DOT in TX

[freefalling]

Been a career pipeline welder/welder...

Starting up my own outfit now and I am probably gonna merge up with one of yall dirt contractors in the area once we get the ball rolling but.. I don't know **** about dirt. It's embarassing but by the time we come out on the ROW yall have already started prepping row and strung pipe and when we finish for the day yall have already backfiled..

But... how bad is DOT down here near Houston/Edna/Victoria/Rosenberg/Freeport/Lake Jackson/Ganado area. I've never gotten pulled over and I've got a 42' bumper pull camper that weighs in around 16k-17 lbs wet and my bed probably weighs in around 5k with welder but that's my house not commercial... I've got two rig trucks (3500 duallys wiht superspring overloads and airbags on the other) and was gonna pull a case 590 backhoe with it, probably load it down with a knack box in the front couple water cages whatever I can to make it all be able to pull in one trip to wherever we gotta go to..

Is there anyway around not getting a MACK or a Kenworth. I could get a Mack but I've already got a gooseneck but I'm gonna be over weight. I think the backhoe alone weighs in wet probably around 19k lbs... :Banghead

Theres cops everywhere over here though.. Just dunno how strict they are on equipment.


Thanks

 

[Turbo21835]

Hey, who cares if the truck can't stop the load. Just because it can get the load going doesn't mean you should be pulling it. But hey, its your business and lawyer fees if something goes bad.

 

[jdm]

Shouldn't be any DOT in Texas it is a do anything you want state.

 

[freefalling]

Hey, who cares if the truck can't stop the load. Just because it can get the load going doesn't mean you should be pulling it. But hey, its your business and lawyer fees if something goes bad.

nice.
I pay my operators get paid 23/50/100 and a fuel card..
good input though.

 

[mowingman]

They will get you sooner or later. They know that small contractors are usually "easy pickings", with undersize trucks and trailers, and marginally maintained equipment.
If you are over the GVW ratings, or, axle ratings, you WILL get caught. It is just a matter of how long you can get away with it.

 

[freefalling]

They will get you sooner or later. They know that small contractors are usually "easy pickings", with undersize trucks and trailers, and marginally maintained equipment.
If you are over the GVW ratings, or, axle ratings, you WILL get caught. It is just a matter of how long you can get away with it.

10-4.

Not everyone can have a credit line like wilbros or born into money heh

but yea. i know what you mean

 

[crazycajun]

Yea, I did what I had to do to get by in the beginning... A fine usually runs us about 300-1000 dollars... Not that big of a deal if u get 2-3 fines a year... But boy if you hurt someone and they find you at fault overloaded, insurance company gonna have a hell of a settlement

I'm in Louisiana BTW

 

[LT-x7]

Most of the 1 ton welding/service trucks are close to, if not overloaded without any trailer hooked up.....
Now figure in that even a late model 1 ton with the gvw of a small medium duty truck will be just about overloaded with a 590 hoe and no other cargo.....
It sounds like this all adds up to a horrible idea to me.

 

[joispoi]

An easy way to avoid getting a Mack or a Kenworth is to get a Peterbuilt.

Seriously though, you can drop just as much money on a one ton with all the bells and whistles (if not more) as you would on a slightly broken in truck that will do what you're looking to do legally.

 

[freefalling]

Thanks for the input yall. And yea are welder trucks do way a lot but I try to keep em pretty light. Used to run welder beds but I stopped doin that a few years back. Just run a tub rig with a knack box. I like the T800's . Seems like almost every pipeline and dirt contractor work em. Sure are expensive though.

 

[LT-x7]

Around here you can buy a decent truck for less than 10k. I said decent, not great.
If you have semi short moves have you considered hiring someone to move the hoe. You have to be moving a decent amount to cover the registration, insurance, and other cost of ownership.