1 ton Dually Pickup Owners Question

[D_and_A_plus_6]

I am thinking about upgrading from a f250 to a f350 Dually. I was told it was a federal law that they are treat like a road tractor/semi, and must keep log book, CDL, med card, dot number on side of truck et. My friend was pulling a 5th wheel livestock trailer, got pulled over in a neighboring state and received several tickets because he didn't have any of this.
I've seen several duallies pulling travel trailers and dont see dot numbers on the side of their trucks, What the difference or what do you do not to get bothered?

Thanks for any info?

[lc0338]

If your friend is hauling livestock for as a business then there are more regulations plus hauling livestock across state lines can bring on problems if you don't have the proper documentation. Just as newman fulltime mentioned; there is a lot in play that may be not known 🙂

[2oldman]

Not true.

[TimnJo]

I know it is all state or province specific, but here is the actual wording for Ontario:

1.Class "G" Any car, van, or small truck (or combination of vehicle and towed vehicle up to 11,000 kg (24250 Lbs), provided the towed vehicle is not over 4,600 kg (10141 Lbs), but that is not a motorcycle or motor-assisted bicycle, a bus carrying passengers, or an ambulance in the course of providing ambulance service (as defined in the Ambulance Act). A recreational vehicle towed by a pick-up truck may exceed 4,600 kg (10141 Lbs)

2. Operators that don't need a CVOR certificate
Carriers that operate certain types of vehicles do not need a CVOR certificate. These vehicles include:
pickup trucks that:
• have a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 6,000 kg (13,227 lb)
• are being used for personal purposes without compensation
• are fitted with either the original, unmodified box installed by the manufacturer, or an unmodified replacement box that duplicates the one installed by the manufacturer
• are not carrying or towing a trailer carrying commercial cargo or tools, or equipment of any type normally used for commercial purposes

Annual and semi-annual inspections

An annual inspection is valid for 12 months.
Trucks, trailers and converter dollies, alone or in combination, with a total gross weight, registered gross weight or manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of more than 4,500 kg (9920 Lbs) require an annual inspection.
Total gross weight: the weight transmitted to the highway by the truck and/or trailer - includes the driver, passenger, fuel, equipment, tools, cargo, etc. carried by the truck and/or trailer.

This means that in my 3500 with a GVWR of 5909 Kg (13,025 Lbs) I can tow my 7257 Kg (16,000 Lbs) fifth wheel RV legally with my "G" licence and I don't need a CVOR but must have a yellow annual inspection sticker.

Tim

[drsteve]

In Michigan, farmers and farm workers need a "farmer endorsement" on their license to drive a tractor/trailer combo over 26,000 lb GVWR. Pass a basic knowledge test (easier than the full CDL test, and requires no road test or medical exam) and pay $5. As long as the vehicle is not for hire, and is operated within 150 miles of the farm, no CDL or weigh station stops, etc. are required. Smaller tractor/trailer rigs and pickups are exempt.

[noteven]

A single wheeler under 10,000 lbs GVWR on the door sticker is purposely stickered under its real capacity by OEMs so it stays under the GVW threshold of the myriad of rules laws and regulations between states and provinces and federal and local governments around log books and driver licensing, where you can park, etc.

Privately owned non commercial vehicles are generally exempt from the revenue extraction process.

Driver licenses have reciprocity in the US and Canada. Local weight, dimensions, and configuration (example tow double trailers or not) apply.

[Dave_H_M]

Deleted

[moresmoke]

10000 lb Gcvw is where you start wading into commercial territory if you are travelling interstate. Rv' s for personal use are pretty much given a pass. If the rv is used for commercial purpose (trade shows, transporters) it is a commercial vehicle.

Your friends livestock trailer being a gooseneck is at likely a 10000 plus trailer. Puts him into commercial weights. A farmer hauling his own cattle is considered commercial as it is a business. One would have to be pretty convincing that they are only hauling 4H club calves to claim personal use.
Now, if you stay in your home state, the state can have it's own rules and not follow the feds. Many states have farmer exemptions.
As others have mentioned licensing is controlled by your home state.

