Trailer hauling gone someday?

[Farmwithjunk]

Yesterday afternoon, I had a discussion with a friend who happens to be a "Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer" ("D.O.T. cop") in the state of Kentucky. He told me about a "movement" towards reducing and restricting the numbers of "haulers", both "not quite legal" commercial haulers, as well as private haulers with trucks and trailer combo's that fall between the cracks when it comes to licensing (both drivers and vehicle), and truck/trailers that are borderline heavy enough to be pulling the loads they haul. It seems the general thinking amongst the "higher-ups" in DOT is that people are pushing the safe and reasonable limits of even 3/4 ton and 1 ton pick-ups far beyond what the DOT considers safe. There may be an effort in the future to restrict "non-commercial haulers" clear off the road. (I see some validity in that arguement, but I also see "big brother" overpowering the people they are hired to protect.)

For reasons I never did quite get a clear explaination for, it seems they want to target gooseneck trailers more than bumper pulls.

Now this COULD be "one mans opinion" more than actual fact, but it's not the first time I've heard this.

Thoughts?

(Since this ISN'T anything more than pure speculation at this point, no need to quote current laws. At this stage, I'm just interested in peoples opinions on how far the laws should extend into the non-commercial realm.)

(My personal opinion? Further restrictions should be limited to vehicles using interstate highways. Anything beyond that will restrict us "little guys" to hiring haulers every time we want to move our tractor across town, or else buying expensive truck/trailer combo's and becoming over-the-road truckers (CDL,Med card, costly insurance for commercial carriers, ect)

 

[roxynoodle]

I don't mind having laws that say I need a brake on the trailer or a breakaway box for towing on the highway. I also think it is ok for them to pull over someone whose load appears to be unsafely secured. However, if I want to pull a hay wagon 10 miles from the farmer I buy from to my house on country roads I think I should be allowed to do that. Makes me wonder how this would affect farmers. Some of them around here do have CDLs as they use semis to take in their grain but most pull grain wagons. Ag is the number one industry in this county.

 

[RonR]

I see both sides of this.

I don't want to be inhibited from hauling a safe load on my trailer by having to buy more stuff or licenses. (I've had CDL before).

But I've seen a LOT of unsafe trucking/trailering also.

I sold an 801 Ford tractor with an FEL to a guy who showed up with a homemade trailer with really light wheels/tires, and it was pulled by a mini pickup. He was going 50 miles to get home! I had to let him use my air compressor to pump up his tires before I even loaded the tractor for him........

A lot of what I see are loads not tied down well. That can even include people putting stuff in the back of their pickup. Around here, you see a lot of mattresses and sofa cushions along the roads........

I came upon a scene recently where a guy had stopped for a red light. When he accelerated on green, his load of 2x4s and plywood slid out of his pickup all over the road.

Ron

 

[john_bud]

I came upon a scene recently where a guy had stopped for a red light. When he accelerated on green, his load of 2x4s and plywood slid out of his pickup all over the road.

Ron

I guess there are stupid people everywhere!

jb

 

[mchasal]

So, I'm unclear on something. When you say "safe and reasonable limits" does that mean that the DOT doesn't consider the manufacturer limits to be that? I can understand that exceeding the GVWR or towing limit of truck or trailer could be a problem, but isn't that already illegal? If they're talking about having some other limits below that, I would be concerned about the proverbial "slippery slope". Who determines what is safe and reasonable? Is it the cop on the side of the road? If it's something that is open to interpretation, I would be really worried about that.

Or is this just talking about lowering the limit at which you need a CDL. Not that I'd want to have to get a CDL, but at least that's something clear. Of course, I'm in NY, so I don't really have any skin in this game (yet).

Mike

 

[JerryG]

We have plenty of laws that cover most things. What they need to do is enforce the laws that we have instead of making more.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

None of those issues were answered in my discussion. I got the "impression" the DOT was wanting to be more subjective in their determining weight ratings on hitches and trailer designs. If it was a "roadside decision", that would never stand up in court. Also, I got the "impression" it was more an issue of licensing requirements to discourage people from trailering heavy loads. No "limit" was mentioned, but it was brought up in the conversation about "10,000 lb GVWR" limits across the board being considered in the same arena as a commercial hauler, regardless of intended use. Like I mentioned, this is all "one mans opinion" at this juncture. No official statements, or even solid rumors just yet. Just "chatter" from an insider.

We are seeing much more activity in regards to DOT doing roadside checks on commercial lawn care operators pulling small trailers in the area. Most of them are at or below the 10,000lb range.

 

[JoeR]

The RV industry will fight any legislation in the 10 to 20K GVWR range. Here in FL, you had to have a Class D license for anything over 10K GVWR and under 23K. Over 23K required CDL. Well, lots of F250's and Soccer Moms with Excusrions were getting tickets as well as retirees driving their RV's since their vehicles were over the 10K GVWR. RV industry petitioned the State, and now the requirement is gone. I personally thought the class D license was good since the testing required the applicant to understand trailering basics, and the laws. It was a good test, and I learned something when I studied for that test. I have my class D since I hauled a 12K trailer with my tractor. And, yes I do see lots of people pulling trailers unsafely! Especially lawn guys with their ZTR's not properly secured!!!!


Joe

 

[unreconstructed]

Rule of thumb:

The state will always seek to increase its power.
The state will always seek to increase its "revenue".

We may all be safer except when one ticks off the state.

 

[MarEng]

I would vote for Texas being one of the worst for this - though it may be changing - DPS has actually shut down a few of the sticker mills where you could buy an inspection sticker for your car just by pulling in.

I bought my 16' flat bed, 7000lb GVW, equipment trailer from Trailer Wheel and Frame in Houston after doing a lot of comparison shopping. I found them to be weak on equipment but the frame looked to be completely welded out and was actaully painted underneath. That and the price, while lower, included a real PT deck. I believe the unit is actually built by Ameritrail in Bellville.

The trailer has electric brakes but came without a breakaway actuator. When I asked, the salesman grinned and said something to the effect of, "You caught us, they don't come standard from the factory but if a customer knows enough to ask, we have to put in on for free." I then asked about the safety chains - end link welded to the tongue - and the hitch - 2" ball and clearly stenciled for 5000lb max capacity. The salesman handed my signed buyers order back and told me to go buy from someone else. When I suggested maybe I should call DPS, they agreed to fix the chains but still refused to do anything about the hitch. Turns out there is no DPS enforcement - so my veiled threat was really just a joke.

Oh, and I had to pay to have it inspected. Seems they don't do that either, as most people don't realize anything over 4000lb GVW must be inspected. He tried to convince me he was doing me a service - "cause DPS might see an expired inspection sticker and ticket me. If you don't have one - most of the Troopers don't know you need one."