Commercial Motor Vehicle requirements?

gsganzer · Jul 9, 2020

Can anyone shed some light on a vehicle requiring to be a CMV or not?

Here's my scenario. I have a LLC and the company bought (titled and insured by company) a 2016 Chevy 3500 with a GVWR of 13,200lbs. It only hauls me and my tools for jobs that are typically within my state. I do not haul for profit, only my tools. However, with the CV-19 stuff, I find myself driving to more jobs at longer distances, crossing state lines. But I got digging deeper and now I'm wondering if the truck should be a CMV (because it's greater than 10,001lbs), and also because it's crossing state lines. If it needs to be, is it that big of a hassle and what are the added costs and drawbacks to a CMV designation? Another option is I turn the truck into a personal vehicle and the company pays me a vehicle allowance (but then I lose some business tax benefits).

Part of what's driving this is I'm considering buying a 3/4 ton truck that gets better mileage and has more comfort. However, if you buy a GM 2500, the weight rating exceeds the 10,001 lbs, if it's a Ford F250, it has a rating at 9,900/10,000. It seems that Ford actually has a fleet designated line of trucks that purposely stays below the 10,001lb weight limit.

Can anyone shed some light down this rabbit hole?

Rock Crawler · Jul 9, 2020

gsganzer said:
Can anyone shed some light on a vehicle requiring to be a CMV or not?

Here's my scenario. I have a LLC and the company bought (titled and insured by company) a 2016 Chevy 3500 with a GVWR of 13,200lbs. It only hauls me and my tools for jobs that are typically within my state. I do not haul for profit, only my tools. However, with the CV-19 stuff, I find myself driving to more jobs at longer distances, crossing state lines. But I got digging deeper and now I'm wondering if the truck should be a CMV (because it's greater than 10,001lbs), and also because it's crossing state lines. If it needs to be, is it that big of a hassle and what are the added costs and drawbacks to a CMV designation? Another option is I turn the truck into a personal vehicle and the company pays me a vehicle allowance (but then I lose some business tax benefits).

Part of what's driving this is I'm considering buying a 3/4 ton truck that gets better mileage and has more comfort. However, if you buy a GM 2500, the weight rating exceeds the 10,001 lbs, if it's a Ford F250, it has a rating at 9,900/10,000. It seems that Ford actually has a fleet designated line of trucks that purposely stays below the 10,001lb weight limit.

Can anyone shed some light down this rabbit hole?

Your hauling your tools for money, your in a truck over 9,999 gvw.... Your commercial in every legal sense. Here in Pa if you added a trailer you would also need combination plated truck... The truck registration would require the trailer gross and truck gross to be added and you'd pay registration at that combined weight.

RickB · Jul 9, 2020

Rock Crawler said:
Your hauling your tools for money, your in a truck over 9,999 gvw.... Your commercial in every legal sense.

Absolutely.

George2615 · Jul 9, 2020

Isn't the truck already registered with commercial plates or am I missing something. Are you talking about getting a commercial DOT number or a CDL. Here in NY all you can get are commercial plates on a pickup. My 3/4T has commercial plates even though I don't use it commercially. I do haul trailers but as long as combined weight is under 26,000 no special license is required. I do have my CDL so I'm covered if I go over 26,001.

gsganzer · Jul 9, 2020

RickB said:
Absolutely.

Yep, that's what I'm reading. Sounds like I'm either looking for a truck under 10,000 lbs or turn it into a personal vehicle if I want to avoid the CMV.. But it leaves me wondering, why do I see so many obviously business 3500 (1 ton) trucks without any DOT numbers on them? Or is the CMV designation and DOT numbering two different things?

RandyT · Jul 9, 2020

DOT numbers are required for state to state business vehicles. Some states classify any vehicle over 10,000# a CMV by regulation no matter how used. Those states also have a state DOT numbering system for businesses operating within a single state.

Morning Wood · Jul 9, 2020

I’m in Mass but may be different than you in TX. I have a f350 srw registered at 12k. I have a commercial vehicle license plate, DOT#, dot medical card, and am set up interstate with the dot#, but only for private use. I do not haul goods, but only my own tools and building materials. I have a 3 trailers, but am not over 26k combined GCWR.
DOT numbers and commercial vehicle plates are totally different things.

Peter 315 · Jul 9, 2020

If you get DOT numbers you will open up a can of worms.....

gsganzer · Jul 9, 2020

OK,
I think I'm getting a better understanding (I hope). If I'm INTRASTATE, then a CMV is required, which is what I have as my state registration says commercial motor vehicle (the plate is the same as all my other vehicles). When I leave the state, now I'm subject to DOT for INTERSTATE commerce which must open up a whole other can of worms.

Sounds like I might be looking for a 9,999# company vehicle which meets all my needs for a company vehicle anyway. I do love the 3500 flatbed, so I might buy that from the company for myself and put farm plates on it.

It is amazing how the OEM's keep increasing the GVWR of their vehicles. a 3/4 ton used to have a 8600# rating, now they're pushing over 10K. Kind of like a biggest d!ck contest to pump their advertising claims. Seems like they would be cutting their own throat for fleet sales though.