thatguy

I spoke to some motor carrier (trucking side of life) law enforcement ppl the other day and got schooled in how Virginia enforces the overweight - gross weight limits on trucks..<br><br>If you run passenger license plates (as in 'car' tags- in VA 7,500 lbs is the max you can license for with car tags).. if you are pulled over and have to be weighed on the scales they only weigh the truck. So when pulling a trailer - as long as the total weight of the truck AND the tongue weight of the trailer (since that weight is also on the truck) is not over your registered gross weight you are not in a voilation..<br><br>BUT if you have truck tags (7,501 lbs. or more) and you have to cross the scales pulling a trailer your truck gross weight has to cover BOTH the total weight of the truck AND the total weight of the trailer.<br><br>They also crack down on the trucks that run car tags where the actualy empty weight of the truck is more than the registered gross weight. AND they do issue overweight summons to those ppl..<br><br>Just wanted to share my schooling experience..

Mopar_Mudder

Ok I just got off the phone with the Wisconsin DOT because this has been bugging me. And in WISCONSIN, you only register the pulling vehicle for the gross weight of that vehicle, and you register the trailer for the gross weight of the trailer. You DON'T (actually you can't) register the pulling vehicle for the combined weight of both truck and trailer. So being the good old goverment is the way it is, the laws aren't the same from state to state, go figure. I would have to think that no mater where you are they would go off from the laws of the state that you are registered in. I know it will be a cold day if hell before I pay VA and tickets.....

Shovelhead

Here's an interesting one.<br>I also live in Virginia, I'm looking at the registration for my '99 3500 dually, and it shows EW=6500.....GW=6590....go figure. ???

TEDHRS

I just called DMV to get a final answer to all this GVW rating thingy. The guy told me basically that if you have a GVW over 7500 lbs. that you are supposed to have truck tags, which is for vehicles that weigh more. I know that my truck has a GVWC or 10500, when loaded we are pulling close to 17000 total. I guess all of us here in VA who don't have TT tags are driving illegally. I was not aware of that when i bought it. But wait, the registration says 6900 as the GVW, lol go figure that, guess the dealer is running something.

Mopar_Mudder

[quote author=Shovelhead link=board=11;threadid=6776;start=0#64051 date=1036774448]<br>Here's an interesting one.<br>I also live in Virginia, I'm looking at the registration for my '99 3500 dually, and it shows EW=6500.....GW=6590....go figure. ??? <br>[/quote]<br><br>Heck you can't legally drive down the road empty with that, how does that work.

RATTLINRAM

[quote author=Shovelhead link=board=11;threadid=6776;start=0#64051 date=1036774448]
Here's an interesting one.
I also live in Virginia, I'm looking at the registration for my '99 3500 dually, and it shows EW=6500.....GW=6590....go figure. ???
[/quote]

So,,,,, when are ya starting that diet Ed?

Dieseldude4x4

Now, I'm totally confused. I have pondered this for a long time and also asked questions to the law and DMV. No one would give me the same answer two times in a row.

I have my truck registered at 20000 pounds GVWR (on the card) for which I pay a whopping $176 per year and empty weight is 7066 (closer to 8000) by the owners card. DMV didn't even want to do that till I showed them that the manufacturer set the gross at that. My gooseneck is registered at 14000 and my dump trailer is registered at 10000 pounds.

Does that mean I can pull 20000 total or 34000 and 30000 with the trailers respectively?

I have never stopped at scales and in fact heard that they do not want private vehicles to stop because it is a nuisance due to the fact that people just wanted to see what they weighed. No one has ever chased me to this point anyway. I have weighed in at the scales in Hopewell where you pay a $6 fee to weigh. With just my R or the 730 diesel on the trailer, I am about 20500. With one of those and an H up there, I'm up around 25000 and add 1200 pounds of wheel weights to that. A friend of mine that lives in Spotsylvania pulled over 32000 home from Tenessee on his truck and trailer.

I'm confused. ???

