DOT police going to Charlotte
 

Any body hear of issues involving DOT towing to Charlotte this year? I know there have been problems in the past.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

Robbie ,i think that problem has been resolved as far as length goes. I have not heard any horror stories as of late . Be careful and good luck if you go.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

Dale Koncens was pull over and run though the Mill for over an hour.
In the end he got a $990 fine for being over the weight of the truck.
Don't quit understand, I always though it was a combonation of the truck and the trailer for the total weight.
However the officer told him it was just the weight of the truck, and gave him the hefty fine.
By the way the truck was registered at 11,000#

What do you guys think?

Cal
HR 177X

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

I am really sorry to hear that... One suggestion is to contact Steve Earwood, owner of Rockingham Dragstrip... I know that he has been working with the state rep. on this issue and knows the laws pretty well... Hope this helps...

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

He only had 11,000 pds on the truck?
Anymore details?
Chip

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

my understanding from a nj trooper friend of mine is that the truck plate MUST have the weight of entire unit on it, mine is 18,000 , registration gets costly but i prefer not to take any chances

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

Mine is 25,000.
What Jim said
Chip Johnson

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

I don't know about Dale's case, but you can put a tag/registration less than the trucks GVW to save money on the tags/insurance. In other words if your vehicle registration says 7,500 #s but the factory GVW is 11,000 #s I think they can ticket you if your over the 7500. I think the truck empty is 6,000 plus.

Wade Mahaffey

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

In some states you cannot register a truck/suv heavier than it's gvw listed by the manufacturers stated number. Just because the o.e. states it can tow x weight doesn't mean the state you live in will allow you to exempt it from emissions by registering it heavier. If that is the case in this persons incident I would think they would have a good point in fighting it.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

I have always been told the truck plate must carry enough weight to cover the whole rig.
Chip

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

In Florida I was told the truck had to be tagged above the combined truck/trailer weight.
I tagged for 19,999 and guessed right. Mine ended up just under 19,500 with everything topped off and loaded with spares at a truck stop. Nothing special that I recall on the enclosed trailer tag.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

I talked to the MD DMV, and was told it is the combo of the Truck & Trailer that give you the total weight. The truck is pulling 20,000 # not carrying it, is what I was told. However they did say you can put any weight you want on the truck. If you put 10,000# or more on the truck you would have to carry a DOT medical card and have a DOT # on your truck.

I plan to go to the DOT in VA next week to see what the Interstate Law is, and which one would over rule the other one. MD Law where its registered or Interstate law.

Personly I belive this is just a way to gouge racers outta their hard earned money.
Look at that pretty truck and BIG trailer, he must have money!!!

Cal
HR 177X

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

Cal,
I don't think you need the DOT card or number until you cross over 26,001. Unless you have air brakes.
Chip Johnson

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

You only need a DOT card if you are a Commercial Operator.
My motor home has air brakes and is over the 26,001 limit. I have a class B license which covers me pulling my trailer with less than a 10,000 lb GVW. If the trailer goes over the 10,000 GVW it takes a Class A license.
Another sticking point is the axle limit and tire GVW on the trailer.
I had a friend who was ticketed for the axle limit over the GVW of the trailer which was under the 10,000. The axles were 6,500 each for a total of 13,000 and the officer wrote him up for being 3,000 over the limit even though the trailer actually weighed less that the 10,000 it was setup for and tagged for. The officer also told him the gross weight listed on the tires added up for a total is the GVW for the trailer no matter what the trailer was tagged or what the manufacturers sticker said. Now that made no sense to me but that is what he was told along with the axle GVW as the reason for the overweight ticket even though the trailer did not weigh that much it was tagged for less than its GVW.
The moral is the officer will write a ticket for whatever they want if they need revenue and all the states need revenue now.
My 2 Cents
Rick Cates

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

Oh, that's brilliant, encourage people to run tires with a minimal load rating. By running tires such that you are near the rated limit, you will have many more failures and potential accidents.

When I lived in NC I called NCDMV to ask about licensing several times, I got a different answer just about every call. Since I wasn't racing at the time, I just licensed my dually with car plates for a while.

Here in Oregon there are two different licensing schemes. A trailer can be licensed as a "light trailer" up to 8000 lbs. The law is unclear even on that one, as it states that as a load on its axles. What about tongue weight? One person at DMV said to add tongue weight, the other said not to. If you go over the 8k limit then it must be licensed as a "heavy trailer", where the licensing on the trailer is free but you must license the truck as a commercial vehicle and spend a LOT more.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

This is all just a complete mess, and it varies by state, jurisdiction, and even the attitude of the given cop on the given day. There is absolutely no way to get it right in every case. Some go by registration state, some go by their state. Some go by commercial vs. non-commercial, some go by plates, or by the placards on the trailer and truck. Some go by the license in the hands of the person at the wheel.

As far as I can tell there are only a couple of ways to be relatively safe. Don't have any kind of marking that can vaguely be considered commercial on the rig. Don't speed (by much), and obey all the rules such as signaling and such. Avoid all the weigh stations as if you were supposed to, they just attract attention. And when you do get pulled over, be the nicest guy the trooper ever met. They are always right, you are just trying to get where you are going, whatever you say sir. Smile, offer them a look at your cool race car.

We were pulled over in Iowa on our way from Illinois to Seattle with our new trailer, and this worked for us. The trooper said "well, you're over our commercial limit, but since you're clearly not commercial, I'll let you go." And off we went.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

One word covers it........."Revenuers"

It's rediculous but they have the badges and the authority...


