If I understand this show. It is a group of people who are doing FOR HIRE transportation of goods.

Most of the shipments are coming from a load board called Uship. Run as a bid/auction system sort of like an E-bay model.

I have seen advertisements for this show, but not actually watched it.

I went to the web site to see what it was all about. OK i get the idea of the show.

Now I have  questions. When looking at the show web site, I see a number of photos of the "shippers"

I did not see any DOT numbers on any of the trucks.

A trailer with a GVW of 10000 Lbs reqiuers a DOT number.

A combination of truck and trailer over 26001 Lbs requiers a DOT number

being a FOR HIRE Carrier requiers a DOT number.

Do these people have proper authority to be operating as FOR HIRE carriers?

If they do not have these things, they could be looking at some serious problems.

 

 

Your information isn't quite correct.

Any vehicle or combination with a gross vehicle weight rating or an actual weight greater than 10,000 poundsinvolved in interstate commerce needs to have a DOT # displayed on the power unit.

(Intrastate CMVs would need to check state regulations to determine if a DOT # would need to be displayed)

First, here is the information on the definition of a commercial motor vehicle:

49 CFR 390.5 Commercial motor vehicle means any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle—

(1) Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater; or

And this is where is explains that CMVs must display a DOT #

49 CFR 390.21 (a) General. Every self-propelled CMV subject to subchapter B of this chapter must be marked as specified in paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of this section, and each unit of intermodal equipment interchanged or offered for interchange to a motor carrier by an intermodal equipment provider subject to subchapter B of this chapter must be marked as specified in paragraph (g) of this section.(b) Nature of marking. The marking must display the following information:(1) The legal name or a single trade name of the motor carrier operating the self-propelled CMV, as listed on the motor carrier identification report (Form MCS-150) and submitted in accordance with §390.19.(2) The identification number issued by FMCSA to the motor carrier or intermodal equipment provider, preceded by the letters “USDOT.”(3) If the name of any person other than the operating carrier appears on the CMV, the name of the operating carrier must be followed by the information required by paragraphs (b)(1), and (2) of this section, and be preceded by the words “operated by.”

When you file for a DOT number, that DOES NOT give you the legal authority of haul freight for HIRE. You need the MC number with the MCS 150 filing. BEFORE you are issued an MC number, you MUST provide proof of a minimum of $750,000 liability insurance and $10,000 cargo (although $100,000 is standard in the industry). Wouldn't want to be hauling some of the stuff they haul without the industry standard cargo insurance (which I KNOW for a fact a lot of those on U-Sh** do not have).

I found Roy's MC number (VERY recently issued). ANY MC number that starts with a 7 has been issued within the last year. Mark and Scott and Suzanne BOTH have COMMON carrier authority. That means that they are supposed to have TARIFFS on file (like FedEX, ConWay, Saia, Roadway, etc. etc). BIDDING on a job with common carrier authority is an absolute NO NO. You MUST start with your filed tariff amount, then you can offer the customer a discount off of that amount. That is NOT the way U Sh** works. These people are CONTRACT carriers without CONTRACT carrier authority.

Our company has both common AND contract carrier authority. We RARELY use the common authority because of the necessity to file tariffs, then have WRITTEN contracts noting what our filed tariff is less any discount we choose to give to our customers.

This show is about as illegal and dishonest as it can get in the trucking/transportation industry. Gives the entire industry a bad name, particularly us small carriers who operate legally.

BTW, HOUSEHOLD goods are NOT included in either normal contract or common carrier authority. Special separate filing with the large bedbug haulers (Bekins, Allied, etc) able to protest inter state shipping.

DOT numbers are on the vehicles you need to watch it again before you comment most of them are on the windows of the tow vehicles

I saw D.O.T and MC numbers on 3 of the shippers trucks. (Mark, The Bawcoms and Roy)

Nothing in the Federal Regulations (390.21) state the DOT #s cannot be displayed on windows:
(c) Size, shape, location, and color of marking. The marking must— (1) Appear on both sides of the self-propelled CMV;(2) Be in letters that contrast sharply in color with the background on which the letters are placed;(3) Be readily legible, during daylight hours, from a distance of 50 feet (15.24 meters) while the CMV is stationary; and(4) Be kept and maintained in a manner that retains the legibility required by paragraph (c)(3) of this section. Typically the windows are black and a light colored or white marking shows up very well. State Laws may not allow this, but Federal Regulations do.