The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Big Bolts and weigh stations?

Do private owners of big bolts have to stop at weigh stations? I'm speaking of non commercial vehicles, mostly restored or vehicles used for pleasure travelling empty. Also, would a person need a cdl to legally drive these trucks 16,000 gross GVW like the COE 5700 series?

As long as you use them for private ventures you will be just fine. I used to be on a Porsche pit crew that had a rig that would haul 5 cars and the tractor had full facilities. It was licensed as an RV.....

Just don't use it for commercial use and you good!

When we travel as a group with our big antique trucks we always stop at the weigh stations. Most signs say "vehicles over 10,000 pounds must stop". We don't want to give them a reason to be mad because we ran their station and then have them find something to nit-pick about after they chase us down. Our trucks have antique lisence plates and are technically exempt as the GVW on the registration is marked N/A, but we are over the 10,000 pound rule so as a courtesy we stop. We have never had an issue and always get the green light to pass on through.

When I'm in the Fire Engine I don't stop...

Mike B

No CDL needed for Trucks 26,000 Lbs and Under.

Bill

CDL's are SUPPOSEDLY the same rules,State-to-State. G.V.W. State rules vary. Here in Iowa,you need a C.D.L.,if your truck grosses 18,000#. To be on the SAFE side,check with Washington State's D.O.T. Office. Not trying to cause an argument,but I know the G.V.W. rules differ.

Here in Washington state a CDL is required for any vehicle 26,000 lbs or over in less specifically licensed as an RV and if not obviously a motorhome it must be clearly marked for privet use not for hire.
This is a very gray area here.
The strange thing here is if you are driving a log truck with the trailer up on the back you are not required to stop but the same same empty truck with trailer on the ground or no trailer at all and you must stop. The signs here say all vehicles 10,000 and over must stop at scales as well but they get upset if you go through with a pickup truck with 12,000 GVW they clearly don't know what they want.
Yes CDLs are Federally regulated and the same state to state this was done for free commerce and to put and end to truckers holding licenses in multiple states.Weights measures and bridge laws will differ from state to state.Here in Washington with eight axles and proper axle spacing you can go as high as 105,500 lbs but California only allows 5 axles and 80,000 without special one time permits.

The situation gets really complicated when you throw in U.S.DOT numbers and when they are required.
It use to be a U.S.DOT registration was not required if you were an intrastate transporter here in Washington. That has now changed and more and more states are jumping on that band wagon.
I have a CDL and a U.S.DOT registration number but now am being told that even though I am the owner and sole driver I now need to place my self in a random drug testing program like I would have to do with hired drivers. They are also trying to tell me I need to set up a safety program. They are getting ridiculous like I am going hold weekly safety meeting with myself.

Sorry for venting but it has become a sore subject for me I am a small excavation contractor with a dump truck and trailer that only hauls sand gravel and my own equipment. I have always kept everything legal and done what was required but now they keep changing the f@*@#$* rules

mike, why would you your on your way to a fire. thats what i tell them

i never stopped. it wouldnt take long for them to catch me either

Hevy, thanks for your input. Regulations here have got out of control. Safety meeting for a sole proprietor=ridiculous. Whats next?
Thanks all for the responses.

I agree with the state variations. I was trying to keep it simple, lol.

I was actually waiting for someone to jump in on the Air Brake issue. Some say you need a CDL for Air Brakes even if it is under 26,000 and some say you don't.

I've checked with the DMV here in Virginia twice and they both said you don't.

But the controversy continues. I was actually just talking about it to a guy the other day, when a friend of mine jumped in. He has a truck with Air Brakes under CDL and he said he got stopped twice within a short time of each other. One cop said yes, the other cop said no!!

For now, I'm going by what the DMV told me, twice. The last time I got it in writing.

Bill

There are some cops out there that are just plain bullies but unless you get one of them the average cop is a guy just like us and is probably as confused by the changing regulations as we are. I've always used the 'walk like a duck' rule -- if your truck looks like an antique, it's properly registered as an antique in your state, you're using it as one (vs. a motor carrier) and you're not causing any problems then you're good.

The previous comments about CDL, GVW rules for scale houses & USDOT numbers are absolutely correct. Fuel stickers are another variable that I wouldn't worry about for antiques. I've had all sorts of law enforcement and DOT types tell me contradictory things RE my truly commercial truck (36,000 GVW dump truck) but never got fined. I have DOT numbers, IFTA sticker, CDL and stop at scale houses with that truck but I've never stopped with my F-350 (11,600 GVW) even when pulling a 10,000 lb. trailer and noone has come looking for me. I've also never stopped with my 15,0000 GVW '46 Chev. 2 Ton and the only cops that ever said anything are ones that happened to catch up to me at a red light and wanted to admire the truck.

Just my $ 0.02 but I say don't worry about scale houses with a bona-fide antique & if you get stopped just be nice -- the cop is as confused as you are.

Pete P.
Harborcreek, Penna.

You already have a safety program. It's called a self tailboard. You do it every day, every moment. You start your day thinking about what you have to do and what tools and equipment you'll need. When on the road, you look at every situation and think about what could happen and what you might do in that situation. Example, you stop at an intersection. What might happen? Someone might run a red light. What will you do? One thing you'll do is look both ways before you proceed on your green. The light turns green, you look both ways and go. (BTW, most people call this common sense.) At the end of the day you think about what you might need to do the next day.

