Skirting the DMV Reg's

[Freddbull]

Hi! ALL :O)

Here goes. I baught a DRW truck, thinking that it would be the do all and end all of trucks, for many years to come.

Leave it to the DMV gastopo to screw it up.

Living in New York, going over the Triboro Bridge costs $9. 00 but only $1. 00 for passenger commuter cars. and $12. 00 for the G. W. bridge and $6. 00 for passenger. As I was hoping to use it for mixed use, I found to get passenger plates I would have to have minimum, a camper back w/ side windows covering the entire bed and seats. I baught a camper that weighs 3500lbs but do not want to carry it around all the time, it doesn't make any sense. I have motor cycles and would want to transport them at times in the bed without a full camper back and also drive in to my free parking space in the city, without paying through the nose

So, I was thinking for a way around it. If I put a Fiber glass 1/4 back w/ windows a removable back on the bed and buy the back seats and belts from a wrecked Ram and covered the rest say, a light 6' tournou type cover and maybe some sort of panel arrangement that could be transformed into a large box (say aluminium square posts, plywood sides, the tournow cover goes to the top and a piano hinged back door)and as long as i had strategic bolts to make it so called permanent, as I read the law I should be covered . Then with an air gun, in a few minutes it could be easily removed and stored in a minimum of space by one person (the sweet one only weighs 120lbs. so she says? and only 5' tall) not much help with the heavy stuff.

What do you all think ? Am I out of my mind?

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

I know that most toll roads go by the number of tires or axles and not what you do with the truck. I know on the Maine turnpike I paid the same as a big u-haul truck to go down the road. Also do a search on this, I remember seeing some information on registrations in NY, I believe that if the truck is over 5,000lbs there is no way around the commercial registration.

 

[Dean Upson]

I've had duallies since '86 and love 'em, but the price in tolls and registration is a killer .



Dean

 

[Freddbull]

I understand most states charge per axle. I believe here in New York though, if you have e-z pass and passenger plates you would be charged as a passenger car. If so wherever you go with e-z pass should be the same. I use the same e-z pass for both my other vericles. One is a van that if it had commercial plates would cost more though not as much as a DRW. Correct me if i'm wrong! Will have to contact e-z pass for their rules. Hoping i'm correct about the passenger status. Shure would save a buck.

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

FredBull



Here are the regs from this site NYS DMV



Here is what they say



Pickup Trucks: You can register a pickup truck in the passenger class if the pickup truck meets all of these requirements (Part 106. 6 (c)):



The truck has an unladen weight of more than 5,000 lbs.

The truck is used for non-commercial purposes.

The truck does not have any business advertisements.

A permanent camper top completely encloses the truck bed with one or more side windows in the camper top.

The truck has seats, seat fittings or permanent camping equipment mounted in the truck bed. "Camping equipment" indicates that you have a bed, stove or refrigerator in the vehicle at all times. If you use the truck with the equipment removed, you must register the truck as a commercial vehicle.



DMV cannot examine your vehicle to determine the correct registration class. Registration in the correct class is your responsibility.





Looks like you have to have a bed,stove, etc in the truck I would also bet that if they catch up to you on the EZ-pass commercial vs. passenger thing that you'll get nailed. Good luck though.

 

[catoiler]

One more thing..

If you are caught with the top off and anything in the bed ,OUCH the fine is pretty good.

 

[rrl989]

I think I paid $14 for the Tappanzee. What a joke. One boothboy told me it doesn't matter what kind of plates we have, if the truck is 8 feet wide, we pay the commercial rate.



I believe the unlaiden weight must be under 5000 lbs (not "more than" as stated in other post) then any p/u can get passenger plates. Law changed about a year ago, no more seats, camper tops, etc. and can ride on parkways. I see a lot of CTD's w/ pass. plates, so DMV doesn't seem to care (or know about unlaiden weights), even see DWR's on parkways.



Ron

 

[Dean Upson]

I think the guy in the toll booth goes by the axles not the registration on the vehicle. I have written to New York and Massachusetts about the unfair costs for the duallies and it falls on deaf ears. They usually send a form letter with a copy of the toll rates and more or less say, if you don't like, it stay home.

The only really fair way to impose road use fees is by weight; that would mean a scale at each booth. I really enjoy the registration fees for what amounts to a pleasure vehicle, my trailer weighs far more than my truck, yet it costs a fraction to register. Makes no sense. Maybe I should sell my trailer and buy a Corolla .



Dean

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

Originally posted by FF1063

I believe the unlaiden weight must be under 5000 lbs (not "more than" as stated in other post)

Ron

That is copied directly from the nys dmv page, the deal is if you're over 5,000 those are the thing that you have to do in-order to get passenger plates. Under 5,000 you can get them with no special rules.

 

[CRSmith]

I ran my 3/4 ton (SRW) all over the turnpikes and bridges of the Metro NY and NJ area and was charged the passenger rate even with commercial tags. I didn't have a camper shell either. I noticed that all the booth monkeys would look out their windows to see if it had dual wheels in the back. It would look stupid, but maybe you could take off one of the wheels and make quick release fittings for the fenders, and run it as a single rear wheel around town? It might be easier to do this than to rig up something on the bed with seats/camper shell.

 

[Dean Upson]

I noticed that all the booth monkeys would look out their windows to see if it had dual wheels in the back

I feel sure that this is what determines the charge as I have notice the same behavior when I go through the tolls, they also count the axles on the trailer to determine the fee.



I have noticed is the past that some tractors (mostly car carriers) and heavy haulers have the ability to raise one set of tandems. I always thought that was for toll purposes when running empty. In the case of heavy, tri-axle dump trucks, &c, it is for cornering.



Dean

 

[NVR FNSH]

I'm thinking a single burner backpacking stove, aerobed & small 12V cooler under a shell meets the requirements. Now if you take the shell off it's a different story.....



Brian

 

[rrl989]

turbo tim 1,



Thanks for setting me straight about the weight issue. I still see a lot of HD p/u's with pass plates and NO seats or shell toppers.

I guess they could be fined, but , I don't think they enforce it.



Ron

 

[Freddbull]

The other thing with commercial plates is when you go through park type areas and you get a sign "no trucks"

 

[Gadgetman]

Does anyone know about getting non commercial plates in California ????? I did it about 15 years ago by having a camper shell.