53 foot trailer... which states/provinces will give me a hard time

[mbaston]

Anybody have problems running a 53 foot trailer behind their dually? I will run the following states/provinces:



Alaska

Yukon Territories

British Columbia

Washington

Oregon

Alberta

Sasaskatchen

North Dakota

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Illinois

Indiana



I understand all the weight/CDL issues. Just making sure I am not missing any other regulations that have failed to raise their head in my research.



Thanks



Marty

 

[DCaswell]

Is this a goose for work? Don't know of any restrictions against length but B. C. are real dorks when it comes to weight, they go by mfg. tag on vehicle. Alta goes by what the tires are rated for.

Hope this helps

dennis

 

[DPelletier]

Can't say as I know re: the length issue here in BC, but if you're over 5500kg (12,100 lbs) there are all sorts of requirements as far as weigh scales, special licences, etc. Recreational Vehicles are exempt.



Dave

 

[mbaston]

You say BC goes by weight rating... ie axle rating and GVWR? My truck does not have gross combined weight rating on the tag.



This will be a commercial 5th wheel trailer for hauling two travel trailers at a time. I understand all the commercial scale requirements. I just don't want any other suprises.

 

[DPelletier]

The Commercial Vehicle Inspector's in B. C. actually go by what you're licenced to carry rather than any manufacturer's ratings. It's all a cash grab. If you're a commercial vehicle (i. e. any pickup registered to a company or hauling a company trailer for commercial purposes) then they will stop you and weigh you. If you're over 5500kg's GCVW, then you must comply with thier "over 5500kg" rules which consist in part of; stopping at all scales; drivers taking certain courses and holding commercial licences and posting of the vehicle's registered weight on the door of the truck. I'm only allowed to haul 3883 lbs (including the weight of my trailer and coffee mug!) before being subjected to all of this expense and time-wasting #$^%$^%#! Of course, I can carry much more with one of my 1/2ton 2wd trucks without getting into trouble.



Dave



P. S. My door sticker lists my 12,000 lbs GVWR

 

[MCummings]

I'll be towing also, but for "recreational" purposes.



Downside? My trailer is 54'.



I plan on my truck, trailer, and two trailered trucks all around 7,500 Lbs...



Somewhere around 30,000 combined weight...



I wonder if I'll be stuck up the creek without a paddle?



I hear Florida can be a pain...



Any advice? Mainly I'll be hauling two trucks to compete at competitions with no profit involved. .



Merrick

 

[Balzac]

In BC, total length-20M or 65 ft.

trailer length 12. 5M

Alberta-20M

Alaska 65 ft.

Saskatchewan 23M

Yukon 22M

Washington--75 ft

Oregon--65 ft, trailer length-35 ft.

North Dakota--75 ft. Trailer 60 ft.

Minnesota--65 ft

Wisconsin--65 ft trailer -40 ft

Illinois--60 ft.

Indiana--60 ft



This info from the Digest of Motor Laws from the AAA CAA

 

[woodsrat]

flordia DOT

MCummings



make sure you take a log book in flordia. They just got me pulling a 40 GN with a 2400lb pool on it. Said i had to have a log book because i crossed two state lines. I had everything else i needed but he wasent going to let me go on the log book. Gave me 10 hours out of service and a 100 dollar fine. Also said the next time i come back my truck better have apportioned tags on it. Got my layweer looking in to that one figure if he was sure he was right i would have got a ticket for that one too.

 

[MCummings]

Woodsrat,



Are you running commercial?



I'll be towing with my business, but not for profit, so that would put me in a "private" section, instead of commercial.



If I need a log book for private, I'll do that, Ihopefully not.



Merrick

 

[mbaston]

Going interstate changes a lot of things... do you have a DOT number? Most states don't want anything to do with apportioned unless you are over 26K.

