Re: [RC] Flatbed trucks and Weigh Stations - Dyane Smith
I have probably opened a can of worms for myself, but I
have a passionate desire to not be stopped by the CHP, so....
After I bought my truck, my dealer warned me that if I got
a flatbed, I might have to stop at weigh stations. He suggested I could
either research it or take my chances.
I'm glad you responded, Barbara, because I remembered that
Lud bought a flatbed and I was going to ask you for recommendations about it
anyway. I guess the practical answer is that the CHP rarely goes chasing
horse trailers, but apparantly they can.
Subject: Re: [RC] Flatbed trucks and
Weigh Stations
When did this take place? Lud has a
Dodge Ram 2500 that he had an aluminum flat bed put on it. I never heard
of the restrictions of which you speak and he has not had to get a different
license, keep a log, nor stop at all weigh stations. maybe this is
something that has been required since he got his truck about 1-1/2 years
ago? I think he bought it without a bed to begin with, knowing that he
would have a flatbed made for it.
It turns out that in California, if you take the
pickup bed off your truck (because they are making the 4x4's skyscrapers,
now) and replace it with a flatbed to get the bed under the gooseneck of a
trailer built before 2000, you have to register as a Commercial vehicle, get
a Class A license, keep a log and stop at all weigh stations.
Anyone else having these problems? Are you
stopping? Did you get a new license? How did all this work out
for you?
Makes me insane. The GVWR of the truck is
11,400; the trailer 12,000. But, the CHP assures me that even a little
Ranger would no longer be classified as a pickup if you removed the
bed.
