Competition new rules for towing

[TravisG]

Thought some of you guyz that tow your rigs a long way might want to check this out.



http://www.dragracingonline.com/deadon/vii_7-1.html

 

[JoshPeters]

Interesting... .

 

[fest3er]

Thought some of you guyz that tow your rigs a long way might want to check this out.



http://www.dragracingonline.com/deadon/vii_7-1.html

Re-read the "Who Must Comply" section. Commercial enterprise or not, if you own your rig and are hauling your own property, you do not need to comply, since you clearly are not hiring yourself to haul your property around. That is, you are not a for-hire motor carrier; therefore, compliance is voluntary.



This law is not applicable in this instance. However, there may be other laws that apply.

 

[bmoeller]

fest3er-



If they consider racing a business (IIRC, they do in Illinois), then what I pasted below would apply-





What is a commercial vehicle? Any self-propelled or towed vehicle used on a highway in intrastate and interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle:

- has a gross vehicle weight rating, gross combined weight rating. Gross weight or gross combined weight greater than 10,000 pounds;

 

[Oasis-3]

the DOT man

This has bin going on in PA for some time now.

Every time THE Buck has a big Points/Money pull.

DOT will pull over and weigh all the pick up truck haulers and if you are over 10K you better be regustered for it.

They do the same thing in Reading when Maple Grove has a big race.



fest3er

No Offense but

I would like to see you tell the DOT man he should Re-read the "Who Must Comply" section. :-{} :{

Every time I get stoped by the DOT man I say yes sir, no sir, I did not know that sir, Oh so that's how I should have bin logging that sir, thank you for that small $$$$$ fine sir





Cliff

 

[RSimmons]

In Missouri I know you can purchase 18,000 LB plates that are not commercial. I will be getting these myself when my 12,000 expire. I wonder what difference that would make in the states with the 10,000 LB rule.

 

[therabbittree]

in NY most pickups are commercial. . you can't get passenger plates for a 3/4 ton as the vehicle weight is too much ... i forgot the break off point 5000 or 5500 now a suburban or excursion doesn't have a bed so they can have pass plates..... mummn interesting story

Thanks

Deo

 

[COMP461]

The key here is commercial. if you are a motor home towing a race car trailer , you get 27,500 before you need a class b license. The 10,000 lbs rule is if you are a legitimate commercial vehicle. Meaning a guy working for a company with a 9000 lbs truck is not required to have a CDL but a 11,000 lbs race car trailer is not required to have one. I travel all over and drag a FL 70 Toterhome and 44 foot trailer and its close to the 27,500 lbs deal, but because I’m a fire fighter I have a Class B any way , but I have tried to pull in to the scales , and been told I was not required to weigh. Now I have a “NOT FOR HIRE PRIVATE MOTOR HOME “on the side. The law is probably there but you have to answer the questions right. As for racing being commercial, it’s all in how you answer the questions

 

[sbentz]

Everyone who tows chould consider having a commercial license. I can tell you that way too many times the officer that pulls me over for speeding, or ??? has given me a bit of slack, as they feel that if you drive a lot, or commercially, you could use a little leeway. I carry a class "A" commerical, with bus, doubles, and the rest. A medical card is required annually.



Our rig is licenced as a RV for the trailer, but the 6500 Chevy truck is a non-commecial plated vehicle. I do think the less logos the better on the outside. A circus wagon looking tow rig is begging for the "spanish inquisition".



Greg, you are right, I have pulled into scales, and they ask why I did. Others may chase you down, and want you to come back to the scale house. Not for weight, but for licencing, insurance, or is some states, a commercial permit.

 

[sbentz]

One more item to be aware of: Overall length. Many state have a hard and fast 65 ft length rule for any vehicle. On a recent trip from Indy back to Colorado, a friend was pulled over, and the nice badged official simply got out of his cruiser, walked up to the back of the transporter, hooked a tape to the trailer, and walked the entire length measuring the overall length. When he saw a 72 ft long combo, he smiled, and started writing up a ticket. When my buddy pointed out the RV tags on both the trailer and the RV conversion Semi, he said "but it is a RV!"



