

    Autocar Road Train Member

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    Apr 28, 2012
    The Hot Rod Shop Oxford, AL
    0
    A process agent is a person designated in each state, that you operate in, to accept legal notices and paperwork, from that state. You don't need to find each, individual person, as there are companies that will setup all of them for you, for a yearly fee.
    Heavy Highway Use Tax, is a Federal yearly tax on trucks. It is paid yearly, to the federal government, cost is $550 per year.
    The Federal Department of Transportation controls who may, or may not transport freight and types of freight. To be able to legally transport freight, you must register with the DOT and they will issue operating authority and a carrier number, for that authority, to you. The Federal DOT also is the entity in charge of safety. If you run an unsafe company, or allow your required insurance to lapse, the DOT can revoke your authority.
    IRP is the International Registration Plan. This is your license plate, for the truck. You get it from your home state and they will apportion the fees to all the U.S states and Canadian provinces, that you operate in.
    IFTA is International Fuel Tax Agreement. Basically the same as IRP, but only concerns payment of fuel taxes. You file with your home state and they disburse the proper tax money, paid, to each state and province.
    UCR, Uniform Carrier Registration. This registers your Federal Operating Authority in each state and province.

    This is much easier than it used to be. The old way was to get your authority and then register your registration, fuel tax and registration in each state and province, that you operated in, individually. Now it is like one stop shopping, as you only need to do it one time, through your home state and they take care of the rest of the country and Canada.
     
    Autocar, Mar 13, 2013
    Autocar, Mar 13, 2013
    #2
    kw9's rock Thanks this.
  4. Mar 13, 2013 #3
    Oldschoolmack

    Oldschoolmack Bobtail Member

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    0
    Mar 9, 2013
    0
    Sheesh, glad to see they made all that a bit simpler - would hate to have seen what it was like before...

    Main Roads, Heavy Vehicle Division - A government department, looks after the assessment of records and judgement of being a safe operator or not in our state (West Aust), but it is a little different in some of the other states. Typically the differences are relative to configurations, axle spacings, where you can and can't go etc....

    As to what you are allowed to haul, there is really only two categories - whether it is dangerous goods or not.

    DG can be stuff like combustables, oxidising agents, explosives, caustics, acid etc and requires you to have all DG spec equipment relative to what you are carting and possibly federal police clearances for explosives/fuel etc......

    But if you want to move sand - go for it
    Want to do general the next day - off you go
    Get back from that one - go do an oversize
    And so on it goes.....
     
    Oldschoolmack, Mar 13, 2013
    Oldschoolmack, Mar 13, 2013
    #3
  5. Mar 13, 2013 #4
    JayTee

    JayTee Light Load Member

    248
    151
    Feb 14, 2013
    0
    Big question is, can you make any money? Over here this entire continent is in a limbo dance rate-wise. Spoke with a guy the other day that said he was tired of running for 1980 rates. I told him I'd love to work for 1980 rates as in some cases the gross rate was almost double what people will haul for nowadays.
     
    JayTee, Mar 13, 2013
    JayTee, Mar 13, 2013
    #4
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