Route suggestions from Atlanta to Salt Lake...without CDL

[trimster]

Looks like we are picking up our new (for us) Volvo 630 in a few weeks, from a dealer west of Atlanta, Ga. I have read what I can about getting the rig back to home base without a CDL, and would like to enlist your thoughts on the best route.

What I am going to do:

- have insurance papers in hand

- Have state law for repurposing HDT to RV (now this is an interesting area in UTAH policy. Nothing is really written about this. When you call or visit the DMV, they give you a blank affidavit of change form where you list the changes you made. That's it. There's really no great threshold to meet to be considered an RV/motorhome. Bed, fridge, microwave does it).

- The commercial hitch is being removed before we hit the road.

- The trailer air lines are being removed before we hit the road.

- There will be vinyl graphics on the side 'Private Coach Not For Hire'.

- The dealer will give us 45 day temp tags.

Any thoughts on how to make this as trouble free without the CDL, are welcomed.

Bob & Lisa

[Pat & Pete]

Hmm , back roads only and only between 3 AM and 5 AM ? LOL

[Darryl&Rita]

Look at this logically. Most of your route will be (should be) on interstate highways, surrounded by traffic. Follow the speed limits, don't stick out, don't drive like you've never been in traffic before. The Highway Patrol has enough to look after without chasing you down. 

The alternative is to get all the paperwork done before you leave Utah, to run on Utah tags.

[Hewhoknowslittle]

Jump in, slam the door and head west. 
without a commercial hitch what can you haul to make you commercial?

Have your story straight and you will not have any problems. 
I have moved 2 different trucks, one from Mesa, Arizona to Wichita, Kansas and one from College Station, Texas to Wichita. Newer got two looks or even stopped. 
Roger

[Danandfreda]

Roger one look was probably enough. Ha

[EAST BOUND AND DOWN]

I am going through the same process as you. I will be purchasing a truck most likely across the country and be bobtailing it back to the pacific northwest. Have you already completed the purchase and are picking up the truck in a few weeks? If so, then you probably will have plenty of time to get registration and plates showing it is registered as a motor home (assuming truck has enough equipment installed to qualify). If the temp tags are showing the truck as commercial, then I would be nervous as well. My plan is to have registration in hand showing it registered as a motor home prior to bobtailing back. I look forward to hearing how your adventure goes. If you purchased your truck from Jordans Truck Sales I would be interested in hearing how your experience goes. 

[EAST BOUND AND DOWN]

1 hour ago, Darryl&Rita said:

Look at this logically. Most of your route will be (should be) on interstate highways, surrounded by traffic. Follow the speed limits, don't stick out, don't drive like you've never been in traffic before. The Highway Patrol has enough to look after without chasing you down. 

The alternative is to get all the paperwork done before you leave Utah, to run on Utah tags.

Probably not an issue driving down the highway. It is when you go into or pass the scale house and your truck looks like an over the road truck bobtailing. If the truck is still registered commercial but out of service, it could become an interesting conversation.

[Hewhoknowslittle]

1 hour ago, Danandfreda said:

Roger one look was probably enough. Ha

Well I guess you could be correct. But not everyone see's the inner beauty of Roger.

[trimster]

So, stop at scales? Or keep on truckin'?

[Parrformance]

My opinion would be you are asking for trouble stopping at the scales.

I would run without a tag before I ran with a commercial temp tag.

I would make every effort to get it registered and insured in your home state b4 picking it up.

In FL.  I had to provide a photo to the DMV, with the commercial hitch removed.  The. dealer can send you that photo.  

Interior photos can be "had" online with stuff like a fridge and a microwave installed.

Have the dealer install a good quality pure since wave invertor for you, this will provide your 110 volt requirement.  Unless the truck is equipped with an APU.

Michael.

