advantages mh or pvt truck

[txmilam]

is their an advantage to title hdt as mh or pvt truck

[rickeieio]

Depending on your state of domocile, you may not have a choice.  For instance, our farm straddles the Ohio/Indiana line.  I could title in either state, but neither offers the option of private truck with a gvwr high enough to catch out truck. Thus, MH was the way to go, and in Ohio, it was stupid easy.  Indiana is nearly as easy.

Do your homework and make a list of the pros and cons of each.  Assign a value (score?) to each item on the lists and see which way wins.

[GlennWest]

No brainer in Texas. The registration is tough with the weights we have. Motorhome realitly cheap

Edited July 4, 2019 by GlennWest

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

2 hours ago, txmilam said:

is their an advantage to title hdt as mh or pvt truck

In South Dakota insurance is cheaper as a Motorhome than Private truck.

 

[Chad Heiser]

I prefer motorhome registration/title over truck if it is allowed in your state of domicile.  Technically, if you come across a scale house that has signage stating all trucks must stop and your HDT is registered as a truck (whether or not you are commercial) you would be required to stop at the scale.  If your HDT is registered as a motorhome, then you would not be required to stop.  This is a semantics thing really and I have yet to hear of anyone actually being cited for this, but it is possible.  I have been chased down for passing a scale house that had signage stating all trucks must stop when I was running bobtail in my HDT titled as a motorhome.  The trooper that stopped me apologized for taking up my time when he found the HDT was registered/titled as a motorhome.  Had I been registered/titled as a private truck, I'm sure I would have had a nice written record of that stop and some followup to do to take care of it .

[txmilam]

ok still working on finding what forms and process to complete as mh wiil do pvt truck first while getting paperwork county clerk never has done this so i need all the help i can get downloaded tx reg. and title manuals found some things but kinda confusing 

 

[Lance A Lott]

In Vermont if I go my I cant pull anything so I have to be private truck. At first they told be no 5th wheels or gooseneck on a converted hdt to moter homemthen theyndecided no bumper pull either, which goes against the mh rules of 65 feet total length. As a private truck I am aloud 75 feet so that's an advantage but the cost is much higher $75 for my and about $800 for private truck. As I pull a living quarters horse trailer I was able to register agriculture until I move.

[Big5er]

6 hours ago, txmilam said:

ok still working on finding what forms and process to complete as mh wiil do pvt truck first while getting paperwork county clerk never has done this so i need all the help i can get downloaded tx reg. and title manuals found some things but kinda confusing 

 

Don't do it. Register your rig as a MH to begin with. There are plenty of people that can walk you through the process of registering in Texas. Like Chad said, the odds of getting a citation are slim but Texas says a truck needs a CDL, a MH is exempt from CDL. 
Section 522.003 defines a "Commercial Motor Vehicle" as: 

a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used to transport passengers or property that:

(A)  has a gross combination weight or a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds, including a towed unit with a gross vehicle weight or a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds;

(B)  has a gross vehicle weight or a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds;

That is you if you are driving an HDT..
Section 522.004 says the following are exempt...
#1,2,3 and
(4)  a recreational vehicle that is driven for personal use;
It also defines a recreational vehicle as:
a motor vehicle primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational camping or travel use.  The term includes a travel trailer, camping trailer, truck camper, and motor home.
So technically as long as you are towing a travel trailer or are a motor home you are exempt from CDL. Once you unhitch your "truck" from your travel trailer you will need a CDL.
Again, the odds of getting a ticket are rare, and I have heard rumor (don't bother to keep up with the legal updates since I retired a month ago) that the legislature has changed that language to include any personal truck, but the law hasn't changed at this point in time.  So why bother chancing it? Register it properly the first time and you won't have to worry about changing it later for any reason. 

Edited July 4, 2019 by Big5er

[txmilam]

ok here,s where im at truck has frig, microwave,shorepower ,110 v heater. printed pages from tx title and reg, manual and fed reg 49 xxx. i have a 130 u vtr 61 form, pics of mods and outside of truck cat scale ticket, insurance. removed commercial 5th wheel replaced with rv 5th wheel anything else ? just want to get it done the 1st time lady at tax office has never done this before thanks for any help.has a current dot inspection 

[Big5er]

You dont need a "dot" inspection and did you try to contact Exile like was discussed in your previous thread?

