haulers using motorhome statis to avoid dot

Yep you can and it's legal. Too meet RV MH status the tractor must have 4 out of six:
1) own water supply (small water tank with a hand pump)
2) own coach power (inverter)
3) sleeping area
4) seperate heating
5) seperate lighting ( extra battery for RV)
6) bathroom (fold up potty)

Now that doesn't limit you from pulling a trailer but I would think the DOT would want you too prove who owns the load on the trailer. If the driver owns the load then no problem but if not then they would be in a heap of trouble or the same as hot shots ?

I also believe most scalehouses have cameras and I would bet if you just drive by the scales more than 3 or 4 times a month, there going to nail them with a inspection to prove RV status ? Most scalehouses are linked together? So would it matter which scalehouse you went by?

I don't think it's changed anything other for the guy wanting to pull a large RV trailer as now he can buy MH insurance and plates at a reasonable cost.

With my F350 DRW I have to buy commerical plates and my StateFarm agent listed my pick-up as a F150 to get them to insure it. They then listed it as a F350 after the policy was issued.

To me this is just plain stupid that I have to go thru all this just to drive a 1-ton pick-up to pull my RV.

T_Bone

The DOT regs exempt RV's from a lot of DOT rules so maw and paw kettle could use there motor home with out dealing with the regs.

But it has gotten to the point now that people are buying class 8 trucks and installing what breaks down to be a large sleeper and calling it a RV.

Personally I want to think that the line should be drawn between commercial use and private use BUT then I have to remember that a 40,000 lb RV can do as much damage as any 40,000 lb commercial truck. Probably even more because any John Doe can drive a RV no matter what his training or experience may be.