The FMCSA is SHUTTING us DOWN! Now what do i do??? 

Welcome to Trucking! Compliance department is a full time job. That's why I lease onto a motor carrier. Work through it. You've been through worse.

You are making money with the semi, by hauling equipment you're selling for profit. You are still required to follow the duty of status, mileage, ifta, etc, when traveling out of state. Whether you keep an ELD record, paper log record, time card, or a combo of those, that is what your duty status is recorded by. Remember, you are still required to follow the 60 hour/7 day or 70 hour/8 day requirements, depending on the operating days of your business. That includes ALL time on duty/working at your business, in addition to your driving of the 5500 and Peterbilt. Tim Gentry is 100% spot on with an audit being a breeze to get thru if you're fully prepared. He's been through it with not being prepared, and it's one of the most unnerving things when done that way. As far as annual inspections, you're allowed to do them yourself, fill out and sign the paperwork and be legal. You do NOT have to have an outside center do the annual. People have been telling you from the day you posted your first video involving the cabover that you need to follow the rules, and you've had the attitude that you don't cuz it's 'not for hire'. It's still in use for commercial purposes, and is still applicable to Commercial Motor Vehicle regulations set for by the FMCSA and DOT. Keep whining about the government slapping your wrist for not following the rules, not being prepared for the audit you knew would be coming, and the company you bought your trailer from not standing behind a product you RAN for several thousand miles before an issue. I'm all for a small business keeping as much stuff in house to maximize profits, enjoy the additional write offs and nice equipment that they choose to buy for this type of stuff. But you're attitude from day one regarding every aspect of trucking has absolutely sucked. Take a step back, follow the rules set forth for all CMV's, explain in full what your business structure is to FMCSA representatives, and move forward how you're supposed to. If you're going to stick with the mindset of just running how you want, paying a ticket if you get one, and being an 'outlaw' trucker, do everyone on the roadways a favor and sell your equipment. You don't understand the trouble you're in for, if, heaven forbid, you're involved in any type of accident with an injury or death, regardless of fault. I will agree with you 110% on the lack of parking available, all over the country. I've been driving for 17 years now, and it's been ridiculous for the last 10. E-log just showed the true issues with the hours of service regulations, and having that hard set clock to run in, without being able to take a break and split up the day.

They tried this crap with us farmers. We have 150 miles radius around the shop. None of the drivers have a cdl because we don’t need one when it’s farm use. So we told them to kick rocks back in January and haven’t heard anything back yet.

Yep, that's exactly what they want, to get rid of small business owners. Small business owners don't need the government so much, they are independent minded people, with real ideals about real things. They can't just lie to you and tell you to be quiet.

We have our own authority, we bought our 1st tractor trailer cash and while it does take a lot to get started it’s worth it in the long run!! we ACTUALLY do everything by the book and do it right. All it takes if for you to abide by the rules and laws and it will all be okay. It’s not as hard as everyone thinks it is. When things are done correctly and as they should just keep doing what you’re doing. Nothing do worry about unless you’re trying to by pass the rules. Good luck to you!! And to all you truckers doing things right keep on trucking!

I know what you're going thru Bruce. I failed my inspection and I don't even have a truck. It's crazy. 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚

I worked for a tree service with heavy trucks. They all had to have the Dot numbers, annual inspections, record of on-duty time via time clock, etc. I don't know how you think you're exempt from all this being an actual tractor-trailer hauling property as the tree service was hauling tree debris.

You can do your own inspection if you have the qualifications just read the DOT book of regulations on the inspector qualifications. That way you'll know if you qualify.

I’d keep track of everything, don’t matter how far you go. Just to save your butt in case DOT starts asking questions. Easier showing proof that you aren’t doing anything wrong. Driving a CMV has a ton of regulations now. Driving a truck, you mean big $$$ for cops. Cops are revenue machines now. And just cause a truck is new, don’t mean there’s nothing wrong with it. And you gotta plan your rest time ahead of the big alert says stop driving. Find a place to safely stop to rest for the night, way before your Hos are done.