Personal use can be loosely defined as: owned and registered to a real person, no logos/business advertising/not claimed as a depreciable asset on your taxes.

[rhagfo]

newman fulltimer wrote:
was his chains on the horse trailer hooked up?
Was he overloaded?
Does he own a cattle ranch?
Is his truck registered as a farm truck?
lots in play at how laws read

4x4ord wrote:
I was hasseled at the border crossing weigh station while towing a gooseneck tandem dually. I was told that because my pickup (not a dually by the way) is owned by my company I am required to keep a log book when travelling outside of my home province even if I'm not towing anything. A personally owned vehicle is exempt from commercial laws while towing an RV.

These two do the best job of summing it up.

If the TV had a company name on it and/or he was hauling the cattle for pay (someone else cattle) then he most likely be required to have a CDL.

There is a big difference between hauling livestock, and an RV.

I would check with your DMV to be sure.

[SweetLou]

I suspect there is a lot more to the story that is missing

[DutchmenSport]

Been towing my TT, utility trailer, and several box utility trailers with my dually for some time now. Even a car hauler with my daughters car on it from Indiana to Charleston, SC once. Never a problem with law enforcement, weigh stations, or anything.

Now ... when that darn Tom-Tom says "turn right" and next thing I know I'm towing a 59.5 foot train through an apartment complex, well ... I get funny looks from folks standing on the side walk!

[4x4ord]

I was hasseled at the border crossing weigh station while towing a gooseneck tandem dually. I was told that because my pickup (not a dually by the way) is owned by my company I am required to keep a log book when travelling outside of my home province even if I'm not towing anything. A personally owned vehicle is exempt from commercial laws while towing an RV.

[newman_fulltime]

was his chains on the horse trailer hooked up?
Was he overloaded?
Does he own a cattle ranch?
Is his truck registered as a farm truck?
lots in play at how laws read

[stickdog]

I've pulled our 5th wheel with our 350 dually through 38 states and Canada and have never stopped at a weight station or been stopped by any law officer. Our GCW was 25,000. Don't espect any problems with our new rig at 28,000.

OP would do himself a service by looking at the regulations in his own state. If he's legal there with his DL he'll be good in any state he travels. Only caution is if planning on towing doubles, as these laws apply to both in and out of state towing. Not all states allow double towing and legnth restrictions in those that do apply.

[Lexx]

D and A plus 6 wrote:
I am thinking about upgrading from a f250 to a f350 Dually. I was told it was a federal law that they are treat like a road tractor/semi, and must keep log book, CDL, med card, dot number on side of truck et. My friend was pulling a 5th wheel livestock trailer, got pulled over in a neighboring state and received several tickets because he didn't have any of this.
I've seen several duallies pulling travel trailers and dont see dot numbers on the side of their trucks, What the difference or what do you do not to get bothered?

Thanks for any info?

Your state will have rules for what is considered suitable to haul under a Class C license. For example here in California, if your combined gross vehicle weight CGVW is over 26,000 lbs, then you need a non-commercial Class A license. You do not need to keep logbooks, take medical tests, or go to weigh stations afaik. You DO need to take a written and driving test to obtain that license.

In my case my F450 is a 14k lb GVW vehicle. So I had to pay extra for registration since the People's Republic of Kalifornia charges you extra for vehicles above 10k GVW.

If I hitch it up to a Grand Design Momentum 328m which has a GVW of 16,500 lbs, then my CGVW will be 30,500 lbs which clearly puts me above the weight limit.

So in my case, I am going to take lessons and then take the test for the non-commercial Class A license.

[MitchF150]

I've seen the "NOT FOR HIRE" printed on the doors of Semis towing large 5th wheels and such that were just private citizens towing their private RV with a very large truck..

But, I didn't really "clue in" on the "livestock" trailer part of your original post, but if it's a private farmer moving HIS livestock, you still should not have to have a full on CDL...

Now, if it was hauling for any kind of PAYMENT, as in salary, then that could be considered COMMERCIAL??

Dunno really.. What ended up happening to your friend? Did he have to pay a fine and now get a CDL to do what he was doing?

Mitch