Zorry, you might be right. I see trucks all the time pulling car haulers and large boats. I thought the trailer carrying its own weight rated plate would be a separate issue. I found this.
DOT Mandates May Apply When Using Trailers
November 1, 2007 | by Joe Bohn
When a Midwestern company bought an out-of-stock Ford F-350 Duallie to pull a small trailer full of training materials, it hardly considered the truck falling subject to federal regulation. Used to operating a large fleet of mostly cars, commercial truck regulations were never a big concern.
Even the company’s Ford Explorer Sport Tracs used to tow trailers fall under the weight limit, which exempts them from Department of Transportation (DOT) commercial operating requirements.
But, after having a driver of its F-350 stopped in Nebraska, pulled over to a weight station, and cited for failing to have a DOT number/decal, the company’s fleet manager learned how easy it is to cross the line into regulation territory.
“We dug into it, got on line with the DOT and started entering all the information required,” says the fleet manager.
“I had to learn all the requirements and regulations for log-keeping, hours on the road, and so forth,” the fleet operator added.
Such experiences aren’t unique. Many fleet managers, particularly those with insurance companies and pharmaceuticals who typically operate cars, are caught off guard when they first begin buying trucks and trailers.
