Hauling Motor Vehicles Considered Hazmat Load?

I'm going through my new entrant safety audit and had a phone call with my auditor today. I'm a private hauler by the way....The trooper I'm working with said I see you listed you haul motor vehicles on your MCS-150. I said yes, that is a rare occasion but I listed it because I have purchased cars/trucks out of state and want to be able to pick them up and haul them back on my step deck.

He says... thats a red flag for us because motor vehicles are considered a hazmat load. It will require you to have a 1 million dollar insurance policy and a hazmat placer. What? Yep and fines start at $16,000. What about hauling my tractors.... Nope that construction equipment.

IS this true? or this guy messing with me. I've never seen a hazmat placer on the back of car haulers.

 

Thank you.... I searched the internet and couldn't find anything about motor vehicles being hazmat. Then I started going.... Did I hear that right? But I know because I instantly asked him about hauling tractors when he said a truck is hazmat. And my wife heard the convo too.

They seem to never believe you when you say you're a private hauler. But I seriously am. I own a farm and do construction.

Throws me off when DOT tells you stuff like this.

 

Why do you think the trooper would tell me this incorrect info?