Once you go through this the first time FMCSA will have you in the system and it should be easier after that. It's your first audit so they have no records of what you're doing with the truck. I'm sure they just want to make sure you're doing what you say you are. Not like truckers would ever lie about how many miles or hours they actually drove. Lol

Make sure your A/C is draining properly from the cab. May have a situation where its not and you have standing water and the fan is blowing air across that standing water.

I mounted a small circular fan on an articulated arm so that it can be aimed about anywhere in the sleeper. It makes a huge difference when sleeping. Between that and my memory foam mattress, and my apu, i slept like a baby.

Keep the faith Bruce, and keep on Trucking Brother! All the best from England! 💪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇬🇧

Honestly it's all on the fmcsa website. I have my own authority for years and never had failed an audit. Just gotta keep your stuff in order. And all this stuff doesn't cost much

You should have some type of ELD. I know they tell you that you don't need it but unless the FMCSA tells you that directly don't ever listen to state police. You should also register your license with the Westinghouse to keep records of your drug tests. No your truck could be one hour old and it still needs to be inspected. Also any maintenance from tires to oil changes keeps records they'll ask for all records. Parking is non-existent after 530 pm anywhere

Going thru our first audit as well. We don't drive more than 50 miles from home base and never out of state, so we were kinda wondering how this whole thing is gonna turn out.

Bruce, most likely you’ll have to set up the transportation side of your business as it’s own separate division(even though you’re not-for-hire/in-house carrier)….and within that, drug testing compliance, maintenance records, because DOT WILL hammer your ass on anything they can. You’ve came a LONG way, don’t let this stuff trip you up. Been out here 22 years, if there’s a way that DOT can put the screws to you? Bank on the fact that they WILL…. *EDIT* I’ve read a few suggestions about contacting the OOIDA…that would be a wise move. Amongst the many services that they offer is legal counsel specific to trucking….all the best to yourself and your family.

Love the videos. We cart old stuffed quad bike tyres and put under the buckets or arms / machinery when we cart to not hurt deck as much or knock paint off or metal rub etc. especially when carting buckets forks and slashers

That truck may not be "for hire" but its used in commerce. The laws are the same for everybody, its not hard but it is time consuming. You just got to do it.

I gave up my DOT for this reason, having to work and worry about all of this is just too much and stressful.

I feel your pain! My wife and I ran our MC for 3.5 years and finally quit because of all the cheap freight, especially Wal-Mart, being offered by the middle man, the broker. Everyone with their hand out...$ 2k+ for plates, $800 a month insurance, $1800 a month truck payment, IFTA filings, etc... It was 4k a month to just turn the lights on! Best part-time job ever but did not pay the bills as we did not move freight that lost us money to literally move it.

Good luck with all that stuff. Hope you come out of it smiling and hope your business keeps on trucking.

“Nor for hire” doesn’t get you out of following the rules. By your reasoning Walmart and other large private fleets shouldn’t have to follow the rules because they’re only hauling what they sell. It has nothing to do with what you claim is private use. You’re using the truck as a means of generating revenue for your business. As far as the ELD, if your in the 150 mile radius you still need to keep a time record of some sort. A lot of local companies use the ELD as a time clock, others use actual time clocks at the yard.

This sounds like a conversation you need to be having with a lawyer, I'd rather give the money to a lawyer than the DOT, and I'm not even joking a little.

I had e logs. A Qualcomm. As for parking. I was told to trip plan better. Which pissed me off. Sometimes you dont know what roads are going to be shut down be new construction or an accident. And trip planning goes out the window. So in my 7 years dealing with e logs when it came to late night parking. It's like this you can go over your hours if you cant find safe legal parking. Iv went over an hr +. The company I drive for TMC doesnt want us parking on off/on ramps. I was good at seeing how much time I had left and I could use google maps and find a big parking lot if truck stops were not on my small 2 lane highway I was traveling. There is a thing that is argued between everyone and it's called personal conveyance. That's a grey area if you ask me. My log department doesnt honor this. They always tell me when I go over for parking on the e log screen you can type a description of what happened as to why you went over your hours. Some guys said omg if you go over so far the truck shuts down. No it doesnt. One problem with blogs. Let's say I'd get to my drop the night before and found a place to park there. If I'm woke up in the middle of the night 5 or 6 hours into my 10 hour break by someone saying I cant park here and I have to move immediately if I drive over 1 mile it automatically puts me on the drive line and fucks my 10 hour break. Now i have to restart my break and my week is shot. Might be able to split log to make up time but to be honest after running these for so long iv became really good a trip planning and staying in my hos. That's my long 2 cents. Sorry for the long commemt.