[NDBirdman]

I would definitely have paper in hand and your states tags/registration on it before I tried driving it cross country as well as copies of your states regulations concerning your new to you truck/RV.  Not sure I would want Johnnie Law chasing me after blowing past a weigh station, or spending the afternoon in the station trying to convince them of anything.  Might take you a little longer to get it home, but worth avoiding the hassle.  Have you ever drove a large truck?  If not, it will show and that alone will get you picked on.  Have not read most your posts, don't know if your experienced, if so, ignore my post.  Truck an auto?  If stick, have someone show you, they don't shift like a car/light truck and can get you in trouble pretty quick.  Engine brakes?  Don't use those bob-tailing.  Bob-tail, that thing will be light in the rear, watch the ice/rain/sand on the road, etc.  IMHO 

I'm a retired pro-driver, those are just some of my concerns but it has been 10 yrs since I've drove more than a grain hauler around the farm.

Just my 2-cents worth.  Have a safe drive and enjoy it.

Edited March 8, 2020 by NDBirdman

[Danandfreda]

Check to see if your state will give you a temporary permit to let you drive a commercial truck if you apply for it to be registered rv. South Dakota will do that but you have to send all the right paperwork in first to get the permit. Might be worth checking out

[trimster]

Ndbirdman; the truck is an ishift. I have a few years in my mdt pulling our 36' 5er. Not a pro, but not my first bar-b-q. 

The issue I have is,  I've not been face to face with this truck yet.  It is bring thoroughly gone over by a third party. So I hesitate to buy it sight unseen. I trust the dlr & the inspection company....but...

Bob

[trimster]

...oh, this is the truck we're chatting about. 

https://www.truckpaper.com/listings/trucks/for-sale/100064305/2015-volvo-vnl64t630?ST=georgia&CTRY=usa

[Big5er]

Don't stop at the scales. Your temp tag will probably say "truck", and absolutely nothing about commercial or otherwise. Ditch those silly "Private Coach-Not for Hire" signs. They mean absolutely nothing and it is "signage". Pepsi-Co is the largest private motor carrier in the U.S. They have (last I looked) over 11,000 tractors. They are "not for hire", but they are still a commercial motro carrier. With a temp tag, not hitch, and no airlines why put any signage on it? The signs are a placebo. It makes the driver feel better, as a retired DOT officer I can tell you it means nothing. My truck has no signs and never will.

Drive it home. If you have your story straight you will be ok....the big question is, what type of license will your home state require, and do you have it?  

[GeorgiaHybrid]

As much as it pains me to agree with Phil (OK, not much pain....) he is correct. Make sure you have the correct license to drive a private truck of that GVWR, make sure the fifth wheel and airlines are gone, get a temporary tag, a bunch of snacks and drive it home. Leave the signage off of the truck,  never had them, never will.

Edited March 10, 2020 by GeorgiaHybrid

[Sculptor]

I was in the same situation when I bought mine.  The advice above is good advice.  My choice was to have the commercial hitch  and hoses removed also.  I think this made a difference to the officer when I Did stop.  I would advise you to leave the hoses for now, but its your choice.

I used TruckerPath app to know if there was an open weigh station ahead.  AThe first day I actually went around the two that were open.  Many were closed.  Of course that took more time.  The second day I finally stopped at a weigh station in Tennessee I think?  He flashed the red light so i pulled out the notebook and went in.  He asked why I had no hitch.  It was my first opportunity to brag on my new truck and talk about all the glorious mods I planned.  He said he was just curious and said have a nice day.  

I asked if I should stop at other stations, or skip them since I was non commercial, and planned to modify and retitle.  Of course he said yes.    I didn't stop at any others.  We were not stopped the rest of the way home.

[Radar274]

44 minutes ago, GeorgiaHybrid said:

As much as it pains me to agree with Phil (OK, not much pain....) he is correct. Make sure you have the correct license to drive a private truck of that GVWR, make sure the fifth wheel and airlines are gone, get a temporary tag, a bunch of snacks and drive ir home. Leave the signage off of the truck,  never had them, never will.

