Commercial trucks for dummies

[Electra_Glide]

Well, I'm fairly new at this whole commercial truck thing.

What's the best source of information to get the basics of owing and operating a commercial truck? I'm specifically talking about a medium-duty dump truck/tag trailer combo. All I'm looking to do is move my equipment from point A to point B, and occasionally pick up and deliver material to the jobsite.

I've looked at both the FMCSA website and my local state DMV website, but both of them make my head spin... :dizzy. I started to read the FAQ on the FMCSA website, but quickly got lost. The real problem is that I don't even know enough to ask the right questions.

Any help on where to get started would be appreciated...thanks in advance.

Joe

[DKinWA]

When I started a few years ago, I had a heck of a time trying to figure out what I needed to do to be legal. I'd ask other owner operators in your area and see if you can sit down with one of your local CMV officers and go over what's required. There's a lot to learn, but here's some of the information you'll need to know and understand for drivers: commercial driver license, drug testing, hours of service, driver logs (if needed) and DOT physical. For the truck: insurance, daily/monthly paperwork, annual DOT inspections, load securement, marking (business name, dot numbers etc) and daily driver inspections. Unfortunately, some of this seems to vary by state and locality which makes it even more difficult.

I'm honestly surprised how much commercial trucks and drivers are required to do to operate legally. If everyone had to go through the same steps commercial drivers go through, I'm convinced a lot of folks wouldn't be allowed to drive. :)

[Steve Frazier]

Your one stop source for Dot rules and regulations is J. J. Keller & Associates (http://www.jjkeller.com/). They've got it all, plus log books and others needs.

[Electra_Glide]

All I'm looking to do is move my equipment from point A to point B, and occasionally pick up and deliver material to the jobsite.
Hey Steve,

I've been doing a bit of reading, and I keep getting stuck on the definition of a "for hire" vs. private carrier. Using the statement from the above quote, does that make me a for-hire or private carrier?

Joe

[Dwan Hall]

My understanding is if you own whatever it is you are carrying you are a private carrier.

I have used this in the past this way.
A customer calles and wants a load of wash rock from the local pit. If I go get it and the customer pays for it at the pit then it is for hire. But if I buy the wash rock put it in my truck, mark it up a bit, and sell it to the customer then I am a private carrier because the load was mine at the time I was hauling it. That has passed scrutney with the state DOT inspectors here in Alaska. Also they require me to have lettering 2" high in contrasting color on my truck that say "PRIVATE CARRIER"

[Electra_Glide]

My understanding is if you own whatever it is you are carrying you are a private carrier.

I have used this in the past this way.
A customer calles and wants a load of wash rock from the local pit. If I go get it and the customer pays for it at the pit then it is for hire. But if I buy the wash rock put it in my truck, mark it up a bit, and sell it to the customer then I am a private carrier because the load was mine at the time I was hauling it. That has passed scrutney with the state DOT inspectors here in Alaska. Also they require me to have lettering 2" high in contrasting color on my truck that say "PRIVATE CARRIER"Dwan,

Thanks a bunch...that makes sense to me, and this is just the type of "practical", real-world explanation I was looking for. This is also the same way I was thinking of it.

That would explain why I occasionally see trucks running around with "NOT FOR HIRE" lettering on them.

Thanks again...

Joe

[DennisJonesCon.]

I have read in the CMV manual that you are limited to 150 from your base as well.