We have a lot of firewood available to us, after a section is logged, we can get the tops, and we have friends that need trees taken down (not near their house) I own a pickup truck that will pull 10,000 lbs. a new holland 29 hp tractor and I can borrow a 6 by 10 dump trailer. I am considering eventually purchasing a bigger dump trailer to load my tractor on and take into the woods with a front grapple. I have access to a small wood processor also. Is there a limit on how large a dump trailer can be before you have to get a special license to haul stuff? (or if it would be considered commercial) I was considering an 80" wide by 12' or 14' dump trailer. I may purchase a small wood processor someday that will run off my pto on my tractor. The other problem is the width of the processors, I am getting the exact width next week, I think they are going to be wider than the 80" width of the dump trailer. The guy I am working with heats with wood, and I will keep track of our hours to see if it would be profitable to sell the balance of firewood. I have lots more questions, would love to talk on the telephone (my dime of course) to somebody that has done this before so I wont make a lot of mistakes. The idea was to process the firewood right in the woods, and make dump runs to my friends house, then at the end of the day load everything up and head home. I wouldnt trust leaving any good equipment alone in the woods. Our other option is to just cut to length and put in dump trailer and haul home. I do not like handling the wood more than I have to. Any input would be appreciated. I can leave my e mail address if this site allows that, (dont know) I am not all that great on a computer. I have a LLC (limited liability company) already set up for something else that I could change to firewood related stuff if we ever take it that far. Thank you in advance for any input.
michigan firewood questions
- Thread starter glassman
- Start date
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Treetom
ArboristSite Guru
Glassman, You will need a Class A cdl to drive your set up if it gets too heavy, as well as a commercial plate. Also, all business vehicles, such as your truck, require DOT numbers on both sides of the truck in Michigan. You also need a DOT inspection sticker on a business vehicle. The following, from the Michigan CDL study manual may help. You can find it online in a PDF format for more details.
Who Needs a CDL?
Any resident who intends to operate:
VEHICLES:
• Having a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more.
COMBINATION VEHICLES:
• Towing a trailer or other vehicles with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more with a gross combination
weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more.
Who Needs a CDL?
Any resident who intends to operate:
VEHICLES:
• Having a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more.
COMBINATION VEHICLES:
• Towing a trailer or other vehicles with a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more with a gross combination
weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more.
treetom
thank you treetom, my tractor weighs 3500 lbs. the processor if I get one eventually is about 1500 lbs. So along with the trailer weight I should be a couple thousand pounds light. I already have a commercial plate on my truck, so I think everything should work out well. I am up near Kalkaska by the way, if your ever up this way, e mail me and stop by my glass shop and say hello.
thank you treetom, my tractor weighs 3500 lbs. the processor if I get one eventually is about 1500 lbs. So along with the trailer weight I should be a couple thousand pounds light. I already have a commercial plate on my truck, so I think everything should work out well. I am up near Kalkaska by the way, if your ever up this way, e mail me and stop by my glass shop and say hello.
Treetom
ArboristSite Guru
Thanks for the invite, Glassman. I'll look you up if I ever get up to Kalkaska. In the meantime, I'll keep an eye out for you on AS. Good luck with your firewood business.
treeslayer
Addicted to ArboristSite
I sent you a PM with my phone #
I have sold firewood commercially since 1977, and have a lot of marketing and logistical experience if you're interested.
you're headed the right way, once you can start thinking about motion studies in the production phase. then ya just have to sell it in bulk.
I have sold firewood commercially since 1977, and have a lot of marketing and logistical experience if you're interested.
you're headed the right way, once you can start thinking about motion studies in the production phase. then ya just have to sell it in bulk.
Ellistrees
ArboristSite Member
Medical card not a health card
It is to show you have gotten a current Commercial physical exactly like what is requred for a CDL except you do not have to have the cdl license unless your gvw gross vehicle weight capacity is over 26,000 lbs. It does not matter your actual weight but the weight rating on your truck. This should be in your owners manual. Most 1 ton duallys are 22,500 gvw. Usually it's your 3ton or larger trucks.