[txmilam]

Big 5er  yes I did what he recommended but would like to talk or text on procedure that I out lined above and do I need a bed or deck on back 

[Big5er]

Throw away all those pages from CFR 49... They are not applicable to anything you want to do. They will only confuse the clerks at the tax office (something you do not want to do. they are already confused enough). Next year, after being registered as a MH you can simply get a standard "vehicle inspection" at any inspection station. That $40 inspection isn't what you will need ever again.

You do not need a bed or a deck.

Exile had a bunch of people that were incapable of reading, comprehending and/or making a decision on their own. Hopefully your county has more intelligent people than that. You never mentioned what county you are in, not that it really makes a difference. Walk in and tell them "I've got everything the books says I need, are you ready?". Show them what you have and hopefully they will be capable of reading their own material. It isa their book. They wrote the rules. How hard should it be? The fact that they have never done it before is a lame excuse.  If you have issues, PM Exile or me and we can supply you with the name of the people in Austin that got the mess straightened out with his county. They were slow as molasses but they got it done. Exile has a lot more patience than I would have. 

Edited July 5, 2019 by Big5er

[txmilam]

Big 5er thanks so much I'm going to do it 

[HERO Maker]

As Phil asked, what county are you in?  Polk county is real easy and everyone there knows what to do for our trucks to MH.

[txmilam]

can i just go to polk co. i live 30 mi west of waco

[Ronbo]

You need to register it in whatever county your address is in. Those of us that have an escapes address have to register it in Polk County.

[jcoffey620]

On 7/4/2019 at 1:40 PM, Big5er said:

Don't do it. Register your rig as a MH to begin with. There are plenty of people that can walk you through the process of registering in Texas. Like Chad said, the odds of getting a citation are slim but Texas says a truck needs a CDL, a MH is exempt from CDL. 
Section 522.003 defines a "Commercial Motor Vehicle" as: 

a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used to transport passengers or property that:

(A)  has a gross combination weight or a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds, including a towed unit with a gross vehicle weight or a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds;

(B)  has a gross vehicle weight or a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds;

That is you if you are driving an HDT..
Section 522.004 says the following are exempt...
#1,2,3 and
(4)  a recreational vehicle that is driven for personal use;
It also defines a recreational vehicle as:
a motor vehicle primarily designed as temporary living quarters for recreational camping or travel use.  The term includes a travel trailer, camping trailer, truck camper, and motor home.
So technically as long as you are towing a travel trailer or are a motor home you are exempt from CDL. Once you unhitch your "truck" from your travel trailer you will need a CDL.
Again, the odds of getting a ticket are rare, and I have heard rumor (don't bother to keep up with the legal updates since I retired a month ago) that the legislature has changed that language to include any personal truck, but the law hasn't changed at this point in time.  So why bother chancing it? Register it properly the first time and you won't have to worry about changing it later for any reason. 

Not to get into a great debate on the subject, but regardless of the size of the vehicle, if it is not used in commercial service, it is not a Commercial Motor Vehicle (the current issue of what is actually commercial service and people skirting the definition is another topic). Refer to Section 522.004, (a), (1), (C) to see that this chapter does not apply. Texas does not say a truck needs a CDL, but may require a license for the weight of the vehicle being operated. I have had State Inspectors argue with me that a Texas Class A non-CDL license doesn't exist until I show them one. Regarding the weigh/inspection stations, I have stopped at a "few" all across the US as my 780 is registered as a truck, and have yet to have anyone happy that I pulled in not running commercial. YMMV.

-JR

[Big5er]

10 hours ago, jcoffey620 said:

but regardless of the size of the vehicle, if it is not used in commercial service, it is not a Commercial Motor Vehicle

Read the definition of a CMV. Nowhere does it say anything about being used in commercial service.  It says a vehicle designed to haul passengers or property that weighs in excess of 26,001 lbs....that is us. Every HDT out there has a GVWR in excess of 26,001. Nowhere does it say anything about being used in commercial service. You might want to educate yourself on the legal definition of commerce too, before you start trying to tell people what they are or are not. You also tell me to read 522.004 which is what I already posted.... I highlighted the applicable parts even. RV's are exempt, yes. Show me where it says "trucks" are exempt.....It doesn't. I just retired from a 34 year career in law enforcement and the last 10+ in Commercial Vehicle Enforcement. I'll argue with you all day. You are incorrect. You might wanna check your facts before you make your 2nd post here. BTW: Welcome to the forum. 

