In MA I think there are some rules regarding the marking of vehicles. We have decided not to mark our trucks as we don't want the advertising. I see many trucks that are unmarked. Just curious what you guys think?

I'm in MA and I am pretty sure that your trucks have to be lettered. You should probably call the Board of Electricians and check it out.

I'm reluctant to hire someone who doesn't have their name on the truck. I feel like they're not really in business, and maybe they're not insured. I'm very curious why you don't want the advertising.

Dave

I talked to the Board about this.
They sent me a notice that my license number had to be on all correspondence and advertising as per Mass Gen Law.
I fixed this by making sure that my license number is on all invoices, proposals and correspondence. I ran my checks through the printer to add the license number.

Anyway…I asked about lettering of the van and about putting the license number on the side. I had always heard that you have to have your license number on the side no mater what.
What they told me is, that if you put your company name on any vehicle, it is advertising and your license number is required. It is not needed if you don’t letter the vehicle and lettering is not required.

Also the company name on the vehicle has to match the name on the business’s license.
If you were a journeyman in business you could only have “Joe Blow Electrician” as your company name.


Personally I don’t advertise either. I think that advertising on a truck attracts mostly residential customers. If you do only commercial and industrial work, then advertising on the trucks has less of an effect.
Commercial and industrial accounts and GC’s usually ask for an insurance certificate anyways.


[This message has been edited by tkb (edited 05-23-2005).]

To each his own, but I won't put a truck or van in service without good, professional lettering. It does serve as advertising, but also just name recognition, contractors and commercial customers see your trucks also. We get calls every week from somebody who saw our truck at a neighbor's, or in the same office complex, etc. Make sure the number is large enough to read from a distance. The biggest drawback(or maybe not) is the drivers have to be more courteous and safe or I get a call about their bad driving.

Tiger - We don't do residential work and when we had marked trucks we kept getting calls. Several years ago as we traded-in the marked trucks we just didn't mark the replacements. Only recently did we hear that trucks needed to be marked, and as TKB stated above, there doesn't seem to be a marking requirement, which is good because we don't plan on doing it anyway. Though I would put the license numbers on the trucks if that was required.

Also Tiger - We are heavily insured and all of customers require certificates before they let us even replace a lamp. We're not at all concerned about others being able to see our name written on a truck.

I appreciate the explanation. A large part of my business is residential, which explains the difference.

Dave

In Minnesota you must identify yourself on your vehicle if you are an electrical contractor. They require lettering at least 3 in. high and 1/2/ inch wide. Your company name must be shown exactly as it is on your license and the license number must be shown. We have been doing this for so long it isn't an issue anymore. The state is going to crank up the search for violators beginning in July '05.

I had my name on my trucks for about a year. Got ripped off twice. took it off havent been touch,and did not affect buisness.

I forgot to put on my signs one time since I have been in business, I had an inspection that same day. The 1st thing the inspector mentioned to me before he got into the building was if I knew what the state law required for identifying your truck. So, for me it is not a big deal, plus, I can't say that I don't need the advertising.

Well.. I took someones advise and asked the board of electricians. The guy I spoke with wasn't sure. He said "no.. I don't think that's any sort of requirement. After all it's your truck." So, armed with that knowledge and confident that I'm not in any trouble - No marking for our trucks.
Bill

On some of the commercial and almost all the industrial jobs we can't get past the front gate without marking on the truck, two years ago we had to rent a van, while ours was in the shop, we had to wait at the main gate quite some time, for someone to come out and sign us in, security being what it is today, i can understand.

Not only am I sorta kinda sure I remember a while ago some guys getting nabbed at the supply house for unlettered vans. I don't know if the board is the right place to get the answer. Maybe the Registry of Motor Vehicles? Either way my truck is lettered and although it does not say "Free wiring advice" ALOT of people see it that way.

EScott - There absolutely is an RMV requirement about truck marking. We know about that one. It basically states that if you have commercial plates and your truck is cabable of transporting 2000lbs or more of materials/merchandise then you must be marked. Our trucks are GMC Safari mini cargo vans. RMV marking rules don't apply to them.

LearJet9, How do you know that the RMV requires marking of the truck?