Self tailboard. A great safety program.

That's funny Mark that is the way I see things. But it's not as simple to the state,they want it all documented. Its not that bad just got to play their silly games. The bad part is the drug testing program it's not cheap.

Yeah, don't get me started on the drug testing stuff.

There is a way to document self tailboarding stuff. All you need to do is document the program. It is a normal part of business where I work. Other companies call it a self tail gate meeting, etc.

Do you do a daily inspection in your state?

I have never stopped. While moving from Ohio to GA and now GA to NY I have bypassed scales with:
1964 F250(16' flatbed) w/18' trailer, both loaded (multiple trips north and south to GA and NY)
1951 IH L190 wrecker w/1960 R190 tandem semi behind (OH to GA)
1951 IH L190 wrecker w/1948 KB8 behind (GA to NY)
1960 IH R190 tandem semi w/ 45' loaded van trailer(GA to NY)

No one has ever chased me down. The scales are for commercial vehicles not privately owned non-commercial. GA says all trucks enter...but the scales are run by the motor carrier enforcement division....obviously commercial enforcement.

I find it hard to believe any state would require a CDL for a non-commercial vehicle regardless of weight. A CDL is for COMMERCIAL use. Ohio does not require a CDL or special license regardless of weight, GA has a Class E & F (non-commercial class A & B), NY does not require a CDL....but then I do have to register my trucks as commercial-go figure.

Tad

On historic plated class 8 trucks here in CA the law says we need a CDL, now a non commerical cdl can be had if thats all you need it for.
Ca does honor other states laws on this.

In Mass. when they first started weight class licence in the late 60's, anything over 10,000 needed a class 2 and anything with air brakes or articulated needed a class 1, nothing to do with commercial.
I have had a class 1 since the 70's but somewhere later they changed to class A,B CDL's starting at 27,000 or something. Mine changed to a class A when I renewed it sometime in the 90's I think.

CDL Requirements are a matter of federal law a state may not lessen these requirements without risk of losing federal highway funding. The laws are federal not state laws. So if you are operating a vehicle that is 26,000 lbs or pulling a trailer over 10,000 lbs that are not an RVs on U.S. highways without a CDL you are in violation of the law regardless of the state you are in privet or commercial.

Just a quick note. That means RATED for 26000 lbs. EVEN if you are not hauling that weight.

However if you want to drive classic class 6 to class 8 truck as long as it weighs less than 26,000 lbs has a combined weight less than 26,000 and you do not pull a trailer over 10,000 you may keep it licensed under 26,000 and do so without a CDL. But you will need to clearly mark both sides with under 26,000 GVW.

For the OP: I think now you've seen there is no answer to your question here. This is a common question that comes up on several other boards that deal with big trucks and the discussion is the same -- lots of opinion/personal experience. About the only thing you can do is ask your state DMV/DOT and keep asking until someone gives you the answer you want and then get the answer in writing (and keep it with you in the truck).

I just can't see how that is true if you are NON-commercial use. Georgia has as I said a class E and a class F. These are both non-commercial corresponding to a Class A or B vehicle. For your above statement to be true the Georgia Class E/F are in violation of Federal law by their very existence. In Ohio I talked to the State Patrol directly and he said as long as there was absolutely positively no commerce weight did not matter. I specifically asked if I would be able to buy a brand new Kenworth and drive it off the lot and he said so long as there is no commercial use. A buddy paying for your fuel would be commercial use, a thank you lunch at McDonalds would be commercial use. There is NO leeway when defining commercial use.

Tad.

I was told by a honcho with Nev. Highway Patrol If I drove a truck less than 26K with air brakes I could just get the Air Brakes endorsement added to my regular license.
Speed

while enforcement may vary slightly from state to state, you can expect to get hammered and i mean hammered hard, for violations of d.o.t. regs. in some cases, impoundment of your vehicle, as well as your backside for operating without a license.

the r.v. exemption is starting to be looked at very hard by d.o.t. and citations are starting to be issued due to the commercial clause. if you expect any monetary gain, even a trophy, then you are not exempt. several drag racers in indy have been stopped and cited using this rule. the tickets were upheld by the local courts.

having antique plates and a small sign on the back saying "not a c.m.v." as well as under 26,000 pounds clearly on both sides will help a great deal to end confusion. if you use your truck for your business, then d.o.t. numbers are required as well as regulations for that class. running thru a scale is a good idea. your chances of being pulled in are slight. i once saw kentucky d.o.t. go after a u-haul truck. over the top in my opinion, but technicly correct. the guy driving the u-haul pulled in to fuel where i had stopped so i asked him what happened. he told me once the officer confirmed the guy was moving his own stuff, he turned him loose. where you live does make a difference, but when you cross state lines, things may change. better to ask...and document and keep those documents in the cab of the truck at all times.

I stop just to show off the truck..... all that work can't go to waste... these guys live trucks.. they laugh and I would be braking 100 laws if it were a 2013 truck,,,, but a 1941 1-1/2 ton... all good,,,