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Is it legal to haul extra fuel?

30K views 32 replies 15 participants last post by  jef 
#1 ·
Any legal issues with filling up a few sealed 55gal drums with diesel in the bed? I know you can install a large tank in the bed, but what about loose drums? I'm not talking about keeping them in the bed, just filling them and bringing them home for storage.

Anyone know?
 
#3 · (Edited)
Except for farmers, everyone else has to comply with the DOT rules in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). DOT has requirements for fuel tanks, and I'm pretty sure a 55-gallon drum does not meet those requirements. Look at "refuel tanks" on fuel tank manufacturers websites. You won't find any 55-gallon drums there.

Drums can be used for motor oil, vegetable oil, and lots of other not-very-flamable liquids, and even for some HazMat liquids. But I doubt they can be used for fuel or any other highly flamable liquid - unless you are a farmer hauling fuel to your tractors and other farm equipment.

To be sure, check with the Colorado State Patrol at any truck weigh station on the interstate. Or if you're in the Denver area, check with the state hazmat office in Golden. Note that Colorado has a DOT, but they don't handle enforcement. The State Patrol does that. Colorado State Patrol - HazMat Division

Here's a beginning to researching the CFR if that rocks your boat:
US DOT Pipeline and HazMat Regulations
 
#4 ·
As far as hauling a 55 gallon drum from the station back to your home I don't see where anybody would bother to check you as long as it is secured in the bed. I have quite often carried a 55 gallon drum hunting for the extra fuel and have never been bothered except for the cost of filling it. The thing that I would be worried about or watch would be water getting into the drum but then if your pump has a water separator on it you shouldn't have any worries.

Jim
 
#5 ·
... a few sealed 55gal drums with diesel ...
And speaking of farmers, if I needed 200-or-so gallons of diesel in barrels at my house, I'd call my local farm fuel store and have him send the delivery truck out with #2. He will deliver either untaxed red "tractor" fuel, or taxed diesel you can legally run in your on-the-road diesel pickup. And he'll be glad to pump it into your drums.

Back when Dad was still farming with diesel John Deere tractors, we had a 200-gallon diesel tank on the farm. The farm fuel delivery man kept it full, sorta the way the delivery man will keep your home heating oil tank full back in the northeast. I don't remember the prices, but they were about the same as if we had bought it from the red-diesel pump at his store.
 
#6 ·
You know something we don't:eek3:

I filed for an agg fuel permit for the land. I know some guys that went to Mexico and loaded drums with diesel cause it was a dollar cheaper a gal. The border folks stopped them and they had to leave it there.

I have carried two or three drums of VP C16 race fuel many times here in TX.
 
#7 · (Edited)
You know something we don't:eek3:
:lol: Well, I know I can get diesel for 65 cents a gallon cheaper 30 minutes away.....and I know that fuel prices won't stay where they are for long. Hence my desire for some fuel storage. Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure local ordinances would probably frown on fuel storage at my house. I'm not real worried about me doing it (I have plenty of room), but I doubt the local fuel supplier would deliver to my house.....and if he did, they'd probably charge me the local prices instead of the 65 cents a gallon cheaper up the road.

I'm not real worried about hauling it either.....I can always throw a tarp over the drums to conceal it. However, filling up 5 drums at the station could raise some eyebrows.:dunno:

And yes.....back on the farm we used to have both diesel and gas tanks that were filled frequently, but I don't live on the farm anymore.
 
#8 ·
"I'm not real worried about hauling it either.....I can always throw a tarp over the drums to conceal it. However, filling up 5 drums at the station could raise some eyebrows.:dunno:"

Fill 1 or 2 a trip and make a couple of trips.... Just remember the attendant is supposed to stop you unless you are pumping it into a "properly marked and approved container", and that varies from state to state, also there is a max quanity you can transport......

That all said, you're a private citizen not hauling for hire, no one will likely give you a second look or a first look for that matter.

Just remember diesel fuel goes "bad" if not properly stored.

My $.02, and worth what you paid for it............
 
#9 · (Edited)
I used to haul bedding for my animals that I got from woodworking shops in six or eight 55 gal drums in my bed, unmarked, and never got a second look from anyone who mattered. I would run on the interstates, surface roads, through several towns and never had a problem. It did raise an eyebrow or two from other customers when I fueled up with the drums in the back but I think it was folks wondering how many bodies I had hidden in the drums.

Dave / Believer45
 
#10 ·
whats keeping you from just getting a auxiliary tank its DOT approved and wont make the attendant raise any questions and i have never heard of anyone getting pulled over for hauling fuel in a aux. tank without a hazmat license. You might need a license like that if you plan to carry fuel in 55gal. drums plus a msds sheet and proper placards
 
#11 ·
whats keeping you from just getting a auxiliary tank
Well, the auxiliary tank isn't free, and I can remove the drums from the truck. I don't want to put in a tank and reduce my full-size bed. If I wanted that, I could have got a short-bed.:lol:

These drums are the blue HDPE drums, which should be fine for storing diesel fuel. If they are filled to the top and with some stanadyne included, I'm pretty sure the fuel would be fine for storage.

If I could get the diesel for $1.79/gal down the street, I wouldn't even worry about it. I'd fill one or two up at a time and bring them home. But filling five of them 30 miles away and then driving them home is the issue. Doing one or two at a time is an option, but then it would take 2-3 trips instead of one. Oh well, I'll do something here.
 
