DOT scales giving anyone problems ?

[MADJACK]

How about a box trailer camoflaged to look like a RV/toy hauler trailer?

[tuney443]

If you want real problems with the DOT[Dep't. of Trouble],then come to NY.We have DOT officers who go way beyond FMCSA reg's. who routinely give me the latex glove exam without the lube.One minute you're legal,the next time your not.I had one fellow excavator by me who recently got pulled over 3 times in 1 day.I try and be as legal as possible but sometimes the old mentality of ''my overweight permit starts at sunset'' comes into play.

[Willycoyote]

try up here in manitoba canada lol. im a licensed tractor trailer safety insepection mechanic and the requirements we have to use are totally different than the ones the dot uses. the inspection basically just a certification the vehicle meets minium requirements. but dot's rules can make a just safitied vehicle rendere out of order. go figure. by law we cant require a vehicle owner to replace or repair any defect or part that meets minium requirement but wont pass a dot inspection thats just stupid. why even have the safety if its not up to dot's specs.

[pop pop]

does anyone have a good come-back for that classic saying that various officers use??? i really could go off the handle on this but i want a good one to actually answer the cop with,,, maybe something simple like,"no, do you?"

[Lu47Dan]

In 1996 I got pulled over and run across a set of portable scales, K1500 Chevy with a 6000 pound tandem axle trailer hauling a load of 2" insulation on it. The load was tied down with four ratchet straps and then tarped down. the DOT guys wanted to measure the height of the load! They said they thought it was over height not over weight, When they were all done They had gone over the truck and trailer with a fine tooth comb, they wrote me up for having one marker light out and one tire that they said was under the minimum tread depth, and no spare for the trailer, that would have cost me $500 The truck and trailer had just been inspected and the trailer had brand new tires on it. While I was setting being inspected a woman drove off the road right across from us. The state police showed up and started asking questions of how it happened. The DOT guys ran me out of there quickly but the person issuing the tickets forgot to sign it. I made a quick stop at the local district justice (DJ) and turned in the ticket, I was walking out with the paperwork when the DOT guys caught up to me and wanted the ticket back, I told them the DJ had it and I had my paper work throwing the ticket out for being improperly filled out. Those jerks started inspecting everything again, the DJ walked out of his office just as the state police showed up.
The DJ had called them when he saw DOT pull in to his parking lot, I was told by the cops and the DJ to get out of there and they would handle the DOT guys. I left and got home without anymore trouble. The state police had a field day with those two jerks, I heard through the grapevine that they were not like by that areas state police.
DOT has become more and more of a revenue generating body instead of a safety organization.
I tend to avoid them as much as I can.
Dan

[cat10til2]

NY is great for this type of stuff. You can never get the same answer twice. I had an 87 1 ton dually with a 10ft flat bed, pulling a tri axle trailer registered for 18,000. DMV told me that I needed a CDL for driving it. So, I got the books, paid my money and took the written tests. Then paid the money for the road test. When I showed up in the truck and trailer, the brownie tells me that he needs to see some paperwork for weight and then informs me that all I need is a class D license to drive the rig! Go back to DMV to bitch and surprise, surprise nobody knows anything. To make matters worse, they wouldn't even refund my money to take the roadtest that I couldn't take!

[pop pop]

hey Cat10-2 , don't feel too bad, at least you didn't ??have to buy commercial insurance, tare tax on comm. tags, ,,, they can run it around the bush from both ends on unsuspecting guys,,,

[Tigerhaze]

Usually a 1 ton truck (around 10,000 GVWR) and a gooseneck tri-axle trailer (usually around 21,000 GTWR) will exceed 26,000 GCVWR and my understanding is that a CDL would be required under the FMCSR. However if traveling intrastate there are a lot of exceptions, especially if "farm tagged".

I avoid that magical "26,001" weight number as much as possible. I come really close to it with my grain truck with GVWR of 26,000 lb and my 1 ton/trailer combo near 26,000 GCVWR. At those weights, I can legally drive with a MO Class E license (for-hire) rather than a CDL. Also vehicles greater than 26,000 GVWR tend to trigger all those other pain in the rear requirements like the IFTA tag and apportioned license plates.

