From: MV (MV@dc9.tzo.com)
Date: Sat Jun 04 2005 - 16:35:46 PDT
I'm sorry it didn't work out - that is a lot of money lost.
I've heard heavy truck drivers say that they think the real way to make
money is to get a light rig as you described and get rid of the heavy
semi tractors/trailers. I guess the grass may simply look greener on
the other side.
You would think that if you have a rig and are willing to drive, that
you should be able to make a reasonable profit - but perhaps it just
isn't as feasible as it used to be.
Dave
grntrks@juno.com wrote:
> Went into trucking business last summer ( hot-shot). I'll give you a
> brief start up cost for our INTRAstate operation.
>
> 1. Driver training, 4 weeks school, $3,000.00. With no income for
> 4 weeks.
> Training is now required by USDOT with periodic refresher
> courses required.
> 2. Commercial liability coverage ($500,000.00 ), required by
> State of Texas.
> 3. Cargo Insurance ($20,000 ) required by shippers. Many shippers
> wanted $50,000 to $100,000 coverage.
> Combined Insurance cost $3,000.00 down and $600.00 per
> month.
> 4 1991 Ford diesel dually crew cab $6,000.00.
> 5. 40' gooseneck flatbed, 3 axle, $4,000.00
> 6. 18' car trailer $2,000.00
> 7. anual DOT inspection (1 truck, 2 trailers) $180.00
> 8. 6ea. tires for truck and 6 tires for gooseneck $1,500.00
> 8. Texas DOT registration, anual, $210.00
> 9. Class A CDL with all indorsements $50.00
> 10. DOT physical $60.00 anual
> 11. Drug and alcohol screening $120.00, random.
> 12. Office setup for DOT required files and records $500.00.
> 13. DOT compliant sleeper (pickup truck) $2,600.00 , unless you
> can show reciepts for overnight rest stops ( motel).
> 14. Ratchet tie-down straps, chains, boomers. $850.00.
> 15. Tarps = ?
>
> Total on above.= $24,880.00 before I left the driveway for our first
> load.
>
> These are just off the top of my head. There are more I can't remember
> right now.
>
> Then you should figure several thousand dollars for maintenance and
> repair, fire extinguisher, tire chains, tow chains, spare lamps and
> fuses, etc., emergency triangles. Not having any of these items will cost
> you a citation and fine for each.
>
> By the way, average fuel costs = $1500.00 per month. The IFTA permit is
> only required if you cross state lines. If you go INTERstate there are
> more registration fees, higher insurance requirements, and vehicle tag
> costs. Next time you see a sign on the back of a truck that says " this
> truck pays $XXXX.00 highway taxes anually" you'll have an idea what that
> means.
>
> We lasted from 18 June,2004 to 28 Feb, 2005, when we ceased operations
> before we were forced into bankruptcy.
>
>
> Frank Cox - 'Nam 1966
> MVPA 14530
> '45 GMC 353 DUKW
>
>
>
> On Fri, 03 Jun 2005 13:36:21 -0500 MV <MV@dc9.tzo.com> writes:
>
>>Yep, you are right. But I've got a bonafide corporation and I'm
>>dealing
>>with other corporations and they want everything to look right.
>>Also I
>>think I would have had a hard time passing my rig for a "personal
>>vehicle". It's 66 feet long end to end and that's a big personal
>>rig!
>>
>>I think I can get by with that a lot easier with my M51 dump truck
>>than
>>this rig. Plus if I keep everything commercial, my commercial
>>liability
>>insurance is working and if someone drops something while loading
>>the
>>truck, etc. I know I'm covered. Otherwise?? Who knows.
>>
>>I probably could have gone with farm tags and setup a farm division
>>of
>>the company, but those trucks are supposidly limited to 150 miles
>>from
>>home base.
>>
>>However from a commercial standpoint - the BS you have to put up
>>with on
>>a CMV makes me wonder whether it is worth it. It certainly costs a
>>lot
>>more than I had initially planned in both time and money. I've
>>heard
>>that independant truckers are dropping out and I can see why. For a
>>one
>>man show the legalities of trucking are pretty extreme with a lot of
>>
>>upfront costs.
