Trailer hauling gone someday?

[Bird]

We've been talking Texas state laws and regulations. I have no idea what, if anything, Ohio requires. Many years ago, the Federal government "recommended" annual inspections, but it was up to the states as to whether they complied. At one time, at least, in the early '70s, the Feds could withhold some Federal highway money from states which failed to comply, but to the best of my knowledge they never actually withheld any.

Theoretically, the inspections are for "safety" reasons (and in more recent times for pollution control), but in reality, they're for money.

 

[George2615]

Roxynoodle,
All trailers on the road in NY /NJ have to be licensed (registered) and annually inspected mainly for safety issues. Lighting is checked, Brakes must work if over 3000#. Hitch and safety chains are checked. Just another way for the state to get in our pockets.

George

 

[roxynoodle]

Glad I live in Ohio then! We do have to register our trailers and plates on those are more expensive than for my car. My truck costs more. I currently own a 16' flatbed utility and a Sundowner 2 horse trailer and have owned 2 other trailers. Never had to have one inspected though. When you first register a trailer you have to bring them something that shows its empty weight, but that's about it. That being said I do see what appear to be a lot of unsafe looking trailers around. Myself, if there was anything wrong with one of my trailers I would not be using it until it was resolved. The last thing I would ever do is put a horse in a trailer with bald tires or a bad floor. Not to mention I don't want my trailers to cause an accident that could hurt or kill someone.

 

[KennethBrown]

Wow this is embarrassing. Its amazing how much I don't know when I spent so much time learning and enforcing it. I don't drive my truck much, maybe 5000 miles a year. Of those miles 90% of it has a trailer along for the ride. I have a total of 5 trailers- 16' GN, 16' BP, 15' stock trailer, homemade truck bed trash hauler, and a small boat trailer. Oops, make that 6, I forgot I have a 12' stock trailer also. All are farm tagged except the boat trailer. Good thing I'm exempt huh.

 

[RayH]

Heres one truck drivers point of view.
I believe that any vehicle, to include non commercial, over 26000lbs GVWR or GCWR should require a CDL to operate. The purpose of the CDL program is to maintain a basic safety standard for operators of heavy vehicles. If a heavy vehicle is involved in a collision with a lighter vehicle, the potential for injury for the occupants of the lighter vehicle goes up ten fold. This is true whether it involves a tractor/trailer, RV, bus or a haywagon. Heavy vehicles also require more diligence to operate safely especially in less than ideal weather and traffic situations.
I also believe that all vehicles over 26000lbs should be subjected to DOT inspections and weigh station inspections. Again, this goes back to the purpose of the inspections. Its to enforce safe use of heavy vehicles. Why should a Greyhound bus be able to bypass weigh stations but a tandem axle dumptruck can't? It doesn't make sense to me.
Its true there are alot of lighter vehicles on our roads that are being operated unsafely and that should be fixed, but thats not the arena for the DOT. By getting involved with lighter vehicles, the DOT just mucks things up. They create so many gray areas that they themelves dont understand whats going on. Let the state and local police handle everything under 26000lbs.
The biggest "gray" area now are vehicles that fall between 10000 and 26000. Most commercial vehicles in this range require a USDOT or state DOT sticker to operate. Do they usually have a DOT sticker, NO, why, because its not easily enforcable. Heres an example that Im guilty of. I had an F350 dumptruck that I pulled my Kubota on my 10000lbs trailer for my part time landscaping business I had a couple years ago. The GCWR of that truck and trailer was 24400lbs. I operated it for business but kept it insured and registered to me personally. Legally I should've had a USDOT#, but I didnt and if I ever got stopped there was no way for a DOT officer to prove that vehicle was being operated commercially. It was an unenforcable law, they know that and its why you see so many vehicles in violation.
My feeling is eliminate the gray areas and give other law enforcment depts. the responsibility of everything under 26000lbs.
The obvious exceptions to this would be hauling hazmat and passengers.

 

[jayhaitch]

When I bought my 18' fibreglass boat used, it came with the factory trailer, sold by a small boat dealer. I had a Jeep YJ then, 6 cyl, had a hitch from the previous owner. So off I went. I wondered why I had to floor the gas in first gear just to keep up with traffic, and had 2 scary "My foot's to the floor why isn't this rig stopping fast enough" type events, which finally got me researching. Never did know what the tow limit of the Jeep was, no dealer info was to be had. The boat/trailer combo was 3500 lbs loaded with usual gear. Trailers don't need brakes unless they're really heavy, right? THEN I discover Manitoba law says trailer brakes are needed over 2000 lbs! Subsribed to Trailer Boats magazine, best darn investment ever. Not so much for the boating info, but the absolutely priceless trailering info. I replaced the brakeless trailer with a roller style one with surge brakes. WOW! Blew me away, what a difference, and how much calmer I felt towing. Then I bought a GMC Yukon, and life was good.

Oh, and by the way, I said many prayers of thanks to the Lord for protecting a fool like me.........