Using my truck and trailer to move other people's equipment

[Ductape]

Go read FMCSA website.
You'll be a public carrier (interstate or intrastate)
Interstate, DOT rules apply
Intrastate, your state's DOT rules apply

You'll need an M/C number, which is your operating authority, which has all kinds of nasty rules with it. Cross state lines and you need UCR (some states you need UCR anyway)

But minimum, USDOT and all that joy, insurance, cargo insurance, new entrant program

etc, etc, etc

There's a reason it costs so much to move stuff around, and it's NOT the cost of the truck.
Random drug tests, annual inspections, commercial plates, commercial insurance. never ends.

I"m a private carrier (I move my own stuff) and it KILLS me to not be able to use the truck to do stuff like that, but it simply isn't worth all the extra money, paperwork and hassle.

^^^^ Honestly Joel, this sums it up pretty well. I'm 100% sure you will find that, in order to work within the law (and have enough insurance coverage to protect your home/family), it will take every dime you make doing this part time plus about half of your salary from your full time job. As a guy who spent 12 years moving stuff for other people, I can tell you that insurance cost alone will keep you from doing this part time. Throw in one confrontation with the truck police, and you are all done.

My honest advice is....... spread some word of mouth, do a few cash moves a year, and pray you never get stopped by the truck police.

If you decide you actually do want to try this legitimately, I'd be happy to PM you the name of the best insurance guy for this in the state. He insured my towing service for years and is the best there is.

 

[JoelD]

OK, so guys like you ductape and cowboy, twobit, brown, mjncad, wkpoor, fireman, builder ....and the many others who've taken the time to answer my question are exactly why I like this forum so much. No sunshine pumps, just good advice for a guy looking for some answers to something he knows very little about.

And many of you, I know because I read this forum on a daily basis, answer many of the same or similar questions over and over and over again, with nothing in it for you except to help a guy out.


Sincerely,
Joel

 

[mjncad]

You're welcome JoelD.

For what its worth, I used to do some small tractor jobs in my neighborhood, and I quit doing so when most; but not all "customers" turned out to be jerks.

Plus Lonecowboy is a Colorado businessman who has posted numerous threads about what he runs into with his business, and it turns out I was breaking the state's rules by hiring myself out. So I quit as it wasn't worth the hassle for the small amount of money I did make.

Now I just do tractor work for two neighbors as a favor, and if they choose to make a fuel and/or beer donation, that's OK with me.

 

[Frankdozer]

Joel,
How about private messaging me, I don't know how, and we'll talk about moving my dozer to Maine.
Frank

I just did a couple of searches and did not come up with much, maybe not searching with the correct words.

I'm thinking about posting on Craig's that I'll move other's equipment for a fee.

Use my truck and trailer to move other's tractors and the like.

Stay at or under 10K lbs on the loads and probably not go much further than a 100 miles from home or so.

Any advice or thoughts are greatly appreciated. I'm thinking this will primarily come down to insurance, any thoughts on cost would be great. Also, any ideas on how to price service are welcomed, dollars per mile, dollars per mile plus some amount?

Thanks,
Joel

 

[Frankdozer]

Joel,
For whatever reason, I cannot reply to your private message.
Send me in private your email address, I'll send you mine so we can discuss my dozer transport. By the way, it's a 1985 Komatsu D21A-5 with 6 way blade and weights about 8500# to 9000#. It's going from Hanover, Massachusetts 02339 to Bridgton, Maine 04009. I way is about 145 miles.
Frank

 

[JMynes]

Joel,
For whatever reason, I cannot reply to your private message.
Send me in private your email address, I'll send you mine so we can discuss my dozer transport. By the way, it's a 1985 Komatsu D21A-5 with 6 way blade and weights about 8500# to 9000#. It's going from Hanover, Massachusetts 02339 to Bridgton, Maine 04009. I way is about 145 miles.
Frank

Speaking of truck police...

 

[firemanpat2910]

hypotheticly speaking if you bought a "bulldozier" and transported said "bulldozier" that is yours, and once you unloaded your "bulldozier" you resold it to the previous owner at a slightly different price you wouldnt be moving for hire, would you? there are ways around red tape it is each persons choice of how they feel about the letter of the law and how much risk they want to be involved in. The laws make it such that if your mother bakes you some cookies for taking your tractor and smoothing her driveway that is considered payment and you have to follow a whole nother set of rules. If two intrenet tbn-ers hook up and both get what they want so be it, I say keep it on the down low and both parties get something out of the deal.

 

[LBrown59]

Joel,
For whatever reason, I cannot reply to your private message.
Send me in private your email address, I'll send you mine so we can discuss my dozer transport. By the way, it's a 1985 Komatsu D21A-5 with 6 way blade and weights about 8500# to 9000#. It's going from Hanover, Massachusetts 02339 to Bridgton, Maine 04009. I way is about 145 miles.
Frank

Mainly what's it going to be doing while in Maine ?

 

[Builder]

OK, so guys like you ductape and cowboy, twobit, brown, mjncad, wkpoor, fireman, builder ....and the many others who've taken the time to answer my question are exactly why I like this forum so much. No sunshine pumps, just good advice for a guy looking for some answers to something he knows very little about.

And many of you, I know because I read this forum on a daily basis, answer many of the same or similar questions over and over and over again, with nothing in it for you except to help a guy out.


Sincerely,
Joel

I like helping people out. It's nice helping someone like you who still has an open mind and a good attitude. Sometimes helping others actually teaches me and keeps me sharp, too.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of ignorant people who are too arrogant to be reached or are open to other points of view. They already know it all. I stopped trying to help them. I just skip over their posts and concentrate on the other ones.

I think the simplest thing to do is see if you can do what the guy I mentioned does. Try transporting small equipment within a small radius for contractors, repair shops, etc and see if that doesn't work for you. This way you're not crossing state lines, you can keep reasonable hours, you'll be able to get weekend work if you want it, and you'll keep your redtape/expenses low. You also don't necessarily need the utmost reliable equipment-if you use an older truck and it breaks, you ain't 300 miles from home.

I always thought when starting a business, start small and make an easy exit for yourself in case you don't like it.

 

[JoelD]

I like helping people out. It's nice helping someone like you who still has an open mind and a good attitude. Sometimes helping others actually teaches me and keeps me sharp, too.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of ignorant people who are too arrogant to be reached or are open to other points of view. They already know it all. I stopped trying to help them. I just skip over their posts and concentrate on the other ones.

I think the simplest thing to do is see if you can do what the guy I mentioned does. Try transporting small equipment within a small radius for contractors, repair shops, etc and see if that doesn't work for you. This way you're not crossing state lines, you can keep reasonable hours, you'll be able to get weekend work if you want it, and you'll keep your redtape/expenses low. You also don't necessarily need the utmost reliable equipment-if you use an older truck and it breaks, you ain't 300 miles from home.

I always thought when starting a business, start small and make an easy exit for yourself in case you don't like it.

I think you've got it right Builder.

The trick for me is sorting out just what my truck can pull, according to the book, with the 3.55 rear end and 3 speed automatic tranny, she's rated at around 12000 lbs GCWR (1986 Ford F250 with the 351 gas), I'm thinking that leaves not a bunch for the trailer? I don't know the truck's weight, it's an 8600 GVWR. My 1992 GMC 3/4 ton with 350 Gas 4 speed auto (with 4.10's though), pulled 15000 lbs relatively securely. I'm not sure my Ford could handle that. Is there something I'm missing or am I limited to 12000lbs minus truck weight, which would leave me the amount I could tow?

Thanks,
Joel