Business costs starting to suck (long post)

[dave shepard]

Lately I have been hearing that the DOT have been setting-up and ticketing business owners with their portable scales. They have been randomly sitting with a State Trooper in verious locations when things get slow or the word gets out where they are they pick-up and move to another location. This is when I started to hear about the rules and fines (christ are they substancially hefty) 1st they have been looking for dump trucks and trucks pulling trailors (that would me). They first ask for your physical card (you need to have one even if what you are driveing is under CDL weight, I didn't know that it's some new law from what I have heard), don't have one???? $500.00 fine then they put the scales under all your tires (even the trailor) and have you drive on it, they ask for your regestration and if you are overweight POW!!! even more is added on. Here is something that I also found out. I have a 1 ton duley diesel 4x4 rated and regestered at 11,000lbs (GVW, gross vehicle weight) but I pull a 12,500lb trailor so I must have the title redone and the truck registored to include the trailors weight (called GCW, gross combination weight) now I was told by the DOT and a notery that I must have change the GCW from 11,000lb to 23,500lb. I would be (if cought by the DOT or State police) 12,500lb over weight (god only knows how much that would be), my plates costed me $198yr NOW!!!!!! over $400yr (est. at 22,000lb.... $405 and I need more weight) and my class rating on the truck will go from class 4 to class 8. I always thought the class rating was for what the truck could phy. haul, not pull, I guess I was wrong all these years. I then asked if I have to add the trailor to the trucks registration then why do I pay for the weight of the trailor in it's plate fee? seems I and others are being double dipped, their answer Yea that's what they're doing.
I have not and sure don't want to run into them. But for those who might be in the same boat as me LOOK OUT in PA and OH.
One guy I talked to got upset and they started on his rig and said to him, you keep talking and I'll keep wrighting, he desided that he better shut-up and they quit wrighting and the fines totaled $850.


Sorry for the long post but had to vent alittle.

Dave

[nadams]

Does this only apply to commercial trucks? That sucks big time....

[dave shepard]

Originally posted by nadams
Does this only apply to commercial trucks? That sucks big time....

Not if they want to be big pricks they have and can pull anybody over. They are starting with business trucks. Mine is a 1 ton Dodge pick-up with a flat bed (instead of a reg. bed) which when I bought it and wanted to get Ins., my Ins. agent and the home office both told me I couldn't add it to my existing policy because of the flat bed on it, it had to have it's own commercial policy. The flat bed or any bed other then a standard pick-up bed makes any pick-up a commercial vehical. If you think you fall in these guide lines check with your Ins agent and your DOT (PA # 1-800-932-4600). If you cross state lines to do business (which I also do, for some reason 80% of my business is in OH) you will also need to get a USDOT number, which is another huge fine in itself. It doesn't cost anything if you do it yourself (USDOT fax back forms 1-800-832-5660) or a knowlegable notary can help you for a small fee.

Dave

[nadams]

Okay, I'm safe now. However, we were contemplating putting a flat bed on my dad's '78 chevy 3/4ton pickup. It wouldn't be used for commercial purposes... it would just last longer than the last two beds that have rusted out of the damn thing. Perhaps we'll rethink that plan.

[Jstas]

Just because it's that way for Dave does not mean that the rest of the country is like that. Check your local laws. If you live in Oklahoma and register and build your vehicle to PA laws, you could be violating OK laws and spending money you really don't have to in OK.

Not that you live in OK, just an example. Always check your local laws concerning things like this. All states have thier MV laws online now so use teh resource available to you.