annabelle

They write the tickets though. My friends sister's F-I-L is a local DOT officer (nice guy) and his understanding of the future enforcement is the same. Up in the air I'd say.

Tray

It varies state to state. In my line of work, I have a welding rig. It's my own personal truck, and therefore not subject to DOT. However, when I'm on the clock, DOT is now saying that it is a commercial vehicle, and must have DOT lettering and is subject to their rules. Some states are trying to enforce it, others, like my home state of Oklahoma, claim that as long as the truck is mine and anything I'm hauling belongs to me, they have no authority over me.

We just recently had a meeting about all of this, and what was told to us is that in order to be subject to DOT, you HAVE to be using the vehicle in a commercial enterprise, which we were told driving it to work actually counts. You do NOT need a cdl or health card however. Everyone seems confused about it right now, so it's hard to get the real deal. However if you look at the DOT website, a suburban has a gvwr of over 10,001 and is also subject to same provisions as a dually. Any single wheel one ton with a gvwr over 10,001 would also be subject. This issue has been coming about for a couple of years now, started by the fed gov't saying they are going to quit funding states if they don't start enforcing, but as of yet, nobody really seems to know what exactly they are supposed to be enforcing.

I have no affiliation with DOT, this is only what I've personally been told, which may or may not be true, so take it however you wish.

CD in NM

YES, that was what I was told, pair of tires equals an axle in how they count. I also think that there have been some determined fee structures regarding semi/commercial vehicles and it is the non-commercial vehicles that fall into these 'old law' traps.

CD

CD in NM

Hey annabelle, good to see you in here on this thread. I knew you had posted something about a front plate ticket, thank you for clarifying it.

I have been told the same thing by several DOT guys, my local police have even mentioned it, the state police guys too. They have all siad that diesel pickups will be looked at like a commercial vehicle by 2010 regardless of use. They also talked about having to meet all the commercial regs in 2010 - which must include the fire extinguisher, log book, safety equipment, etc. I got the distinct impression it WAS 'fuel use related' which DOES go back to those 'old laws' that are still on the books. But I also know that many continue to use the off-road 'red dyed' fuel, which is bringing a hefty fine.

From the log book side, I did ask quite a few questions, I think they are more interested in making sure we all buy fuel that we pay taxes on, so receipts with mileage indicated on them may do the needed task. Trying to keep track of hours of road time would be a PITA.

New Mexico issues the non-commercial driver license for people who drive vehicles like motorhomes or tow heavy weights that exceed the 26001 or pull trailers that exceed the 10K for regular licensing, and are for private use. I think we will see a crack down on us having the correct licensing because so many are not carrying the right license. And before anyone else flames me about dis-information - a New Mexico drivers license DOES categorize a standard drivers license as a 3-axle combination not to exceed 10K in tow. When I read the DL handbook it was specified in it and I have the non-commercial license as a result. So in theory x--x-----xx is 4 axles no matter how you look at it, and you need the license. They do not at this time state the need for the medical card, but that could easily be added July 1 or Dec 31 and be a fact that no one gets any real notification on until you get pulled into one of their road-side checkpoints.

CD

knc77

CD I'm not trying to flame but I did want to correct something you said with facts from the IA DOT regulation book.

Axle count in the state of Iowa. http://www.iamvd.com/omve/truckguide.pdf page 17 shows how to count, pair, and group axles. Basically an axle is an axle and has nothing to do with pairs of tires.

There are changes to what is considered a commercial vehicle. I haven't research all of the details yet, but basically if a vehicle (sounds like even a gas pickup) is used to haul farm produced commodities, it will be considered a commercial vehicle. At that point the regulation starts going into GVWR, axle count, etc. I would be surprised if there aren't changes that impact others that don't farm.

CD in NM

Thanks for the reference to the axle count in the state of Iowa. Actually I am VERY aware of that document, I took the time a couple years ago to familiarize myself with the laws AFTER my experience with the toll booth guy and what he told me and what I had to pay to subsequently get of of Iowa and continue down the road. That person DID misinform me, charged me due to that misinformation, and actually I wrote a letter to the State DOT included a photocopy of my receipt and a pic of my rig as it was going down the road with the 5 axles rather than the 6 I was charged for.

I told my story, didn't say it WAS the law, just the story as it took place. I was only giving an example of what is sometimes happening out there due to circumstances beyond your control as a vehicle operator.

CD

pmpislander

thank God i live in Texas!!

chaikwa

Yes, that is one of the problems.

I do, sort of. I am a reader/editor and technical writer for the NHTSA, which over-sees the DOT.

I think you're going to see a LOT of changes in the next year or two. Farmers, RV owner/operators as well as private owners are all going to see some changes. The Fed's are going to capitalize on the fact that the states can't afford to lose any more money than they already have and will cut Federal funding to them if they don't comply with specific rules and mandates. Some states have been ignoring a few things that they really shouldn't have, while others have just been doing their own thing altogether. A lot of that will have to come to an end if they want to continue receiving funds. I don't really have an opinion on whether everyone who owns/drives a vehicle that's over 10,000lbs should have a med card, but I would love to see owners of RV's have to have a CDL just like anyone else. Weight is weight and it's just as deadly no matter what form it takes.

chaikwa.

annabelle

Unfortunately, according to the DOT officers I have spoken with, it won't matter where you live. They say that in 2010 any truck that runs on diesel will be considered commercial....no exceptions. You will need to carry a FE, safety triangles, first aid kit, log book........in short you will need to meet all requirements of a commercial vehicle. Maybe it wont come to pass.......just what I have been told.

peobryant

Is it just diesel trucks or any vehicle that runs on diesel? Are the VW and BMW owners going to get screwed too?