Agree with Phil (Big5er), and Georgia.  Have your story straight with your state laws in hand and make sure you have insurance.  The Insurance might be provided with the temporary plates from the sellers company but I would check with them.  Our truck was 1000 miles from home, the commercial hitch and air lines were removed. We did avoided the Chicago traffic for our first trip!!!!!........ but we did smile as we drove pass all the weigh stations. 50,000 miles later....we have never been stopped for not entering the weigh stations.  We were stopped for not using the truck route in a small town, (my bad) I missed the sign.  The result was NO ticket as we are register Non commercial and she was a nice Cop MUST HAVE BEEN RELATED TO BIG5er.

Safe Travels have fun

Bob

[Star Dreamer]

I agree with Big5er and others with same comments. We drove our truck bobtail from Texas to MN with a side trip to Indiana. It already had "Private RV" stickers on the side and we have left them on. In the eight years of us using the HDT with or without or trailer, we have never stopped at weigh station and have never had anyone come out after us. Most of the time they are closed, other times they have no chase vehicles in their lot and I guess the rest of the time they do not want to be bothered with us. Just have all your paperwork handy as be sure your license allows you to drive it as an RV or private truck, just in case.

[mr. cob]

Howdy Trimster,

I agree with Phil, NO signage all it does is confuse folks.  Two years ago I flew to Minnesota in the dead of winter to buy my Pete, which was in commercial service at the time.  BEFORE I left from home I had ALL the paperwork needed from my local DMV to verify that I had fulfilled the Washington State requirements to convert the truck to a "motor home".

After I bought the truck, I went to Walmart bought a micro wave and a portapotty, micro wave and portapotty were still in the box but IN THE TRUCK and could be used if needed as the truck had an inverter already in it.  I overnighted the paper work to include the receipts for the micro wave and portapotty back to my local DMV, they then overnighted to me my registration as a MOTOR HOME, my license plates and tabs.  Because it was winter and I had many miles of snow and ice covered road to include many mountain passes to cover to get home, I left the commercial hitch attached to the truck frame but only held in place by TWO bolts this was to put a little bit of weight over the rear axles to help with traction.

So if your State is as easy as mine to make the conversion, just get what you need to make it legal and drive that puppy home, I have NEVER stopped at a scale in the 7 years I have been doing this and NEVER will.

Dave

[trimster]

Thanks folks. 

Utah requires no additional license upgrades for motorhomes of any config. There is an upgrade for non-commercial 20001 lb and above that's like a CDL light. But nobody gets it for motorhomes.

I'll get the papers together and fly down in a week or so. I'll keep everyone posted on the adventure. 

 

[trimster]

Update...

Double whammy on getting the truck. Flights are not possible as they now inform us that 'low booked flights can be canceled at anytime'. Our flight has 90% empty seats. Odds are that it's not flying.

Second, the markets pretty much nuked what we had set aside for a truck purchase. As most know, retirement is somewhat fragile... blow up the economy and status quo... and it can be quicksand.

I appreciate all your help and advice and experience. We still have a HDT in our future (going to continue running our International MDT for now), once things get back to normal. Which might be a different look of normal.

Bob & Lisa (hunkered down...for now)

[trimster]

As a additional thought... Judd at Jorden Truck Sales 1460 Bankhead Hwy, Carrollton, GA 30116 has been stellar, patient, honest and extremely helpful in our extended dealings with them. Everyone I have spoken with sings the praises of their way of doing business. If things get right again, they will be the first place I look for a 630.

 

[rickeieio]

Patience.  It may be a while, but things will settle down.  Then we start the perhaps drawn out process of getting back where we were.

Meanwhile, there may be some real bargains popping up for those who are prepared....

[Moresmoke]

49 minutes ago, rickeieio said:

Meanwhile, there may be some real bargains popping up for those who are prepared....

Used trucks were already a buyer’s market, will probably be more so in the near future.

Trimster - use the time to plan what you want to do when you are able to pull the trigger on an HDT. If you have space to store stuff, you can even acquire some of the small bits as opportunity presents.