Re: [RC] Flatbed trucks and Weigh Stations - Dyane Smith
Well, I'll go in and get the Class A license just to be
sure.
The other part, the flatbed, seems to be confusing for
everyone. I called DMV and CHP and no one knew, until they transferred me
to the Commercial vehicle section of the CHP (1-916-445-1865). Officer
Sanchez thought that with a flatbed, the weight (GCVWR of 23,400) would be a
consideration and I would have to go the whole 9 yards (log book, weigh
stations, etc.), but without a flatbed (with the original pickup bed), none of
that would apply.
Oh, and according to my dealer (after the sale), if
I take the bed off, I have to register the truck by weight and pay an additional
$232 to register it.
Subject: Re: [RC] Flatbed trucks and
Weigh Stations
This is almost right on.
In CA all of our pick-ups have "commercial" plates/reg. This is
what allows us to haul things in the bed. Doesn't matter if you are a
business or not, just the act of using the bed for hauling. You can get
around that by putting a shell on the bed. You can then register it as a
passenger car. This is cheaper, but you can't take that shell off and
use the truck for moving your kid to college or hauling brush. If you
get stopped for the violation, its a hefty fine. Replacing the pick-up
bed with a flat-bed isn't going to change your reg. Its still going to
have commercial plates, even if its not a business.
Because of the weight of some trailers/tow vehicles (big 3 and 4 horse
LQs, etc.) the driver needs to have a Class A license. This is normally
considered a commercial license. However, if you are a private citizen,
not a driver for hire, the rules are different. You can get (and need to
get) a Class A license that is for non-commercial use. There is no
medical exam needed for this one and you don't need to carry a log book.
If you are a driver for hire, the licensing requirements are different (the
weight is also a factor here).
A lot of people are unaware of these regs. and are driving their rigs.
without the appropriate license. As somebody else posted, you probably
won't get stopped and checked unless you find a really bored (or really new,
green and gung-ho) highway patrol officer. When you buy a new rig or
trailer don't trust what the dealership tells you about regs. and licensing
requirements. They are sales people and want to make that sale.
Oft times they are not up to date on all the laws, rules, regs. Call
your local highway patrol office and make an appt. to have your rig/trailer
inspected. You'll be surprised at some of the things you MUST have when
hauling (i.e. if your rig is of a certain height/weight/width you must have
reflective triangles with you, fire ext., etc.). Take your rig some
place prior to this and weigh it both loaded and empty. Give the officer
all of this info. and he/she will be able to tell you exactly what is needed
for your rig in your state.
Good luck,
abigail
Chico, CA
As an aside, something kind of interesting to do at a ride, have a local
highway patrol officer come out and do inspections on the rigs in ridecamp (of
course this wouldn't be practical for the ridecamps that are waaaay out off
the beaten path). Courtesy inspections. Let folks know what they
are/are not doing correctly in their tow practices so that they can correct it
when they get home. This was done recently at a week long school I
attended and it was interesting to see how many long time haulers had their
rigs hooked up incorrectly, driving without the proper classification,
lighting/reflectors not within specs. Just a
thought.........
Usually a 'commercial vehicle' is a vehicle used for commercial
purposes, as in owned by a business. A vehicle with commercial plates, but
not used for commercial purposes, isn't the same thing. Any pickup in CA has
to have commercial plates; that doesn't make it a 'commercial' vehicle. If
you put a permanent camper or shell on it, you could register it as a 'house
car'.
I have a one ton van. Because of the weight, I have to have commercial
plates. It is not a 'commercial' vehicle and I don't have to have a
different class of driver's license nor have to keep a log - I'm not a
business.
I would think that replacing the pickup bed with a flatbed would be the
same thing. It would now be registered as a 'flatbed' truck. You will need
to get commercial plates, but that's it. Not sure about having to stop at
the weigh station. You would probably be waved through, especially when
hauling your horse trailer, because you are not a business.