CD in NM

chaikwa.

I agree, I think we are all going to see changes, and we'll all be griping about them big time. The name of the game IS revenue, revenue justifies existance, otherwise no revenue justifies layoffs. I personally would like to see ALL states having the same laws across the board. It really IS tough to try to keep up with it all AND we just becomes victims, at someones disgression, when we travel out of our own state. I like the way New Mexico does the commercial/non-commercial licensing, basically they are the same license and testing, just the distinction that you are either hauling for income or personal.



annabelle.

I got stopped last year in one of those DOT roadside tests just outside of Tularosa. They had about 10 diesel pickups stopped ahead of me, all got fuel tested (to include me), they are tightening up big-time about this off-road diesel use. Two guys hit the jackpot because of having off-road diesel in their trucks, fine was $1000.00 each. Six of us were towing trailers, so we had to hit the scales, I was the only one who was legal weight, the others had to 'park' their trailers and get someone out to move them that would be legal with them. One guy got hit about not having enough 'reflectivity' tape, got hit for a dead battery in his breakaway, and something about his clearance lights - not having enough of them for the length of his trailer?? I have been trying to find out about the lst one, can't seem to find the specs on lighting that stipulates a ref to length??? Maybe the reflective tape has something to do with it too, but I see a lot of semi trailers with 4-corner and center light only, so I am not sure how that all works.

The DOT guys told me the same thing - fire extinguisher, first aid kit, flashlight, safety triangles, log book would ALL be required plus the med card. I have all of that stuff, except my log is just a fuel record and maintenance book, not keeping track of hours on/off. I was the only person with the non-commercial license. Those guys talked quite a bit to me, since I was last in the group they had pulled over and the last for the day, they took their time and chatted.

I don't know IF it will come to pass or when it will come to pass, but we all will not be just ordinary pickups going down the road like we have been, they are tightening up more and more, I expect to see a regular interval of things changing, all leading to a lot of requirements that we will have to meet or stop driving diesel trucks.

I have seen large motorhomes, small motorhomes, some towing a trailer or a car, some not, pickups with in-bed campers, towing stuff, etc ALL of them have been in that stop area and a lot more of them lately. It used to be that all you saw being pulled over there were semis.


CD

CD in NM

I kind of think it will be trucks, the reason I say that is they will probably be making all of us get a commercial or truck specific plate. Right now all of us with diesels here in New Mexico have the same plate type as the cars. On our registrations they specify GVW, cars are left blank.

I was just in to the DMV renewing my registration a week ago, the gal who waited on me told me that 'probably next year but could be the year after - knowing how things work in NM and their inability to get stuff done in a timely way' I would be paying for a new plate in addition to my registration, they were going to issue 'truck' plates to the diesels. She specifically SAID diesels, I made sure she clarified that to me. That was the first time I have heard that statement about truck plates in our future.

I have a friend who is a DMV supervisor/office manager and I am going to question her the next time I see her about the plate stuff.

Why they would single diesel trucks out is truly a question that needs answering. You can buy a 1-ton gasser still, right??? I haven't been looking at new trucks parked at dealers, so I do not know about or if there have been changes in engines, etc in 1-tons.



CD

annabelle

I was told it would just be trucks. He said they would first start out on one ton diesels and work their way to 3/4 ton diesels. They are beginning to inspect utility trailers very vigorously here. Even setting up at the entrance to the landfill.

rfeiller

here in CA even the city police are now citing trucks and utility trailers at the recycling centers and dumps. the big thing is the recent push for CA numbers for any truck over a certain size, which includes the ram4500 and 5500 are required to have them even if it's your daily driver. the fee for the CA number is only $35 instead of, i believe it is $129 if it is your daily driver.

then there is a truck depot inspection fee, a truck and trailer inspection fee. the depot can be your home. it is real easy to end up spending hundreds of dollars for your daily driver, because you carry your tools in it and may haul materials for a job you are doing.

oh, and the real clincher is that if you allow anyone else to operate the vehicle and the DMV written info, specifically mentions relatives or friends drive the vehicle without you having workman's comp on them you are in violation.

i talked to 3 different DMV persons using the help line number on the CA forms and one lady told me she didn't understand the forms either, so she let me speak with her supervisor and he gave me the instructions to fill out the forms and it didn't agree with any of the other three DMV personnell that i had spoken with.

and it goes on and on. i think there was a song written about that

deerslayer1979

I can't believe they would let crap like this pass. You know the only poeple who are going to get edit in this whole thing are te gus that have a diesel cause they want one. The rich old guys in the 1/2 million dollar motorhomes will not have a problem, even when they are towing a boat and another camper! What about the 1-ton gassers? They haul loads just as big as a diesel, but dont rattle? So is that the reasoning? Just edit me off that a "free" country has more rules then Hitlers Germany!
DS79