Towing with a company truck?

[justafordguy]

Are there any laws that would prevent a business owner from using a company truck to tow a personal travel trailer?

[justafordguy]

I have my insurance agent checking into the personal use portion of my policy now. As long as they say I'm covered I guess I won't have any reason not to use the truck to tow with.

Sorry I forgot to give an update.

My insurance company said that I am covered for any personal use including towing my RV. I got it in writing. 😉

[OutdoorPhotogra]

In MD and DC Metro area the scales require any truck over 5T GVWR to stop. I don't remember seeing that in the Deep South. Be on the lookout if you head this direction.

[blt2ski]

I was a sole proprietor for 35 yrs. Insurance agents had my truck on a personal/commercial use policy. Did not worry to much where and what I was doing. Workers trucks was listed somehow different nth. But used them personally if need be, being as they only tool out trucks in am brought back at the.end.of the.day.

Marty

[justafordguy]

I am the company owner but do have a partner (he tows his boat with his company truck too), the truck is over 10001 lbs gvwr but doesn't have DOT numbers and isn't used for anything for the company except carrying me to work. It has no signs on the side. It is a small business (less than 10 people) but I will verify with my insurance company that the truck is covered for personal use. Hopefully I will not have any issues using the truck to tow on my personal time.

[mkirsch]

Since the original question was, "Are there any laws that would prevent a business owner from using a company truck to tow a personal travel trailer?" I would have to say that he IS the owner of the truck, and can therefore use it for whatever he wants.

That's assuming this is a privately held single-owner company. Partnerships and public corporations are a whole different ball of wax. Your partner may for example not want his half of the truck towing your travel trailer on a personal trip.

Covering up any DOT numbering is a good idea too, and probably the law.

[fx2tom]

I use my company truck and have no issue. Its easy for me since I am an owner. If you are an employee make sure your company policies permit it.

[ford_truck_guy]

I used my company truck ( F-350 ) for many years while towing , I decided to put that truck in my own name for liability reasons... In the event of a catastrophic issue , I did not want any links back to the business..

[carringb]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
I use my commercial truck to tow for personal purposes sometimes. My truck has USDOT numbers and company name and logo, as per DOT regulations. When I tow for personal purposes, I cover up my DOT numbers with magnetic 'not for hire' signs. This signifies that I am not conducting business on this trip.

On the insurance issue, commercial trucks are required to carry so much more insurance than personal vehicles, that I would rather have an accident in the commercial truck, if someone wants to really try to sue the pants off me, since I have double the liability limit on the commercial truck than I do on my personal vehicles. Because of the business, I also have an umbrella liability policy, so I'm double covered with that.

^This is the best and most correct answer. Unless the business has a personal-use exclusion written into the policy, the company policy will be superior to most personal policies. Covering the DOT numbers will prevent confusion (and photo bypass citations in some states) when you drive by scales. Don't go through DOT scales when towing a personal RV trailer.

[time2roll]

Just be sure to get the company fuel card 🙂

[toedtoes]

SoCalDesertRider wrote:
I use my commercial truck to tow for personal purposes sometimes. My truck has USDOT numbers and company name and logo, as per DOT regulations. When I tow for personal purposes, I cover up my DOT numbers with magnetic 'not for hire' signs. This signifies that I am not conducting business on this trip.

On the insurance issue, commercial trucks are required to carry so much more insurance than personal vehicles, that I would rather have an accident in the commercial truck, if someone wants to really try to sue the pants off me, since I have double the liability limit on the commercial truck than I do on my personal vehicles. Because of the business, I also have an umbrella liability policy, so I'm double covered with that.

I would agree with this, but folks should read their policies carefully and make sure that non-business travel in the truck IS actually covered and to what extent. Some insurances may have a clause that "incidental non-business travel" is covered, but anything more than that will require a second policy, etc.

[toedtoes]

There may be bylaws in the company that prohibit or limit it. If it's a small business, probably not; but if it's a family business that has been around for more than one generation, an incorporated business, or such, then there might be bylaws that limit stuff like that.

[SoCalDesertRid1]

I use my commercial truck to tow for personal purposes sometimes. My truck has USDOT numbers and company name and logo, as per DOT regulations. When I tow for personal purposes, I cover up my DOT numbers with magnetic 'not for hire' signs. This signifies that I am not conducting business on this trip.

On the insurance issue, commercial trucks are required to carry so much more insurance than personal vehicles, that I would rather have an accident in the commercial truck, if someone wants to really try to sue the pants off me, since I have double the liability limit on the commercial truck than I do on my personal vehicles. Because of the business, I also have an umbrella liability policy, so I'm double covered with that.

[BenK]

What Turtle said...and insurance might not cover any accident...your personal and/or
the company's insurance...

[OH48Lt]

If the GVWR of the truck is over 10,001+ lbs AND you use it commercially, you are required to comply with the logbook, some vehicle licensing, and other laws. Many states assume that it is commercial if it has signage on it. In some all you need is a ladder rack or something similar, and you are deemed commercial. A friend of mine got busted bad in Iowa for logbook requirements, all he had was an F-350 with magnetic signs on the doors, hauling his motorcycles back from Sturgis. He went past a scale and one of the creeper cops chased him down.

If the GVWR is 26,001+, then a whole set of laws start applying (CDL, etc).