Thanks for a very interesting post.

I do not want to be a carrier, or a truck driver for hire. I want to
have a CDL to haul stuff that I buy and resell.

i

On 2011-08-13, MTBSW wrote:
Hate to be the wet blanket but there's a few additional things you need to
take into consideration. It's not as simple as just getting a CDL and
buying a truck and trailer.

You really arn't talking about just becoming a truck driver and going to
work as a trucker for some other company. What you all are talking about
doing
would make you an interstate commercial motor carrier and that is a whole
nother ball game. One with a very complicated set of rules.

A few things that have not been brought up yet that you need to be aware of.
Some of the FMCSA rules for obtaining CDLs have recently changed. If you
are a new driver getting a CDL for the very first time you must now first
get a learner's permit and attend an accredited school for a certain number
of hours. Typically 3 to 4 weeks depending on the type of vehicle and class
of license your are aiming for. You must have so many hours behind the
whell. Since you don't work for another company as a driver you will have
to pay your school additonal for this. Since you are talking a trailer over
10,001
lbs GVW you will have to have a Class A CDL regardless of what kind of truck
you use to pull it with. The testing will be pretty much as other's have
described it.
One thing that may make it easier though is that the regs require you to use
a truck/trailer eqivalant to the class of licenese you are trying to obtain.
If you only want a straight Class A any truck/trailer will do as long as the
trailer is rated over 10,001 lbs. If you want to be able to drive a truck
with air brakes though then the test rig must be equipped with air brakes.
If you want endorsements for multiple trailers or tankers than you will have
to test in those type of vehicles.

MUST have a DOT physical certificate as some others have stated. MUST
always keep a copy with you when driving. Right now almost any doctor, LPA,
nurse practioner, etc can do. A rule change is coming soon that will
sharply
limit who will be able to provide these physicals. Costs will most
assuredly go up as a result.

MUST keep a log book as some others have also pointed out. This is for
tracking your Hours Of Service. Currently this can be done on a specific
paper form that is obtainable at any truck stop. MUST keep a copy of the
last 7 days with you even if you have not driven during that time. You are
only allowed to drive 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days and you need
the copies to prove you are in compliance. Currently only allowed to drive
a maximum of 11 hours a day and be on duty a maximum of 14 hours and must
have at least 10 straight hours off duty unless you have a co-driver and a
sleeper cab. DOT is in the process of changing these rules and will soon
require electronic HOS recorders to be installed on all large interstate
trucks.

MUST be in a drug and alcohol testing program. MUST pass a "pre-hire" drug
and alcohol test and records must be kept in a driver qualification file
(even as an owner/operator). MUST be available for random selection drug
and alchol testing at any time anyplace. Since you will be a single driver
company, you will have to join a testing consortium that will do all this
for you. Check with your local hospital or occupational health center as a
lot of these places run such consortiums.

Since you are talking about going to other states that will make you an
Interstate motor carrier. Thus, you MUST have a DOT number. This is free,
just register online on the DOT website. You MUST also have and file annual
financial responsibility paperwork with DOT proving that you have insurance
in the specified amount (I believe currently this is a minimum of 5$
million). You MUST
also register and pay a Unified Carrier Registration fee. This is done
through whichever agency in your state regulates motor carriers. If you
particular state is one of the few that is not in the UCR system then you
must register and pay the fee in a neighboring state. For one or two truck
the fee is currently less than 100$/year. The fines, if you are ever
stopped for a roadside check out of state and they discover you have not
paid your UCR fee can be very steep. UCR registration/fees are required in
order to
take any commercial motor vehicle over 10,000lbs GCWR across a state line
for any reason.

Oh, by the way, as soon as you obtain the DOT number you will be registered
with DOT as a new entry level motor carrier. As such you must undergo a
safety audit sometime within the next 18 months. Usually happens fairly
quickly. Someone from your state motor carrier regulating agency is going
to come knocking on your door and make sure you are in full compliance with
all DOT and FMCSA regulations and that all your paperwork is in order. If
not they will shut you down.

Your truck and trailer MUST undergo and pass a DOT inspection every year and
both MUST have the appropriate decals and inspection documentation on board.
Need to check with your state but you will also probably HAVE to pay an
interstate fuel tax fee. You will also have to document and account for all
fuel you buy and where.

MUST perform and keep copies of daily driver vehicle inspection reports. As
the motor carrier you MUST keep these reports for specific periods of time.
MUST keep records of all maintenance and repairs and keep a log of all such.
MUST keep a log of all accidents. MUST keep a driver qualification file
with all of the above items plus numerous others that I haven't gotten into.

MUST have bills of lading or similar paperwork for material/equpment you
haul and must keep copies of all for some time. You don't even want to know
about the paperwork involved in hauling haz-mat.

You WILL have to keep more records than you ever though could possibly exist
and will almost certainly need to hire motor carrier tax experts and
accountants. You haven't got enough time to handle all the paperwork.

These are just a FEW of the gotchas that you are going to run into if you
decide to be an interstate motor carrier. There's a whole lot more to it
than simply getting a CDL and buying a truck. I strongly reccomend going to
the FMCSA web site and look for their Guidebook for Motor Carriers and read
it. Around 200 pages if I remember correctly but you really, really, really
need to understand what you are gettnig into. Personally, I don't know why
anyone today would want to become a commercial motor carrier, especially
with only one or two trucks.

FWIW