I bought a couple of those blankets at the truck stop year’s ago and hang them up around the windows. Leave the divider curtain open. Seem like more breathing room

@Bruce Wilson Get with me when you can. I own Family Tradition Transport LLC out of Lakeland. I'll be glad to walk you through the process. It's not as hard as everyone makes it seem, just gotta know what to do & where to go to get things done correctly. Don't listen to the wannabe truckers telling you to give up and sell your truck. No one knew everything about the transportation industry when they started.

Put curtains on the front windows so u can open up the air space to the whole cab instead of just the bunk with that heavy curtain.

Honestly just gonna put this out there. This situation with them forcing to hire out bigger companies and pay to have stuff delivered or move is ridiculous. So they are basically saying small business owners can make a living or even drive for personal use due to them being complete a******* and wanting to know our every step or personal information. It just sounds like control and it needs to be stopped in America…. Why is the government controlling our lives….. oh corporate greed… fy

I am glad that I had a non paralyzing back injury in 1987. No surgery just changed occupation and I do not have all the hassles. I still enjoy the trucks and am glad that I was able to do it before big brother reared his head.

Sure is a lot of shady things going on in the world lately. Hope you guys survive this.

Bitchin at a person driving with flashers and driving with in their ability. You are shady at its best. You are the perfect candidate for a audit from DOT. You have a history and you will be watched forever.

There is no such thing as “not for hire”!! If you make money with your truck you are a commercial driver. Even making RU-vid videos in the truck you are a commercial driver. I’m not saying it’s fair but you can’t run down the highway in an 18 wheeler and not obey all commercial truck laws.

Even as not for hire, must follow regs. for feds . Driver file, maintenance records, trucks & trailers. You may still be able to certify yourself as inspector. When first started inspections you wrote letter describing length of and type of experience. Remember paid or not you still trucking

You are suffering from a severe learning curve. You will get it figured out. You jumped in with both feat without knowing what you were doing. All the problems you being dinged for are common knowledge for people in the trucking business. Don’t listen to the naysayers. Those who don’t do things will always criticize people that have the balls to.

You don't have to pay somebody to do your inspection on the truck, you can do your own inspection, any truck stop has those inspection forms with the stickers in the section by the log books, you can fill out the forms and put the stickers on the truck, you do enough work on the truck and you're knowledgeable about the mechanics of it so you qualify to do your own inspection, that satisfies DOT regulations, I was told that by a DOT officer up here in Wisconsin, I would have to believe it's the same down there, most trucking companies do their own inspections.

Just do the ELD. I handle deliveries within 150 miles of south NJ. I drive 75 miles a day. Still do an ELD. I also have a paper log on me. Just do everything like a company does and they will leave you alone. Even if you have something plugged in your truck and can be downloaded. Just do it. It’s tied to your CSA score. Pay the $10 or so dollars to get the report. Either do a paper log or an electronic one. Once you do, you are good. It’s not about what you haul or do, it’s just saying you are taking the proper breaks and not driving more than the required hours. It’s not saying you are doing anything wrong. They just want to make sure you aren’t breaking the drive time rules. If that’s the ONLY thing.

The 150 air mile radius is the only thing you’re correct on you may not advertise as for hire but you’re still using your truck for commerce through your business so you have to play by the same rules as Gentry’s

I’m sorry about your troubles with FMCSA,yes as a truck driver or like you driving your truck just for your business,you need a lot of unnecessary papers,things…thank you for your video.

Don't know if you have addressed it in the past but you do realize that to hold a cdl you must be registered with the FMCSA clearinghouse and to drive you must be enrolled in a random drug test pool....they will automatically downgrade license to class c if your not ....sounds like you could call OOIDA they could help you figure everything out🤔 they helped me get set up and I passed my audit with no issues.....I'm in NC though but this shouldn't make a lot of difference since most CDL regulations are federal....but they do vary somewhat by state....