Shovelhead

[quote author=RATTLINRAM link=board=11;threadid=6776;start=0#64269 date=1036809839]
[quote author=Shovelhead link=board=11;threadid=6776;start=0#64051 date=1036774448]
Here's an interesting one.
I also live in Virginia, I'm looking at the registration for my '99 3500 dually, and it shows EW=6500.....GW=6590....go figure. ???
[/quote]

So,,,,, when are ya starting that diet Ed?
[/quote]

So I guess if I put oil, antifreeze, a gallon of fuel, and my lard butt in the truck.....I'm allready overloaded?
This is the way the truck was registered by the dealer from the time it was brand-new. ???
I did find out that I can't quailify for the 70% reduction in Personal Property Tax as Arlington County goes by the manufacturer's rated GVW.......10,000 lbs.
Anything over 7500 lbs GVW doesn't quailify. &gt;

Haulin_in_Dixie

[quote author=dieseldude4x4 link=board=11;threadid=6776;start=0#64334 date=1036820940]<br>Now, I'm totally confused. I have pondered this for a long time and also asked questions to the law and DMV. No one would give me the same answer two times in a row.<br><br>I have my truck registered at 20000 pounds GVWR (on the card) for which I pay a whopping $176 per year and empty weight is 7066 (closer to 8000) by the owners card. DMV didn't even want to do that till I showed them that the manufacturer set the gross at that. My gooseneck is registered at 14000 and my dump trailer is registered at 10000 pounds.<br><br>Does that mean I can pull 20000 total or 34000 and 30000 with the trailers respectively? <br><br>I have never stopped at scales and in fact heard that they do not want private vehicles to stop because it is a nuisance due to the fact that people just wanted to see what they weighed. No one has ever chased me to this point anyway. I have weighed in at the scales in Hopewell where you pay a $6 fee to weigh. With just my R or the 730 diesel on the trailer, I am about 20500. With one of those and an H up there, I'm up around 25000 and add 1200 pounds of wheel weights to that. A friend of mine that lives in Spotsylvania pulled over 32000 home from Tenessee on his truck and trailer.<br><br>I'm confused. ??? <br>[/quote]<br><br>No that means that you can pull with a total weight of 20,000 weather in combination or just the truck.

Mopar_Mudder

It also sounds like it means that the great state of VA is double dipping on you guys. You have to register the truck for the trailer weight plus the trailer for the trialer weight. Sounds like a hell of a scam to me :P

Dieseldude4x4

[quote author=Haulin in Dixie link=board=11;threadid=6776;start=0#64536 date=1036888953]<br><br>No that means that you can pull with a total weight of 20,000 weather in combination or just the truck.<br>[/quote]<br><br>Thanks HiD, that is what I thought. You can't hardly get a straight answer here. I think they keep it that way so they can interpret as they want when they stop you and set the fine according to what mood their in.

Haulin_in_Dixie

Joe that is a problem though, the DOT code or FMCSA that can be bought in any truck stop is the &quot;minimum requirements&quot; that states must agree to. The states can make the laws stricter as Georgia and Alabama have for CDL licenses. There are some laws that cannot be overturned like length limits, IF you fall into the right catagory. This is why I no longer have a pickup but had to take the bed off the truck. Which laws are stricter? Yeah, you will find out when you get a ticket. I have tried for two months to get a manual for Georgia and Alabama with no results. The Alabama code and the Georgia code is on the internet so that is a help, but other states are not. All we can do is get a copy of the state code and keep a library of 50 (well 48 or 49) sets of truck code in the truck and try to comply. Alabama will inspect your truck in Montgomery but of course all violations will be written and added to the big brother computer system now connected with the USDOT number.

thatguy

The big problem (as someone pointed out) is that each state has their own set of rules they play (actually ticket) by...<br><br>The way I look at it here in VA... Im better off running the car tags (get my 70% car tax reduction - and dont have to cover the gross weight of the tractor AND trailer AND truck, and i so seldom actually pull anything) as long as my registered gross weight is greater than my empty weight plus the tongue weight... I really should weigh my truck to be sure though..<br><br>My dads 3500 has a gross (from the original dealer paperwork) of 6,200 lbs.. I need to tell him to atleast bump it up to cover the empty weight.. BUT he only pull a 5th wheel, and it seems they dont go after the RV's as hard.. I think the dealers think they are saving you money by using the lower passenger/car tags..<br><br>BUT I do know that they (or atleast the DMV LEO's i know) love to go after the CAR tag one ton trucks and larger for having the gross weight not even cover the true empty weight..<br><br>thanks