 

[WDaniels]

Mbaston,

As long as you are not commercial you shouldn't have any problems. I came up a few years ago through BC with a 38' goose neck with 22,000lbs of hay on the trailer, plus the weight of the trailer, 9500lbs plus the weight of the truck. Was over 36k total and they didn't even bat an eye when I told them I wasn't commercial and it was for private use. Didn't even stop at the scales. Just make sure that you have a bill of sale when you come through the border. The BC border guards are butt heads. Sure it's worse since 9-11. Go through the border at Alberta. Road is better and faster. Hope this helps.

WD

 

[bfriskey]

Minnesota is confusing. Seems some know whats going on some don't. I pulled over last year for running a weigh station empty with no trailer. Last week dot was pulling over light duty trucks checking fuel, and portable scales where out checking trucks with trailers !! I have tried to get more specific info, but all I got was length 65 feet. If anybody out there knows, would be nice to get the specifics.

 

[woodsrat]

MCummings



I'm hauling pools for my business. But when i pick them up in flordia i have to pay for them then. Should have put me in private and i had not for hire stickers on the truck the flordia dot said it did not matter but did not ticket me for it so i would say he was not sure. Dont really think anyone is. I talked to one of our weigh bears here this weekend and he said i would need the approtioned tags but was not sure if you needed a class A cdl because it would be considered a truck/trailer not a tractor/trailer. Dose not make alot of sense to me. I also have a trucking company and i have everything (ie usdot #, icc and all) but no one can tell me for sure what a pickup and trailer should require. So im going to put the tags on truck and make another run in a week and see what happens this time. I didnt have any trouble with the weigh stations or any other states. Just think this one dot may have had a bur up his a#!

 

[bmoeller]

Just think this one dot may have had a bur up his a#!

Oh, gee. What a surprise. The ones in Iowa (from what I've heard) and Illinois (at least in Rock Island Co. ) can be too.

 

[MCummings]

That's cool. Thanks.



I have a Class A CDL w/o air brakes endorsement (But w/triple trailers and tanker)



Bad thing is I'll be grossing 35K..... Slightly over GCWR.



Merrick

 

[TX Gooseneck]

Merrick,

I've rolled over the scales at 39,xxx and was told I was barely legal. If you need an amended GVWR sticker, let me know.

 

[RKerner]

Minnesota is confusing. Seems some know whats going on some don't. I pulled over last year for running a weigh station empty with no trailer. Last week dot was pulling over light duty trucks checking fuel, and portable scales where out checking trucks with trailers !! I have tried to get more specific info, but all I got was length 65 feet. If anybody out there knows, would be nice to get the specifics.

Seems MN'S latest issues are with people running dyed fuel and anyone with a truck and a long trailer. Can't say anything about being pulled over without a trailer but a lot of racers are pulled over going to Brainerd and ticketed for being over 26K with no CDL, DOT physical, and the like. Maybe it's a good revenue generator with the latest budget crunches. I've run a 50 footer to Wichita a few times and get waved through weigh stations, the truck has a DOT number, "NOT for HIRE" on the side and a log book.

If you are coming from the west on 94, Alexandria is the regional MHP station and they are fairly active on that stretch of road.

 

[jelag]

I pull a 23 ft 5th wheel with gooseneck through BC all the time..... I use my 04 3500 dually to do this... . I do it with my normal WA state drivers licence... . as that's what's required here in WA... . The trailer will go to 24K lbs... ...



I've sat for hours at the scales in BC while they try and decide what to do with me. . but I get a permit as I enter BC... . Its my licence that throws them... the trailer is custom built and has NO ID tag except for the WA state inspection tag... it has tandem dualls (8 tires) with power disc brakes... . BC thinks I need a special licence(drivers) to pull this trailer... but my home state(WA) says no... . so theirs the rub... . no other problems with BC or Alberta... . and CA expects me to keep it under the 55 mph truck rule but doesn't want to see the rig in the scale house.....



I do have a DOT number but its not on the truck and I've never been asked...



BTW - we've been doing this for 10 years..... and 3x a month in Canada.....



Jim