I would try turnin the blower up and temp down so it blows harder, also I would try to get the air lines up out and away from the frame and driveline, so they don’t get caught bouncing up and down or in a turn

You can do your own annual inspections. The dot has a self certification form you need to fill out and keep on file. Best of luck 👍

As far as the air. Crack Your front windows like a half an inch. Helps airflow. Plus helps any exhaust fumes.

It's trucking, I learned to deal many decades ago, good luck. Humidity doesn't go away until a day or two in summer heat, maybe sooner in winter. If you're one day or one week i don't know, I would think that has something to do with it.

I dont know the reason fornthem shutting you down but you need to talk to the gentry trucking owner and let him help you figure it out. His wife just finished there case with those people. Just make sure your doing your job by the book. Keep track of your miles traveled make sure you have a health card amd drug screen card on file and make sure your truck has all its paperwork including your cab card. As long as your handling the business the way its supposed to be then they shouldnt be able to touch you. Talk to gentry and if need be talk toma attorney

Need to check your under bunk air filter. You have a cabin air filter in the front and a under bunk for the apu system in the rear.

Tim's audit wasn't easy because he's for hire. It was easy because he follows the rules.

We started our operation last year. If you need some pointers I’ll be glad to help. I can point you in a few right directions.

That stale air thing, I used a small fan propped up in one of the vents in my sleeper.

All those regulations are for the guys that use the not for hire loop hole to get around regulations. People abused it now everybody is paying for it.

you have lots to learn about trucking brother!!!!!

You are finding out why everyone with situations like you are switching to the hot shot trucks. Instead of that big truck. You should have bought a nice f450 or equivalent size truck. You are trying to use loop holes that you heard from people that don’t know what they are talking about.

I’ve been retired for quite sometime now but it was set at 250 mile radius for local haulers, when did it drop to 150? At 150 miles pretty much nobody is a local hauler anymore. As for the FMCSA regs, all the answers and information are on line and or you can order the publication (hard copy), it’s an open book test.

You are a “private carrier” hauling your own product in a commercial enterprise. You have to abide by all the same regulations a “for hire” carrier has to since you are crossing state lines. The only thing “not for hire” is you don’t have to have the insurance a for hire carrier has. Your failure to comply with the regs opens you up to liability in the event you have a collision with another vehicle even if it’s their fault.

You talking about the stagnic air that's a drawback to a APU because it only moves air in the sleeper only so the cool air with the warm up up front makes it feel that way might get a fan to run up fro t when your asleep to kinda circulate the air

Even though you’re exempt from an ELD, you still have to track your drive time whether you’re for hire or not

The radius exemption does exempt you from the Eletronic ELD but you still able to maintain logs regarding what ever information is required in case of an audit. Generally, you have a time frame to submit such if you get pulled over in that case. Not for hire doesn't apply to you. Your not hauling your own personal items. Even if you don't charge to make a delivery you are still healing for a commerce related objective. You are delivering products that was brought by your company or sold by your company so DOT laws still apply to you. Regarding the annual check, it doesn't matter, you are required to do it every year and keep a log of your pre trip inspection & post trip inspection it doesnt matter if the vehicle is brand new.. Those are done every day & your not exempt from that because you haul for a business regardless if it's your own and no one esle can hire you. You may even loose some other benefits to because you cross state lines as well. You get out of the Eletronic ELD as well if you are logging for less than 8 days in a 30 day cycle meaning. Of you drive less than 8 times in a 30 day period.

It doesn’t matter what you think,, you still need to have all your regulations updated,, that still a CDL vehicle therefore you still need to follow DOT regulations,, I was an owner operator for 28 years and I had to follow DOT regulations because if I didn’t I lose my livelihood,, what makes you special that you think you don’t have to? I had to do logs every day and I had to install an electronic log in my truck and I was mostly in my state of Illinois but I had to do it because I had power plates in my truck therefore I had to do logs every day and also it was company policy so why bitch about it?🤔I was also audited by the FMCSA and they told me what I needed to do and what they needed from me so after i spoke to them I provided everything they wanted and guess what??!! They never bother me again and one thing I did not do is bitch because it will take you nowhere,, so just like another comment I read,, sell your truck!!!