Some years ago a friend was towing another friends rig to Florida and got the same story and a ticket and fine. I am not sure what state it was but I think it was Georgia.Truck has to be registered for the total weight of truck and trailer. It was a dually and box trailer, nothing really all that big..I don't even think that is possible to do here in NJ on a NON commercial registration. Makes no sense to me other than the "revenuers" spot an out of state plate and decide to ruin your weekend....

Add in the stories of people getting their stuff robbed down in Charlotte for the second year in a row and it doesn't paint a real nice picture of racing down there....

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

I went to charlotte this weekend no probs koncen was in maryland must be a problem?

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

No Dale was in Charlotte, went 3 rounds in S/G. He is from MD.
He was stopped 45 minutes from the track. Said the guy checked everything,
Lenth, weight, Lic, ect... The really wild thing is it was his first trip outta town with
the new trailer.

Cal
HR 177X

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

hey mickey i talked to ya several times. i talked to people in nc they said i needed weighted tag on duelly there but wasnt sure bout md. just got home from state police barracks they did not have an answer why i got ticket not being commercial.they called scale opperaters they didnt know either. i got 1 more phone number of the head of dot in baltimore but hes away from desk right now. so far they have said if im not commercial im good but wont confirm it. dale

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

But you are commercial. you are racing for money right? You have sponsors on your car right?
We are on the same team here but thats what they are going to say.
Chip Johnson

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

The distinction is that I'm not a pro. I'm not racing for money to live on, I'm racing for fun. I don't claim my expenses on my tax return. Yes, I may win, and I may get money from these contingent sponsors for using their parts, but I don't make more than I spend. It's just gravy. And to the extent I do win, if it meets IRS guidelines I claim it on my taxes, but it never exceeds my costs so I never pay any taxes on it.

So I'm not a pro, I'm not incorporated, the vehicles are registered in my name, I do not write off travel or other expenses, so therefore, I'm not commercial.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

INTENT is the word for today.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

Dale, what did you find out from the DOT in Baltimore? How long is your new trailer and what did it weigh? Do you have lettering on the sides or back end?

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

For what it is worth, there is a web site called yellowbullett.com. If you go on there, go to the search feature. search a couple of ways. 1) Stopped while towing. 2) Trailer Towing Regulations, 3) Trailer Towing Questions. You can also try some of your own. Over he last two years, that I have gone on their web site, there has been numerous discussions about CDL Licenses, towing regulations, different state regulations, etc. There are some very knowledgable people on there, some state troppers and DOT officials. It seams that everyone towing a trailer any more are under the same scrunity by scale officials and policemen. The use of Motorhomes, lettering, CDL licenses, trailer weights, combo weights, Gross weights, etc. has been discussed. It may not answer any or all you questions, but it may offer some more insite.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

We are loggers here in nc so we deal with this crap every day. In this state the tow vehicle must be registered with weighted tags to the combined weight of the tow vehicle and trailer. You can get weighted tags as heavy as you want to pay for but if they are more than the gvwr of the vehicle you will be ticketed to the gvwr. Also I have noticed a couple in the past having 2 or 3 drums of gas stowed inside their trailers, according to federal law if you have the capacity of more than 119 gallons you must have cdl license with a hazmat endorsement and the trailer must be placarded on 4 sides. This one you should be aware of it doesn't matter if the drums are empty you would tickets and put out of service. NC is broke like many other states and have stepped up their DOT enforcement over the last several years including ticketing offshore fishermen with the really nice boats for not having oversize load permits( anything over 8.5 feet wide). This is our state's way of adding to you guys enhancements. James

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

Have these DOT jerks been screwing with anyone using an open trailer ?

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

As a owner operator with my own authority i can tell you for sure... any gvw over 10,000 NEEDS a US DOT #, this is federal law! I believe you only need a medical card if you have a class A or B CDL.
I spend every day playing cat and mouse with DOT. If they pull you over they will find something!!!!!! They are bread in the academy to hate truckers and anything that resembles one.. Some helpfull info could be found on the fmcsa web site.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

mr france in baltimore must been having a bad day because he was short with me and i felt like he was arguing with me. i was just asking questions,he didnt even let me describe my trailor. he said in md the take truck and trailor together not like nc or va.but he said i was in nc and probly will have to pay ticket. i still not sure why but felt i couldnt ask more questions. their has to be polite person who would explain it all. iguess i will up the weight tag on truck. still like to fight ticket if i can get any facts. 44' gooseneck no writing anywhere on trailer. 1st time out with it.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

I guess everyone will have to stay out of NC or go back to flat towing.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

I have been towing with a 20 ft open trailer with a truck tool box on front
and then a golf cart pulled next to tool box sideways
follwed by a scooter
and then the Chevy II....
So far ,knock on wood (knock ,knock ) ,i have not been bothered.

Re: DOT police going to Charlotte
 

DOT starts @ 10000 lbs. Tag weight includes the truck and trailer. Almost all trailer tags are token, hence the truck has to be licensed for the total weight. Lenght is state to state.
NC has some problems. Last year I assisted a racer who got tagged, and we were going to court. I sent the Governor a letter. Got a reply, and the next day the friend I was helping got a call from NCDOT wanting to settle for the overweight on one axle for a total of $44 instead of the $1150 proposed fine. When it comes to race stuff, DOT exemptions, and odd stuff like that, most officers don't have a clue. NC on its website has specifics for race car stuff. Lots of detail, even though last time I looked, the regs did not match the pictures.