Do I Need a USDOT Number for My Outfitter Business?

Driving with confidence means everything to you as a business owner. At times, your commercial vehicles are transporting large groups of people and essential gear. Their lives and your employees’ lives are in the trust of your vehicles. Depending on a few different factors, you may need to register with the  Department of Transportation (DOT)  for a USDOT number.

What Is a USDOT Number?

A USDOT number is a unique number that the DOT provides to businesses to identify their fleet vehicles and monitor safety management controls. This number is how the DOT reports information obtained from roadside inspections, audits and crash investigations.

Do I Need a DOT Number?

A USDOT number is required for an employer using vehicles involved in interstate commerce and falling into one of the categories below:

• Have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), gross combination weight rating, gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight of 10,001 pounds or more;
• Are designed or used to transport more than eight passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or
• Are designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers (including the driver) and is not used for compensation.

Visit  FMCSA  for information pertaining to registration for a USDOT number. They provide an  interactive tool  that can help determine whether you are required to have a USDOT number for your business. Once you determine whether or not you need one, you will have to  register  with the FMCSA or state agency.

Vehicles Weighing over 10,001 Pounds

Vehicles weighing over 10,001 pounds are very confusing when it comes to DOT regulations. Vehicles or vehicle/trailer combinations that weigh more than 10,000 pounds but stay under 26,001 pounds are considered CMVs for FMCSA purposes. These CMVs are required to have a USDOT number if they are vehicles involved in interstate commerce and fall into one of the categories below:

• Have a GVWR, gross combination weight rating, gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight of 10,001 pounds or more;
• Are designed or used to transport more than eight passengers (including the driver) for compensation;
• Are designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers (including the driver) and are not used for compensation; or
• Are vehicles used to transport certain types and quantities of hazardous materials that require a safety permit in intrastate commerce and are involved in interstate commerce under FMCSA regulations.

CMVs that do not need a USDOT number under federal rules are those that are between 10,001 and 26,000 pounds, operate intrastate and do not carry any hazardous materials that require a safety permit. (Make sure to check state requirements.)

How to Determine the GVWR

The GVWR is the safety weight rating of a vehicle or a trailer. An employer must look at the vehicle, or the vehicle and trailer, to figure out what the total GVWR is for the setup they are running.

Take a look at the GVWR of the vehicle, which is commonly located in the truck door jamb or inside of the door. This information is also located in the owner’s manual and will give you the maximum weight of the vehicle. If it is over 10,001 pounds and falls within a category above, it needs a USDOT number.

For combination vehicles, you must determine the weight of the trailer you’re using. The trailer weight rating is found on a visibly displayed sticker on the trailer or in the owner’s manual (if one is provided). You may need to weigh the trailer if there is no sticker present.

You will need to determine the gross combined vehicle weight rating (GCVWR) to figure out the total weight of the vehicle and trailer. This is found by adding the vehicle weight with the trailer weight. Employers that are using half-ton or three-quarter-ton pickups and attaching them to trailers are often putting the combined weight over the 10,001-pound mark. This makes the vehicle (with the trailer) subject to DOT regulations, and it will need a USDOT number.

States That Require a DOT Number

All states need to follow the FMCSA regulations, but some states also require intrastate CMVs to obtain a USDOT number. The FMCSA provides a list of those that require a USDOT number for intrastate CMV registrants. Make sure to also check your state agency for those requirements.

You Have Good Brakes – But Do You Have Good Commercial Auto Coverage?

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This blog may contain scenarios that are provided as examples only. In an actual claim situation, coverage is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy issued. The information provided is general in nature and may be affected by changes in law or the interpretation of such laws. The reader is advised to contact a professional prior to taking any action based upon this information.

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