Edited July 19, 2019 by Big5er

[txmilam]

all good information... i have everything i think could use some advice on vtr 61 form -key words on the mods iv done for the people behind the desk...im waiting for my apportion tag to expire was told if i keep it a year i would not have to pay sales tax when i retag it as a mh. i have a class a cdl and am changing its status so i will not need a medical card...thanks again everyone

[jcoffey620]

I don't need to argue with you, you can be right all you want with your vehicle. I'll be right with mine, I have all the docs I need to keep me legal. But you know as well as I do that that the Feds (and Texas) refer to "passengers and property" as something moved for hire, for profit, or in furtherance of a business. How you decided to enforce it is possibly a different story. I deal with enough Fed and State LEOs every day to know they enforce their interpretation of the laws, often even in the face of clear  evidence that they are mistaken. And I am familiar with the term commerce, thanks. Not sure you know what I was referring to there.

 

And just for the fun of it, since I'm not doing anything else, I just called the State of Texas DMV, again. Not the county. And once again, with 2 clerks and a Super/manager on the phone, was told that if it is not being used in a commercial manner (as I described my truck- registered as a truck>1ton being used to pull a 5th wheel RV or horse trailer for personal recreation-and no, I don't make money with my horses), then it is NOT a CMV (confirmed that the terms mentioned above are as I described them in accordance with Fed laws) and does not need to be registered as a CMV of any type, and does not require a CDL.  But you do you.

Edited July 19, 2019 by jcoffey620
Added information.

[HERO Maker]

2 hours ago, jcoffey620 said:

And once again, with 2 clerks and a Super/manager on the phone, was told that if it is not being used in a commercial manner (as I described my truck- registered as a truck>1ton being used to pull a 5th wheel RV

I thought this discussion was regarding an HDT (which a 1 Ton doesn't qualify as)?????

[Chalkie]

🤣My F-350 One Ton Identifies as an HDT.

[chirakawa]

1 hour ago, Chalkie said:

🤣My F-350 One Ton Identifies as an HDT.

Yes, but that stands for Hazardous Duty Toy.

[Big5er]

10 hours ago, jcoffey620 said:

But you know as well as I do that that the Feds (and Texas) refer to "passengers and property" as something moved for hire, for profit, or in furtherance of a business. Please show mean this in either the FMCSA regulations or the Texas Transportation Code. You know this so well, certainly you should be able to find this reference.

And just for the fun of it, since I'm not doing anything else, I just called the State of Texas DMV, again.  And DMV does not enforce any laws nor do they deal with Drivers Licenses, which is what this topic was about. Not the county. And once again, with 2 clerks and a Super/manager And these clerks and a manager enforce what laws? NONE and they do not issue drivers license either on the phone, was told that if it is not being used in a commercial manner (as I described my truck- registered as a truck>1ton being used to pull a 5th wheel RV or horse trailer for personal recreation-and no, I don't make money with my horses), then it is NOT a CMV (confirmed that the terms mentioned above are as I described them in accordance with Fed laws) Federal regs have nothing to do with your STATE registration and does not need to be registered as a CMV  and no one ever said you needed to be REGISTERED as a CMV.  of any type, and does not require a CDL.  But you do you. 

You obviously have a reading comprehension issue. Try reading the exact text you quoted in your previous post. We are talking about DRIVERS LICENSES!!!!! It is in plain english. If you call anyone and say "I have a recreational vehicle, do I need a cdl", they will tell you no. That is EXACTLY what I said. Like Rocky said, we are talking we were talking about HDT's not little girlie trucks...BUT your LGT and a 10,000+lb trailer does fit the definition of a CMV according to TEXAS CDL law. (you quoted it earlier, I assume you read it). But our HDT's still meet that definition without a trailer. That is why WE (those of us with HDT's) have an issue with DL/CDL when registered as a truck. But again, we are talking HDT's not LGT's. Now, AS I SAID BEFORE, towing a recreational vehicle you are exempt from CDL. How hard is that to understand..CDL, RV, EXEMPT got it?? I'm not sure what your argument is. But you just keep on getting your legal advice from clerks and managers and you'll be fine.
Safe travels

Edited July 19, 2019 by Big5er

[Sehc]

"little girly trucks"  Really? What is the size of your truck substituting?