I have a small residential moving business in Montreal, Quebec. Most of my work is local that I do with an 18 foot moving truck. But it's time for a new truck and I'm looking at getting a truck and trailer that I can use for long distance moves. Most of my customers are young couples and singles. They live in small apartments and don't usually have more than 1-2 tons of stuff. It usually fits in the 18 foot cube with room to spare. I've been looking at the new F-150. With payload and towing options, people who own them say they can tow a 10,000 trailers with no trouble. I'd like to get a 20 foot car hauler with a GVWR of 9,900 pounds. I don't really need a 20' trailer. But I'd like to have the option of being able to move a car or a couple of pallets if the opportunity arises. But before I jump in I'd like to get a little more information on this type of business. I'm still on the fence about whether or not I shouldn't just get a dually. Keep in mind I'm not looking to get into hauling full time. I'm mainly interested in finding out what rules apply to me if I start doing long back hauls in between moving jobs. 1. Will shippers deal with someone with a half ton? The cube truck I use now is fully insured and registered for household moving. I have a good history and my insurer told me adding commercial cargo insurance is not a problem. 2. Do I have to scale and keep logbooks? When I called the Quebec and Ontario transport ministries, I got a lot of different answers about whether or not I have to stop at the scales. Quebec says I don't have to scale, as long as the trailer is under 9900 pounds gross. But Ontario says if the truck, trailer and cargo combined are over 10,000 pounds combined then I have to scale. 3. If I do have to scale and keep log books, what are the rules about sleeping in the truck? Can I put a topper on the bed of my pickup and sleep there? I heard of guys getting in trouble for sleeping in the back of their pickups because the bed isn't long enough. I'm looking at getting a bumper pull b.t.w.. Less tongue weight. 4. Can I bring passengers. When I do local moves my customers often ride in the truck with me.