The officer's reply?



"Yes it is, and a damn long one too, as he handed over the ticket. He made them return to the nearest station, pay the $300 ticket, and buy a overlength permit for $135. I think it was Kansas, or Missouri.

 

[Bob Cochran]

sbentz-- don't always work that way. Was speeding in a car once and when stopped officer came to door without ticket book. When he checked my license and was at the time commercial class A. He said you should know better and went back got his ticket book and got a ticket!!!! :{

 

[MMeier]

Think its bad now? Just wait till next year!! :{ Another reason I decided to go full fledged on this trucking deal, just got plated for 34,200# . IFTA, the whole 9 yards, at least now I can charge myself good coin to take my race car to the track !! :-laf Anyone need anything hauled... . legally?

 

[RoryTek]

So if you get a CDL then you are allowed less points before your licence is suspened?
If that is the case and you really don't need one, why not just stick to your class C lic. or whatever your state uses.

 

[MMeier]

Not to mention, blow a . 004 BAC and get a DWI!!

 

[MChildress]

It's been a few years,but I was pulling a 24' gn,flat bed,single wheels through Tenn. and a tropper came out of the scales after I passed and made me turn around and come back. At that time he told me if the trailer was over 21' or over three axles on the ground I had to purchase a permit that was good for 24 hrs. I purchased the permit and got in line at the next set of scales before exiting the state and was asked by that tropper why I had pulled in. I explained and tried to show him my permit. He just shook his head and waved me through. Needless to say I didn't stop coming back through.

 

[RSimmons]

Missouri non commercial max length is 65'. I was told that they go by the title length on a motorhome and trailer. I was also told that if you drive with some sense they would probably ignore the length issue. Dont give them a reason to mess with you.

 

[COMP461]

A good reason to not have a CDL, the DUI is level is lower, but in my book, any alcohol and you should forget being behind the wheel, especially a big tow rig. One more thing to consider if you go commercial, your liability insurance goes thru the roof. The difference between a FL70 truck pulling my trailer and a FL70 Toterhome pulling the same trailer in liability insurance is about 3 times the rate. The laws are so ambiguous, that you can find away to get trapped, and a way to get around almost any combination. the bottom line is use you head , don’t call attention to yourself by running 90 mph up hill . In California almost everything we pull in the professional racing world is illegal in some leftist way , but the CHIP’s and locals , will bend over backwards if you will show respect ,and be courteous to them .

 

[biggy238]

The local interpetation of the Ky. version of all of this, If you are over 10k and you attended an event with payout of any form (this is the loophole) you just became commercial. Trophies, checks, fast women. . If they payed you... you are applicable.

 

[COMP461]

Been to Bowlen Green to race, the week before U. S. Nationals Indy last year , and never had a problem, just answer, not commercial, and that is it, there is a loop hole in both directions .

I believe this is just someone’s scare at big brother is going to get us.

 

[blacksheep4x4]

DOT!! :-{} They are such a pain in the A**. Personally I think they have too much authority for their education level . I once got stopped in Oklahoma at a make shift scale. The first officer looked at the side of my F-450 and then at my 53' trailer and decided I needed a IFTA permit and apportioned plates. I tried to explain to him that since I did not weigh over 26,000 pounds that I was not required to have either. He said well your truck is registered with a GVW of 16,000 and your trailer is registered for 24,000 so you do need them.

As I was trying to educate this idiot on the law he was suppose to up hold the other officer was listening intently. Luckily the second officer had brains. He told the first officer to go put the closed sign on the scale and he took me to his car. He then called his boss on the radio and asked his boss what the law was. I was right and he appologized and said I was lucky he was there with the other guy or I would have ended up with some hefty fines.

Wyoming also pulls over trucks with race trailers for not stopping at the scales.