>>
>>Dave
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>David Ashley wrote:
>>
>>>Um ah why did you ?
>>>
>>>" Proper commercial insurance and registrations onboard for both
>>
>>truck and
>>
>>> trailer."
>>>
>>>I think you put your self in this commercial arena buy having
>>
>>commercial reg
>>
>>>and ins. I don't know how much business you do but I think a
>>
>>personal plate
>>
>>>would have been a better option, Also I have heard the words "Not
>>
>>for Hire"
>>
>>>go a long way of keeping you out of commercial areas. I think you
>>
>>need to
>>
>>>go all commercial or all personal. Your business and the amount
>>
>>of income
>>
>>>will dictate.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: Military Vehicles Mailing List [mailto:mil-veh@mil-veh.org]
>>
>>On Behalf
>>
>>>Of MV
>>>Sent: Friday, June 03, 2005 8:20 AM
>>>To: Military Vehicles Mailing List
>>>Subject: [MV] My recent run in with the Commercial Vehicle Police
>>
>>- Indiana
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>I just wanted to share my tale with you so you can possibly avoid
>>
>>this
>>
>>>sitaution. I'd also like to hear about your experience with the
>>
>>CMV cops.
>>
>>>Last week on the Friday before Memorial Day I was driving my 22 ft
>>
>>>flatbed truck with my newly renovated gooseneck trailer attached,
>>
>>across
>>
>>>Indiana.
>>>
>>>Here are the particulars:
>>>
>>>Truck:
>>>GMC 1984 Diesel 22 ft. flatbed straight truck with 28,000 GVWR on
>>
>>the
>>
>>>door jamb plate.
>>>Indiana truck plates - 26,000 lbs tags registered in my companies
>>
>>name.
>>
>>>Hydraulic disk brakes on all both axles.
>>>
>>>Trailer:
>>>Dual Tandem Gooseneck trailer with 16,000 lbs plates - trailer is
>>
>>really
>>
>>>good for 24,000+ lb payload. Plates registered in my companies
>>
>>name
>>
>>>also. Trailer was attached to the above truck via a gooseneck
>>
>>ball
>>
>>>mounted in a well in the truck bed.
>>>
>>>Proper commercial insurance and registrations onboard for both
>>
>>truck and
>>
>>> trailer.
>>>
>>>I was heading across Indiana when a semi blew by me and hit his
>>
>>horn
>>
>>>pointing behind me. I had a cop on my tail with the lights
>>
>>flashing -
>>
>>>but no siren. I pulled over.
>>>
>>>I was not breaking any laws apparently when the cop pulled me
>>
>>over.
>>
>>>Commercial motor vehicles can be stopped without cause. It was my
>>
>>turn
>>
>>>apparently. This was the first time I had the trailer attached to
>>
>>this
>>
>>>truck.
>>>
>>>I was asked for my license (standard issue - non-CDL).
>>>I was asked for my medical card. I did not have one.
>>>The officer did a 100% inspection on my rig and found a tail light
>>
>>on
>>
>>>the trailer has stopped working - everything else passed.
>>>I had the proper USDOT numbers on my truck.
>>>I did not have a truck inspection sticker or documents.
>>>
>>>She asked me how many trucks I had in my fleet. I only have one.
>>>She asked where I was coming from and where I was going and the
>>
>>plans
>>
>>>for my trip.
>>>
>>>The officer told me that all 3 axle trucks and all combination
>>
>>vehicles
>>
>>>with total GVWR weight ratings of over 26,000 require a CDL. I
>>
>>told her
>>
>>>that the BMV told me that my truck did not require a CDL even
>>
>>though it
>>
>>>says 28,000 on the rating plate (which they did).
>>>
>>>After the officer did an entire truck and trailer inspection, she
>>
>>mulled
>>
>>>things over for a long time and finally said that she can't allow
>>
>>me to
>>
>>>drive the vehicle because I don't have a CDL. She said that she
>>
>>really
>>
>>>wished that she had not pulled me over since it was obvious that I
>>
>>was
>>
>>>trying to do everything correctly.
