[SunRescue] OT: CA: It's Our Turn

[James Lockwood]

On Wed, 4 Apr 2001, Mike Nicewonger wrote:

> Error corrections embedded.

Addenda added.

> > special drivers license, the truck, trailer, and cargo together cannot
> weigh
> > more than 10,500 lbs if they are travelling on public roads.
>
> While you have the capacities for an F-150 correct the maximum legal weight
> before requiring a CDL (commercial drivers license) is 26,000 pounds. This

Actually, you're both right.  Kind of.  The regs on trailer towing specify
different weight limits than driving a single vehicle, and in CA a vanilla
Class C license is only good for 10,000lb of total towed weight.  A
noncommercial class A will get you out of this limit in CA (they're
usually used by the RV crowd).

> is nationwide as mandated by federal law when the CDL was introduced. You
> are however, as the operator of any vehicle that either actually weighs, has
> a registered gross weight, or a gross combined weight of 10,001 pounds or
> over be required to stop at truck scales and are subject to inspection at
> any time by Commercial Vehicle enforcement officers. If engaged in

CA specifically exempts open-bed pickup trucks until 12,000lb, even though
all pickups must pay commercial weight fees.  Other trucks (even just
utility-bed pickups) require inspection (and a Motor Carrier Permit) over
10,000lb.

> commercial activity you are required to have DOT registration and other fun
> stuff if over 10,001 pounds. You are also banned from certain roads (most
> notably any road in NYC called a "Parkway". To further add to the confusion
> this includes motorhomes, and pick-ups/vans class 3 and up.

Many cities also ban vehicles over 6000lb unladen through some of their
streets.  Interestingly enough some of the new uber-SUV's exceed this, yet
the law is rarely enforced when they are the violators.

> One item that should be pointed out. Most DOT cops will ignore obviously non
> commercial vehicles and not hold you to the law. Be warned, many states in
> the North East are just plain pricks about trucks and the law, most notably
> Connecticut, Mass., Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. I have
> seen RV owners get slammed by these fun folks.

This is why the noncommercial A is a good thing if it is available in your
area.

-James