With a CDL license you do not have to have the medical card but to get a CDL license you have to have a physical
Also these physical are only good for 2 years.
It is to show you have gotten a current Commercial physical exactly like what is requred for a CDL except you do not have to have the cdl license unless your gvw gross vehicle weight capacity is over 26,000 lbs. It does not matter your actual weight but the weight rating on your truck. This should be in your owners manual. Most 1 ton duallys are 22,500 gvw. Usually it's your 3ton or larger trucks.
With a CDL license you do not have to have the medical card but to get a CDL license you have to have a physical
Also these physical are only good for 2 years.
Wstree
My pickup is a 1/2 ton truck, and tractor is 3500 lbs and processor is 1500. Are you saying only the truck has to be a 1 ton, or combined weight of everything I am hauling? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get everything right before I venture into this. Thank you Ellistrees and WSTREE for your help.
My pickup is a 1/2 ton truck, and tractor is 3500 lbs and processor is 1500. Are you saying only the truck has to be a 1 ton, or combined weight of everything I am hauling? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to get everything right before I venture into this. Thank you Ellistrees and WSTREE for your help.
I just want to clarify...
In regards to the trailer...
MI doesnt care whats pulling that trailer or whats on it. If it is rated over 10,000 pounds, you need a class A cdl. This does not apply to Joe Homeowner. But if you are doing it to make money, you need the A. If you have Log plates, all you need is a chauffer endorsement but legally, IIRC that limits you to something like 50 or 150 miles from your place of business.
In regards to the trailer...
MI doesnt care whats pulling that trailer or whats on it. If it is rated over 10,000 pounds, you need a class A cdl. This does not apply to Joe Homeowner. But if you are doing it to make money, you need the A. If you have Log plates, all you need is a chauffer endorsement but legally, IIRC that limits you to something like 50 or 150 miles from your place of business.
Its called a "Medical Card."
You need to go to a occupational physician and get a "DOT Physical." I am not sure if your primary physician is able to give a DOT physical.
In MI you are required to carry your Medical Card on your person. If you get stopped you had better have it when you hand over your liscense.
woodchux
Addicted to ArboristSite
Along with the medical card you should get 3 warning triangles and a fire extinguisher too...
ms310
ArboristSite Operative
firewood in michigan
It is not a good time to start a firewood business in michigan, all the unemployed people are cutting the rates big time. Last year i got 195 a cord delivered, this year there is guys doing it for 120 at least down here. My sales are still good at 180 a cord but, I havent gained too many new customers, held onto my old ones with dry wood, and big cords.
It is not a good time to start a firewood business in michigan, all the unemployed people are cutting the rates big time. Last year i got 195 a cord delivered, this year there is guys doing it for 120 at least down here. My sales are still good at 180 a cord but, I havent gained too many new customers, held onto my old ones with dry wood, and big cords.
There is a lot of misinformation in this thread!
Federal DOT standards are the same for all the states, although individual states can enact additional restrictions.
If your trailer is rated (GVWR) for 10,000 lbs, you will be required to have a Class A CDL. End of story.
If your truck has a GVWR of 26,000 lbs, you will be required to have a Class A CDL.
If none of the above are true, and you exceed any of the GVW ratings, then you will be getting a huge fine for driving overweight, regardless of the type of drivers license you have.
I am not sure about the non-commercial or agricultural requirements of operating a class A vehicle, but I'll bet you would get the ticket for driving out of class if you did not have one.
A CDL physical in Kansas City costs $45.00. Call any medical clinic that does "occupational medicine"
Federal DOT standards are the same for all the states, although individual states can enact additional restrictions.
If your trailer is rated (GVWR) for 10,000 lbs, you will be required to have a Class A CDL. End of story.
If your truck has a GVWR of 26,000 lbs, you will be required to have a Class A CDL.
If none of the above are true, and you exceed any of the GVW ratings, then you will be getting a huge fine for driving overweight, regardless of the type of drivers license you have.
I am not sure about the non-commercial or agricultural requirements of operating a class A vehicle, but I'll bet you would get the ticket for driving out of class if you did not have one.