>>>
>>>She said I needed to call someone who had a CDL to come and drive
>>
>>the
>>
>>>vehicle from where it was. I made a couple of phone calls but I
>>
>>knew
>>
>>>that no one was immediately available. After sitting on the side
>>
>>of the
>>
>>>road on the back edge of the trailer for about 2 hours waiting for
>>
>>>people to call me back - she re-emerged from the car and gave me a
>>
>>bunch
>>
>>>of info - a department of revenue booklet with a bunch of pages
>>
>>turned,
>>
>>>a warning ticket for no CDL and a tailight out, and an actual
>>
>>ticket for
>>
>>>not having an IFTA fuel tax license and stickers. She then told
>>
>>me that
>>
>>>she would follow me down to a truckstop. She pointed out that the
>>
>>>truckstop was on a north-south county road and she drove on and
>>
>>did not
>>
>>>stay with me at the truckstop. Since I had to go north anyway,
>>
>>that
>>
>>>location was a convenient drop off point.
>>>
>>>There is a lot of confusion over the 26,000 lb limit for a CDL
>>>requirement. But the officer said that since the truck was rated
>>
>>for
>>
>>>28,000 it was clearly over even though the plates say 26,000 lbs.
>>
>>The
>>
>>>fact that I had a combination vehicle with a total plated weight
>>
>>of
>>
>>>42,000 clearly put me in CDL land she said.
>>>
>>>I knew that by pulling the heavy gooseneck trailer that I was
>>
>>running
>>
>>>the ragged legal edge pretty hard - but I didn't think I would get
>>
>>>pulled over so quickly. The pullover and the almost 3 hour delay
>>
>>(while
>>
>>>I paid for guys to wait for me at the destination) was costly. I
>>
>>have
>>
>>>called the courthouse to find out what the situation is with the
>>
>>IFTA
>>
>>>ticket and they could not tell me if it required a court
>>
>>appearance or
>>
>>>if it was just a fine. I'm guessing it is a fine since it is not
>>
>>a
>>
>>>moving violation, but who knows.
>>>
>>>This week I called the Indiana Department of Revenue - as they
>>
>>handle
>>
>>>the IFTA licensing - this was all news to me but I'm sure heavy
>>
>>truckers
>>
>>>are very familiar with this BS that they apparently have to deal
>>
>>with
>>
>>>every 3 months. IFTA is all about fuel taxes and trucks and the
>>
>>states
>>
>>>struggles to grab as much money from truckers as possible. If
>>
>>your rig
>>
>>>is licensed over 26,000 lbs, and commercial - you have to get an
>>
>>IFTA
>>
>>>license and stickers. Note that I said licensed - not rated. The
>>
>>DOR
>>
>>>doesn't care if you rig is rated for 80,000 and licensed for
>>
>>26,000 they
>>
>>> said. The proof is when you run it across the scales. If you
>>
>>exceed
>>
>>>your plates, or the maximum axle ratings - then you are in
>>
>>trouble.
>>
>>>They also don't care if you have a CDL or not - the DOR is all
>>
>>about
>>
>>>money. The cops at the scales and the CMV cops enforce the DOR
>>
>>laws.
>>
>>>Then I found out about interstate laws with a rig over 26,000 lbs
>>
>>total
>>
>>>licensed plates. My rig was officially at a total license weight
>>
>>of
>>
>>>42,000 lbs. (26K + 16K) Since the total rig is over 26,000 lbs
>>
>>she
>>
>>>told me I would need trip permits to visit other states with this
>>
>>rig.
>>
>>>(What? I already have plates - Indiana ones - what is this about
>>
>>I
>>
>>>thought - again caught off guard!)
>>>
>>>If you take a rig that is over 26,000 lbs across your home state
>>
>>lines
>>
>>>you either need an IRP apportioned plate or a trip permit to enter
>>
>>that
>>
>>>state. (Yes, more BS) I told her I may be going to Michigan, IL,
>>
>>OH,
>>
>>>and Kentucky and NY with my 42K licensed rig. I said how much
>>
>>would an
>>
>>>IRP plate cost for that weight. She said about $942.00. The
>>
>>truck cost
>>
>>> $1800!!! She said that I could get a credit for the unused
>>
>>portion of
>>
>>>my Indiana 26,000 lb truck plate - which cost about $350.