In MO, you can be exempt from CDL requirements above 26,000 lb if "farm-tagged" but I figure for my purposes it is best just to avoid that weight altogether. if I need to have my crawler moved to another farm, I'll gladly pay someone else to do it.

[tuney443]

My good buddy just got hurt bad by these gestapos this bad week.He was on vacation,his other non-CDL driver who is from Mexico was driving with his still good Mexican license.DOT asked for his medical card which you don't need in NY if you're driving within NY,which he was.Got him for no license[still had time left on the Mexican license before he needed his NY one],no medical card,no manifest for containers-gasoline,oil,grease,etc.,some containers not marked, and containers not strapped down. The guy was so shook up he couldn't drive the rest of the week.It is almost a given now in NY---If you get stopped,they will give you a ticket for something.I will stake my life on it that it all comes from our moronic Governor Patterson to generate income.I believe the DOT is the only state agency that is actually increasing its ranks for this only reason---MONEY!!!

[Willyr]

Generally speaking (granted for Maine), if your under the 26,000 pounds your exempt.

However that being said.......... We had a member of the tractor club that was pulled over for having a one ton truck pulling a gooseneck trailer with 3 farmalls on the back end. Seems the state felt that he was so long that he must have a cdl to pull that load. It was the first time in 20 year he was notified of this.

Granted you dont know how to drive till you have been taught and get some miles driven for pulling 53 foot cans.

[tuney443]

If you are 10K lbs GVW or GCVWR or heavier and you are engaged in interstate commerce,the FMSCA says you need a medical card.There are exceptions to that rule however,such as if you are hauling hazardous material within your own state--then you also need one.Since my friend's driver was doing intrastate commerce,he simply did not need one.I already told him I'll go and back him up come his court appearance.Can't wait until we see the look on that trooper's arrogant mug when he's proven wrong.

[Tigerhaze]

Each state is different with respect to application of the FMCSA requirements for intrastate commerce- thus it is very important to read your state's interpretations of the FMCSA requirements. When in doubt, you should follow of the those requirements. if you go across state lines, then it is very likely that all FMCSA requirements apply (except in certain farming-related agreements between adjoining states).

I have posted a link to MO's farm vehicle pamphlet because it also has a pretty good summary of the FMCSA requirements as well. Most states in the Midwest have a similar summary.

http://www.modot.mo.gov/mcs/safety/docu ... fety07.pdf

[Willyr]

I asked a CDL trooper here today. He said everyone should pull in. Just be sure to tell anyone at a scale house that you are "for exhibit only, and you are not hauling for work". Hauling for work gets you into the headaches. Granted if your truuck has signs on it saying "Lavoy's Tractor Works" I dont think they will believe you.

Grin, picking on you Lavoy

[Lavoy]

I always figure it is better to ask forgiveness than permission.
lavoy

[tuney443]

I asked a CDL trooper here today. He said everyone should pull in. Just be sure to tell anyone at a scale house that you are "for exhibit only, and you are not hauling for work". Hauling for work gets you into the headaches. Granted if your truuck has signs on it saying "Lavoy's Tractor Works" I dont think they will believe you.

Grin, picking on you Lavoy

It's known as just ''not for hire''or'' non-business'' use.If you get to enjoy getting on the DOT's scales though,it has no bearing whatsoever--if you're overweight on tires,wheels,axles,low air pressure for the load,registered weight,manufacturer's GVW,etc.,you will be given a ticket. Too much overweight on any of the above and/or a real nasty DOT officer, and you'll likely get an ''out of service'' red tag.Happened to me on my trailer tires a couple years ago. I had to unload my backhoe,was then free to go,but I had to get a 1 ply heavier tire. My other tires with the same rig was fine at 2 other weigh-ins.Hauling tractors around usually means you're in business,so I doubt very much you'd get a sympathetic ear.