#12 · (Edited)
hitcb1789 said:
whats keeping you from just getting a auxiliary tank its DOT approved and wont make the attendant raise any questions and i have never heard of anyone getting pulled over for hauling fuel in a aux. tank without a hazmat license. You might need a license like that if you plan to carry fuel in 55gal. drums plus a msds sheet and proper placards
CDL with hazmat endorsement only needed if you transport placardable quantities of hazmat. CDL is only required if you are in commercial transport and the GVWR of your vehicle is 26,001 lbs or more, or if you tow a trailer with a GVWR of 10,001 lbs or more (still in commercial transport). I will leave the definition of commercial transport for another forum. There is an RV exemption which is why you can see me (grandpa) driving a class 8 Volvo tandem axle tractor with a 72" sleeper (licensed as an RV when properly equipped) with a 48' Luxor camper trailer that weighs 36,000 lbs on a standard driver license here in Ohio.

Placards for diesel fuel and most (not all) Hazmat transport are only required if you are carrying 1001 lbs or more.

MSDS sheet has nothing to do with transporting hazmat, it is to inform folks who use/handle the product.

My bonafides - 34 years in transportation, 13 years as a driver, 20 years as a supervisor/manager.

Back to the topic at hand, if you want to know what is required call or stop at a scale on the interstate and ask. If you call there is no need to identify yourself, you can look up the phone numbers online. If you stop in they will most likely not ask for any kind of ID - I have asked some pretty off the wall (and maybe sometimes a bit alarming) questions and never had the DOT officer ask for id.

Dave / Believer45
 
#13 ·
The big question is what are you going to do with 200 gallons of diesel at $1.80 a gallon if it drops another 50 cents to $1.30 a gallon? Granted it isn't likely but what if?

Jim
 
#15 ·
The big question is what are you going to do with 200 gallons of diesel at $1.80 a gallon if it drops another 50 cents to $1.30 a gallon? Granted it isn't likely but what if?
Well, considering that it's $2.59 where I live (30 miles away:huh:), I could just use it as I need it. However, if it were to drop lower, I'd continue to store it and buy it for cheaper until the price went back over what I paid for it. I'm quite sure that it will go up after the first of the year......and if not then, it certainly will be higher next summer.
 
#14 ·
I thought about making or buying a fuel trailer like a 500gal agg tank on wheels. I could get it filled at the COOP or my land and tow it home and store it in the garage. I could take it with me when the world comes to an end and I have to hole up at the compound:notallthere: :lol:
 
#18 ·
Hmmmmm.....if the drums are sealed and filled to the top, and some additive like Stanadyne put in......how long will the fuel stay good?

Or should I say......how long can you store diesel before it goes bad?:dunno:
 
#21 · (Edited by Moderator)
catch&release said:
Well, I guess that would limit me to two drums at a time. It's still more than cost effective even at two drums at a time. I'll just make sure the truck tank needs filling as well when I go up. Thanks.
5 drums of diesel would weigh approx. 2200 lbs you would be way over the hauling limit .Traveling 60 miles round trip to get it is sure taking a chance, God forbid you ever got in an accident. You should leave at least 3-4 inches short of full for expansion . I seen a farmer/contractor filling a 200 gallon tank in his truck bed at a Flying J just a week ago at 1:00AM . He should have been at the RV pumps, they fill a lot faster than at the regular one's. LOL I have personally had diesel fuel in my GM bus for over a year without any additives, only thing that can happen is if algea grows in it then it's filter after filter. Additives can prevent this or kill the algea if it forms . Diesel fuel tends to suck in moisture, but what the heck it goes to the bottom . Containers --- RED is gasoline--- BLUE is kerosene --- YELLOW is diesel/fuel oil. GOOD LUCK.
 
#22 ·
5 drums of diesel would weigh approx. 2200 lbs you would be way over the hauling limit .
Ya.....I guess 2 drums at a time will work. Thanks for the info. With all the foam I probably won't be filling to the top anyway.....I'm just not that patient.
 
#25 ·
Can't speak for everyone else, but getting nailed doing 90 in a 55 on the 101 near Paso Robles several years ago has REALLY slowed me down a bit.:nono: Hmmmmm....perhaps enforcement does work.:lol:
 
#26 ·
Call your states dot office that's what they are their for. I had a 100lb propane tank that I needed filled and several people told me it was against dot regulations to carry it in my car. DOT said it was fine to transport.
 
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#27 ·
UPDATE:

Contacted the Colorado State Patrol Hazardous Materials Division today. They said there is no limit in quantity or weight for hauling diesel fuel for personal use.:thumbsup: As long as the containers are not leaking.
 
#30 ·
Drove up today to fill up........and diesel was up $0.20/gal from yesterday.:headbang:

It's been $1.73 for the past few weeks. The day I decide to do my 275gal fillup, it goes up $0.20 a gallon. Which one of you jokers told them I was coming?:lol: I decided they might have raised it for the expected holiday travel season, so I only filled up the truck and two barrels....140 gallons total. Checked my mileage and was really surprised......16.7mpg. 535 miles and 32 gallons to the rim. Most of these miles were in town, and even had it in 4-hi for a few of those days when it snowed.
 
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