>>>
>>>I checked on the cost of trip permits and they are not cheap, but
>>
>>a lot
>>
>>>cheaper than an IRP plate. A 3 day pass to New York is $25, etc.
>>
>>Ohio
>>
>>>about $15. You need a permit for each state you pass through. So
>>
>>much
>>
>>>for the "United" States - this is expensive, and obviously very
>>>politically centered on the individual states. It's basically a
>>
>>big
>>
>>>money grab from truckers. If you are an independant heavy truck
>>
>>owner
>>
>>>operator - I have newfound respect for your ability to put up with
>>
>>all
>>
>>>of this BS.
>>>
>>>Anyway - even though I am setup as a Private Carrier - I move my
>>
>>own
>>
>>>commercial stuff - not for hire - this commerical truck stuff is
>>
>>darn
>>
>>>expensive. Especially for only occasional use - which is what I
>>
>>bought
>>
>>>the truck and trailer for - to haul machines that I purchase,
>>
>>rebuild
>>
>>>and sell. I'm going through the CDL licensing process which I
>>
>>don't
>>
>>>think will be much of a problem - just a time eater. Will it make
>>
>>me a
>>
>>>better driver - probably not. But it will make me 100% legal.
>>>
>>>The lesson that I have learned from all of this is to avoid
>>
>>getting into
>>
>>>the commercial end of truck situation if at all possible. I have
>>
>>an M51
>>
>>>5 ton dump with Indiana historical plates and I intend to keep it
>>
>>that
>>
>>>way. If you attempt to go commerical with a truck like a 5 ton
>>
>>M54 type
>>
>>>truck - make sure you have a lot of money to spend and you like to
>>
>>fill
>>
>>>out fuel tax returns every 3 months as that is what is legally
>>
>>required.
>>
>>> If you miss a filing there is a $50 fine. Also you will need
>>
>>trip
>>
>>>permits to cross state lines. More BS. If you don't intend to
>>
>>use the
>>
>>>vehicle for commerical use - stay as far away from the commerical
>>
>>stuff
>>
>>>as possible - In fact I would avoid getting a CDL since it may
>>
>>make you
>>
>>>look like you are a commercial driver attempting to skirt the
>>
>>law.
>>
>>>If you are going to be using a truck for commercial use - go all
>>
>>of the
>>
>>>way and do it 100% correct. You will just end up paying for doing
>>
>>it
>>
>>>right or pay even more for doing it wrong. There seems to be no
>>
>>in
>>
>>>between - at least that is the way I look at it now.
>>>
>>>I'd be interested to hear other people stories and experiences
>>
>>regarding
>>
>>>this type of thing and how far you can push the envelope before
>>
>>the CMV
>>
>>>cops come down on you.
>>>
>>>Do many people have 5 ton trucks licensed as CMV's. What about
>>
>>M35? If
>>
>>>a vehicle is over 10,000 K lb GVWR and commerical it is suppose to
>>
>>have
>>
>>>USDOT numbers (free to get) but it exposes you to more scrutiny.
>>>
>>>I have talked with some Commercial drivers and some have said that
>>
>>they
>>
>>>have never been pulled over by the CMV cops. I think there are
>>
>>only
>>
>>>about 10 CMV cops in the entire state of Indiana. Obviously last
>>
>>Friday
>>
>>>was "not" my lucky day.
>>>
>>>Dave
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
>>>To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org>
>>>To switch to the DIGEST mode, send e-mail to
>>
>><mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org>
>>
>>>To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>
>>>
>>>===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
>>>To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org>
>>>To switch to the DIGEST mode, send e-mail to
>>
>><mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org>
>>
>>>To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>
>>>
>>===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
>>To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org>
>>To switch to the DIGEST mode, send e-mail to
>><mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org>
>>To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>
>>
>>
>
>
> Frank Cox - 'Nam 1966
> MVPA 14530
> '45 GMC 353 DUKW
>
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