If your the owner you can take an online thing or test or class thing or something and you can do your own annual inspection on your equipment I did that on my trucks but yes new equipment does have to have one

whether for hire or not you have to follow the same rules as the rest of us.That includes an annual inspection which you can get done at any TA or Petro

For the elog/log, if it's the same everywhere, I had to document my travels outside the 150radius when I went out of it. When I was in the 150, no log. Out today the 150, log (paper). And bad to document the last 14 days (hours of service only) when filing the paper log for the day I was out the 150

Bruce...Watch Timmy Gentry last video from yesterday. He will inform you what to do. No biggie. There not shutting you down.

Good luck to you on your journey... The USDOT along with the FMCSA is getting worse and worse on the Regulations. I would keep in touch with the Florida DOT / State Troopers and just say Hey, I am working these in-state regs to the best of our abilities. See if you can get a waiver from Florida DOT, and work with them on your Truck problems.. Yeah, if you work under the 120 nautical mile circle. You should be able to get a waiver no matter what....

You have a private fleet. You still have to abide by DOT regs. As an insurance guy, I can promise your insurance company is pulling your MVP as well as your FMCSA report. Your insurance rates are a reflection of both. By they way, don't forget OSHA regs for your shop.

I pulled a drop deck for 5 years.. hard work, loved it...

I suggest that maybe it would be simpler to register a Company to cover your trucks. I found this to be the easiest way to cover a business that I was involved in. You have a contract between the main part of your business and your cartage company and this way all the hidden costs etc of the cartage side of the business become visible and as we found cleverly set up there were tax and other advantages which increased the overall bottom line. In the end the truck became a money spinner as we realised that it was actually costing us more for the convenience of having our own unit as against using a cartage contractor. We then set the Comany up fo be for hire, but restricted the work taken on board to a business scope. We learnt a lot about our competitors who were only glad to use a trucker who knew the job to hiring a big company whose employess were not experienced.

Not for hire means you don't get paid from anyone to haul their stuff. Anytime you haul something to be paid for, you're a commercial driver therfore you're under the FMCA laws and regulations. Just obey them like the rest of us

I’m a Certified DOT Examiner thank You for telling about your failing your audit especially the Medical and Drug and Alcohol testing

I was wondering how he had been driving out of state without logs, and not running dot numbers while delivering Tractors for his business for profit? The business is making a profit on the tractors, so delivering them as a perk for buying from your business , is for profit

Just play everything by the book Bruce. You’ll get over this hurdle.

Don’t give up Brother.!!!!! The system it’s fuck up , don’t drop the guard . Keep up the good work.

Just run it 💯% up to DOT standards , it’s easy .

@ Bruce Wilson .. brother get a small air purifier for your truck it help with the stagnant air. will make a world of difference in air quality. They got small ones at a lot of major stores I would try that out and see how that helps. Thanks for the awesome content I always look forward to seeing another episode.

Maybe doing less videos out of state will help you out on the ELD

When I had my first inspection in North Carolina they walked us thru it telling me everything I had to have and my truck was old so I didn’t need e log but I had maintenance records and I had a folder with my info like I had hired myself to work and I had my log books in order I ran my log no matter what short haul or not

If you are a not-for-hire truck operation and operate local as less-than 150-air mile radius and report back to your home at the end of each and every work day, you are a local driver and only required to keep a regular time card digitally stamped with date and time. Although I fit that description perfectly doing local construction as well as running LTL freight for a local carrier, I still run an ELD because it's less things I have to think about during my work day. I never cross state lines, never drive beyond 150-miles of Indianapolis, and sleep in my own bed at home every night. If you drive beyond 150-air miles of the address your truck is operated from, or forced to lay-over away from home then you have to keep a paper log to cover that time. Also, the thing about equipment violations whether ticketed/fined, or received only a warning, while that may or may not lead to points against the company, you as a CDL driver still receive CSA points against your commercial drivers license.

This is a classic example of who you don't want to be in trucking. You don't get to pick and choose which rules and regulations apply to you like if it was some kind of buffet. This guy has a history of pleaing ignorance as a defense. The issue here is not hire or not for hire it sounds like it's more like interstate and intrastate.

FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. I worked FMCSA for a couple months and if you are not for hire and don't leave your state, your state will tell you if you need a DOT number. If your interstate or for hire you then need a DOT number and an M/C number which runs $300. You have to schedule your safety audit when you get the notice in the mail or they will put you on a OOS, Federal Out of Service. You also need insurance on file and BOC3 on file. Good Luck Bruce.

Just FYI I was going to pay someone to do my annual inspection on my semi and another owner Operator told me that I can buy the placards on Amazon along with the paperwork needed to be completed for carrying in your truck for dot inspection and just do the inspection yourself. He has been doing this for years and they accept this. Also you need to do the yearly inspection on each truck and every trailer individually.

Doesn't matter if you are For Hire or Private....it's the rules for this type of vehicle. Annual inspections, drug consortiums, record of duty (which you should have time card slips for day drives and just paper logs for the 8 days month) One thing you most definitely got that other companies do is........complaining and crying!!!

LMAO Green APU!!!! i had a green apu installed on my tractor in Nov of 2021 and hopefully you had a better install experience then i did.

Yup feel the pain, WADOT is requiring us to have a medical certificate on file in Olympia, even though I have not driven any CDL vehicles in almost a decade, and if we do not pay for the yearly medical certifications we will lose our endorsements.

You may need to hire a compliance consultant. Not sure how long it's been since you got your CDL but they put out so many new trucking rules during the last administration that it can be hard to keep up. It's doable, but you got to learn it. I heard you say some stuff here that wasn't accurate, not to pick on you, but you got to know the new rules. This is a learning curve for a lot of guys but watching your channel I have faith you can figure this stuff out, just need someone to teach you.

I love all the negative comments, truckers always have the same response Loll This was your first time, you made mistakes, fix them and move on. thanks for sharing you didn't have to.

You should've really looked into all of this before buying a new truck, there's a lot of BS in the industry and it's just getting worse but it's obvious there's a lot of important things you don't know from rules and regulations to the maintenance in the equipment. It's pretty scary knowing you're in the road after seeing this video. (Not hating)

Even in state you need intrastate plate, in mn it's a y plate

Because of the FMCSA I put myself out of service 10 years ago. It's amazing to me the amount of unnecessary BS the truck drivers in our country let the gruber-ment drive all over them.

Driver I was in 'PA' the patrol told me they don't allow tint, I had only my driver side due to the sun.

Now I haven’t even watched the video yet, but if the click bait title means anything all I can say is. If a company has all their paperwork in order and all the qualified drivers meet current requirements such as DOT Medical Cards, Proof of drug and alcohol testing, and Driver License/Insurance minimums. Than there is nothing to worry about. I presume all these reasons is why Bruce left RU-vid for 6 months. Now the add is finally over. Time to watch the video.

Ive started lookin for a tractor that size. Need somethin in that 40-50hp range with a loader and a cab. Got a lot of tree clearing, yard mowin, vehicle movin, and snow removal to do

Rules and regulations have to be followed by all. Regardless if it's one truck or 100.

Same I run a truck & a lowboy not for hire just to move my own personal equipment…my insurance says that I’m not even required to have a DOT number as nothing is for hire, private use like you say

Yey there I have the same green apu you have I have a 10’’ fan on the floor and keeps the air fresh

Windows tinted at 5% is illegal for commercial trucks. 70% is as dark as you can legally tint your windows When I bought my truck the windows were already tinted I thought that they were at a legal tint so I didn’t have them checked out I was pulled over by Wisconsin highway patrol and the officer checked the tint and I found out that they were at 26% which is illegal for commercial trucks anything 70% or above is legal I didn’t get a ticket but I did get a roadside inspection Just some information for the drivers out there

YOUR RIGHT, (THEIR) setting things up for the Mega companies. Will they have the DEF and the diesel. While the small guy goes without.

Check your ac drains, they may be plugged up or dirty as well as the evaporator coil. Never had a problem in the 87 western star after I lifted the bunk and cleaned all the ass sweat off the coil.

@Bruce Wilson-Talk to Gentry and Son trucking, he has been through that recently, and they found a way to pass it every time. Keep up the good videos, watch every single one!

Should never talk to the government without getting a lawyer first

Austin’s Cattle Co, great steaks in Valdosta. You can get you truck parked there also