A CDL physical in Kansas City costs $45.00. Call any medical clinic that does "occupational medicine"
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Ellistrees
ArboristSite Member
Please do not give this guy false information
If your trailer is rated (GVWR) for 10,000 lbs, you will be required to have a Class A CDL. End of story.
It's not the end of story. I have a lot of experience in this field with drivers with and with out CDL and DOt regulations does not require you to have a CDL for pulling a trailer over 10,000 lbs.
You can get a DOT regulations manual at most State license agencies and probably on line. Please look it up.
If your trailer is rated (GVWR) for 10,000 lbs, you will be required to have a Class A CDL. End of story.
It's not the end of story. I have a lot of experience in this field with drivers with and with out CDL and DOt regulations does not require you to have a CDL for pulling a trailer over 10,000 lbs.
You can get a DOT regulations manual at most State license agencies and probably on line. Please look it up.
Total BS! This is not hard guys. Rather than letting some other numbskull on the internet tell you what you need, read it for yourself. Here! Let me help you out: http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registration-licensing/cdl/cdl.htm
Each and every time one of my drivers (Non-class A) is pulled over with our Ford F-550 pulling our trailer (over 10,000 GVWR), the driver is issued a ticket for driving a vehicle out of their class , and the truck is parked and the replacement driver BETTER have a Class A. The Missouri Drivers guide clearly states that if you are driving any vehicle towing such a trailer, you are required to have a class A license.
I have paid for too many fines on this exact topic for me to be wrong. Just because some other officer has not been issuing tickets to you guys does not mean that they couldn't write the ticket if they chose to. I use theses tickets as a primary motivation for my guys to get the class A certification to avoid the points on their record. Generally, the judge lets us out of the ticket if the driver shows up waving their newly acquired class A license.
Do YOU have a class A license? If you do, you would know these facts. I DO, and I have trained a number of employees how to get one. Call it PDQDL's driving school.
From the first page of the reference cited above:
" Classes of License:
The Federal standard requires States to issue a CDL to drivers according to the following license classifications:
Class A -- Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Class B -- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.
Class C -- Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials. "
EVERY STATE IS REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THESE RULES.
END OF STORY.
(This means that I am not going to argue the point anymore. If you choose to argue with these verifiable facts...have fun.)
Each and every time one of my drivers (Non-class A) is pulled over with our Ford F-550 pulling our trailer (over 10,000 GVWR), the driver is issued a ticket for driving a vehicle out of their class , and the truck is parked and the replacement driver BETTER have a Class A. The Missouri Drivers guide clearly states that if you are driving any vehicle towing such a trailer, you are required to have a class A license.
I have paid for too many fines on this exact topic for me to be wrong. Just because some other officer has not been issuing tickets to you guys does not mean that they couldn't write the ticket if they chose to. I use theses tickets as a primary motivation for my guys to get the class A certification to avoid the points on their record. Generally, the judge lets us out of the ticket if the driver shows up waving their newly acquired class A license.
Do YOU have a class A license? If you do, you would know these facts. I DO, and I have trained a number of employees how to get one. Call it PDQDL's driving school.
From the first page of the reference cited above:
" Classes of License:
The Federal standard requires States to issue a CDL to drivers according to the following license classifications:
Class A -- Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Class B -- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.
Class C -- Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials. "
EVERY STATE IS REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THESE RULES.
END OF STORY.
(This means that I am not going to argue the point anymore. If you choose to argue with these verifiable facts...have fun.)
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Ellistrees
ArboristSite Member
I do and have had a CDL license for last 20 years
Your truck Combined GVW for a F-550 is over 26,000 that is required a CDL
But a truck like a 350 pulling a 12,000 lb trailer does not need a CDL but does require the medical card.
Pleasse check DOT manual.:greenchainsaw:
Your truck Combined GVW for a F-550 is over 26,000 that is required a CDL
But a truck like a 350 pulling a 12,000 lb trailer does not need a CDL but does require the medical card.
Pleasse check DOT manual.:greenchainsaw:
