Dot experts

[GAmes]

Would it be possible to to get a new weight rating for a old used trailer? Would want to get a lower weight rating for the trailer to stay under the 26,000 cut off point. Could the manufacture of said trailer print out a new lower weight rating certificate? Actual loaded weight will be less than the weight rating.

If the trailer manufacturer will work with you. The VIN tag on the botton trailer was 18,000 GVWR when I went to pick it up. I told the manager I was restricted to 15,500 because I don't have a CDL. He made up two new VIN tags, one for 15,500 and the other for the original 18,000. He ripped off the tag, installed the 15,500 tag and had me install the 18,000 tag when I delivered the stack. Problem solved. I crossed three sets of scales with no issue.

 

[Bater]

Pending DOT Legislation Relaxes Rules For Farmers

Potential benefits for farmers in an amendment to the pending DOT bill:

(It figures, just as soon as I have covered off these things, the rules will go away. )





SA 1814. Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Mr. Toomey, and Mr. Blunt) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 1813, to reauthorize Federal-aid highway and highway safety construction programs, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:



At the end of subtitle E of title I of division A, add the following:



SEC. __. EXEMPTIONS FROM REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN FARM VEHICLES.



(a) Federal Requirements. --A covered farm vehicle, including the individual operating that vehicle, shall be exempt from the following:



(1) Any requirement relating to commercial driver's licenses established under chapter 313 of title 49, United States Code.



(2) Any requirement relating to medical certificates established under--



(A) subchapter III of chapter 311 of title 49, United States Code; or



(B) chapter 313 of title 49, United States Code.



(3) Any requirement relating to hours of service established under--



(A) subchapter III of chapter 311 of title 49, United States Code; or



(B) chapter 315 of title 49, United States Code.



(4) Any requirement relating to vehicle inspection, repair, and maintenance established under--



(A) subchapter III of chapter 311 of title 49, United States Code; or



(B) chapter 315 of title 49, United States Code.



(b) State Requirements. --



(1) IN GENERAL. --Federal transportation funding to a State may not be terminated, limited, or otherwise interfered with as a result of the State exempting a covered farm vehicle, including the individual operating that vehicle, from any State requirement relating to the operation of that vehicle.



(2) EXCEPTION. --Paragraph (1) does not apply with respect to a covered farm vehicle transporting hazardous materials that require a placard.



(3) STATE REQUIREMENTS. --Notwithstanding section (a) or any other provision of law, a State may enact and enforce safety requirements related to covered farm vehicles.



(c) Covered Farm Vehicle Defined. --



(1) IN GENERAL. --In this section, the term ``covered farm vehicle'' means a motor vehicle (including an articulated motor vehicle)--



(A) that--



(i) is traveling in the State in which the vehicle is registered or another State;



(ii) is operated by--



(I) a farm owner or operator;



(II) a ranch owner or operator; or



(III) an employee or family member of an individual specified in subclause (I) or (II);



(iii) is transporting to or from a farm or ranch--



(I) agricultural commodities;



(II) livestock; or



(III) machinery or supplies;



(iv) except as provided in paragraph (2), is not used in the operations of a for-hire motor carrier; and



(v) is equipped with a special license plate or other designation by the State in which the vehicle is registered to allow for identification of the vehicle as a farm vehicle by law enforcement personnel; and



(B) that has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight, whichever is greater, that is--



(i) 26,001 pounds or less; or



(ii) greater than 26,001 pounds and traveling within the State or within 150 air miles



[Page: S1467] GPO's PDF

 

[HBarlow]

It sounds to me like the US senate is trying very hard to buy votes from farmers and ranchers.

Personally, I hope the amendment is not passed. This part:

(4) Any requirement relating to vehicle inspection, repair, and maintenance established under--

is the most troubling.

That would encourage what is already a common problem - farmers operating old junk equipment with poor brakes, old rotten tires, worn out front suspension, and more heavily loaded on the highways.

This amendment smells very much like political prostitution.

 

[Bater]

This part: (4) Any requirement relating to vehicle inspection, repair, and maintenance established under-- is the most troubling.

I was surprised to see that sentence, as I hadn't noticed that aspect being mentioned in the farm trades.



Perhaps the thinking is that the states already have adequate safety inspection requirements, and it's unlikely that farmers will really travel that far. (Range with farm or farmer plates appears to be limited to adjacent states. )



In NJ, safety inspections for light duty vehicles were dispensed with due to budget pressures, so I didn't think it so horrible to get a DOT inspection. I can imagine though, that if you were in a state that still had safety inspections, and required them for farm vehicles, you could be upset with having to do both.



Certainly will be grateful if the hours of service requirement is tossed for farmers. Have learned a lot from this thread and elsewhere how that is supposed to work, but I never settled on a logging method that seemed appropriate for a very intermittent hauler like me. (At some point a NJ state trooper is supposed to visit to review such topics. I understand that trooper was out ill for awhile; perhaps the rule will change before he works through his backlog and gets to me. )



Andy

 

[Bater]

NJ State Trooper DOT Meeting

Follow up.



I met with the NJ State Trooper over the weekend. He arrived in an unmarked pursuit type car, and was in full uniform. He came prepared with a checklist of the exemptions for farmers, and I had most of the remaining things that he was expecting to see, including medical and inspections.



The trooper clarified the logging rules that I will need to follow. He pointed out that, if I changed my DOT physical address to the PA farm, I would only have to run a "day log" the rare times I traveled beyond 100 miles loaded. No need to keep track of any on duty or working time other than that, due to the farm waiver etc. He said that they received a clarification on this recently, and that yes, before that ruling, they would indeed cite occasional long distance drivers like me for not having prior day log records. (Example, a driver who normally does local deliveries in NY, NJ, and CT gets sent to a Philly warehouse for a part. )



The trooper also chatted with me about weights (he looked at the door sticker), markings (liked the way I had them done), NJ's diesel inspections (I am self inspected), trailer brakes, etc.



A most worthwhile meeting, better to discuss these things over the kitchen table, than side the road!



Andy

 

[HBarlow]

That's good. I have not had the opportunity to talk with a DOT trooper across my kitchen table but I have had the opportunity to talk to one on the side of the road when I was in trouble and lots of them at scale houses.

It is comforting to be completely in compliance and have good equipment. Worry free is the best way to do it.