I would like to know so I don't have a problem in the future.

I don't plan on lettering my trucks if I don't have to. I will if it is required though.

Tim (TKB) we have two different subjects going on here.

First would be marking required for electricians.

As you found only if you decide to letter your truck do you need to include the license number.

Than there is DOT truck lettering which kicks in over a certain weight class. Vans are not in that weight class. If I remember it is for commercial vehicles over 10,000 gross.

This would be the lettering that includes the gross weight rating of the truck and the owner/operator info, as you see on big rigs.

What I found was from the Board of Electricians not the RMV.

Sometimes a law is not in the place you think it is. I thought that I missed something and I might not be in compliance with the law.

I am just talking about vans like a GMC 3500. I didn't even think about larger trucks.

I checked on the RMV website, but could not find any information for commercial vehicles.

The RMV does require lettering for commercial vehicles. Most police do not enforce the law though.

However, there is a cop in Woburn MA that does give out tickets for $1000 for the offense (no, I did not accidentally add a zero, one thousand dollars). I know a few people who got tickets but then fought it and won probably due to the mercy of the judge.

I do a lot of work in Boston where you need lettering to park in commercial parking spaces otherwise I would not have lettering.

Does your lettering say "Steal my stuff" by any chance. Tends to happen alot in Beantown. Once had a van "unstocked" right down to device plates.

Oh yeah I've been hit before. Been pretty luck though. Ususally a quick hit and run and the fools always seemed to take the broken drill while leaving the brand new Hilti TE74.

I might have lettered on the truck "Steal my stuff - and I will shoot you!"

tkb is right I was just on the website for Cecil County,Marylands electrical board. They require trucks to state Master Electrician and License number in 2" letters.

tkb - I know someone who got a ticket for "fail to mark truck." It has to be a truck registered commercial, it has to have the capability to carry "2000lbs or more" I'll get you the actual wording later, I have it written down in my van.

OK - Here it is straight from our local PD. (the copied the page from the book for me:

5.40CMR 2.22 ($35 fine)
The owner of every truck used to transport goods, wares or merchandise for hire shall have the owner's name marked on the truck, to be plainly visible from each side or from the front and rear of the vehicle. Moreover, motor trucks operated under a lease of more than 30 days shall display either the name of the owner and/or the lessee. For the purpose of this regulation, a motor truck is; "any motor vehicle specially designed or equiped to transport personal property over the ways of the commonwealth and which has a maximum load carrying capacity of over 2000 pounds, and which in not a provate passenger vehicle.

There are different requirements wherever you may be located. In Minnesota the State Board of Electricity doesn't care what the D.O.T. or any other agency thinks or requires. They regulate all electrical contractor licensing and advertising requirements through the Minnesota Electrical Act (state law). They require anyone holding an electrical contractors license to have the vehicle signed regardless of the size or type of vehicle. If it is being used for electrical contracting, it better be identified.

As best I can determine, in MA the electricians board does NOT require marking of any kind on a truck. They DO require a license number be displayed ONLY IF you put your name on the truck. Though I will say of the 20 people I have asked, 15 have agreed with this and 5 feel there IS some sort or requirement or regulation that requires truck marking, and at least 1 of the people I asked worked for the board of electricians!! Wouldn't ya think this would be an easy question to resolve?? I say majority rules.
Bill

Where is 5.40CMR 2.22 from.
I searched in the Mass General Laws MGL and could not find this.
Is it a town law?

tkb
CMR is Commonwealth of Mass Regulation
540CMR 2.22 is what the cop will write on the ticket along with the $35. This section pertains to commerical vehicles only

Can't get to it through the registry's website.
Why do they hide the laws and make it hard to comply when you dont know.

Tkb - Come on man it's simple! If they make us all aware of the regulation how will the police write all of those tickets? The Commonwealth needs the money. Let's not be thinking of ourselves here, help out your local communities and your state!!

Lear, I have a letter or e-mail from the registry stating that you are not required to letter your truck, however if you do letter your truck, it must be registered commercially.

Jim

As I travel about daily I'm guessing I see about 10-15% of all contractor trucks/vans that have any marking on them. It's not a regulation that is enforced, nor should it be.