JB4310
Super Member
I'm in the market for 5-6 ton equipment trailer to pull my CUT, I'm a waterproofing/restoration contractor and would probably want to use it for work occasionally.
Trucks a Dodge 3500 with utility body, even though the truck is heavy I still have 12,000 pounds in reserve for trailer towing to stay under my trucks GCWR of 23,000 pounds.
Here's the hitch (no pun) my state of Connecticut considers GCWR of 18,000 lbs to be the limit that requires a state DOT number if used in any commerce, no special licence endorsements and it doesn't cost anything to get the number, but hold your hats, it requires a minimum insurance liability limit of $750,000.00!!! a medical card and a log journal that complies with federal specs to be kept when ever the vehicles are operated over the 18,000 lbs.
Needless to say that even though I'm a contractor I'll never be using that trailer for commerce and commerce is considered any use that produces a reward, even a trophy, even if it's just once a year and the rest of the time is used for personal use.
The state does provide a personal use registration form and you get a camp trailer plate, that's what I have on my 5 ton dump trailer, they look at you a little funny when you try and register such a heavy trailer for personal use but they can't deny it, they warn you if you get caught using it for business you'll be in some trouble. I registered the dumper that way just to save the several hundred dollars a year they whack you for the commercial plates, I didn't even know about the insurance requirements and other provisions. So all these young landscapers with an F-350 or a 3500 with a gvw of 12,000 that are pulling a trailer over 6,000 (every single one of them) would fall under those very restrictive/expensive requirements. I don't see those DOT numbers on to many of these small contractors trucks, and they are pretty easy to spot by design.
John,
Trucks a Dodge 3500 with utility body, even though the truck is heavy I still have 12,000 pounds in reserve for trailer towing to stay under my trucks GCWR of 23,000 pounds.
Here's the hitch (no pun) my state of Connecticut considers GCWR of 18,000 lbs to be the limit that requires a state DOT number if used in any commerce, no special licence endorsements and it doesn't cost anything to get the number, but hold your hats, it requires a minimum insurance liability limit of $750,000.00!!! a medical card and a log journal that complies with federal specs to be kept when ever the vehicles are operated over the 18,000 lbs.
Needless to say that even though I'm a contractor I'll never be using that trailer for commerce and commerce is considered any use that produces a reward, even a trophy, even if it's just once a year and the rest of the time is used for personal use.
The state does provide a personal use registration form and you get a camp trailer plate, that's what I have on my 5 ton dump trailer, they look at you a little funny when you try and register such a heavy trailer for personal use but they can't deny it, they warn you if you get caught using it for business you'll be in some trouble. I registered the dumper that way just to save the several hundred dollars a year they whack you for the commercial plates, I didn't even know about the insurance requirements and other provisions. So all these young landscapers with an F-350 or a 3500 with a gvw of 12,000 that are pulling a trailer over 6,000 (every single one of them) would fall under those very restrictive/expensive requirements. I don't see those DOT numbers on to many of these small contractors trucks, and they are pretty easy to spot by design.
John,
Last edited:
...as the economy worsens, CDOT will start finding them and billing them, in the form of tickets, as a NEW income stream for the state...