Weight station Question

I'm leaving Thursday to pick up my Deuce in Frankfort from NC. Using a friends F550 and tandem axle gooseneck truck he uses to haul his Mudtrucks and Dragsters. I have a Class A CDL(anything up to 80k #'s). Truck is rated for more than what we'll be hauling and is marked "Not for hire" tags

My general question, do we need to stop at all weight stations even though we aren't a " For Hire" carrier ?


Thanks Todd

Call the NC Highway Patrol and ask. Im sure everyone will say no , and a few might say yes , so for a real legal ansewer id call. -Jay

KY is no problem, but NC is a definite yes, regardless of tags. They will chase you down!!

I don't know what part of NC you are from, but don't forget that I-40 is closed at the 20mm and you will have a 2.5 hour or so detour around....

i never stop and never been chased either

Being a former NC Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Enforcement Officer... You proberly could get by without stopping, but I would stop just to be on the safe side! As far as a log book, since you are Not For Hire and hauling your on vehicle you don't have to have a log book. If you are hauling after 11pm you maybe okay in NC.

Keep the comments coming please. As for my route, I won't be heading through the Gorge, I'm in Raleigh, heading up through Winston into VA on 77 then over to 64 in WV and on to KY.

Different states (and their officers) deal with this their own different ways. Granted,you are not hauling for hire(participating in commerce in any way) but the dudes in the chicken coop dont know that ----all they see is a big (and 99% of big trucks ARE commercial) blowing past their port!!! Probly best you go ahead and stop--- much easier to explain what yer up to this way rather than to an out of breath-P.O.ed Officer that just spilled his coffee and dropped the do-nut chasing you down. Besides-commercial or not-- you still have to be at the correct weight.
Jim

I would stop.
It's your friends F550 and trailer but it's your deuce that will look like for hire work to the DOT.
They don't have any friends

I've seen the signs say "all commercial vehicles must stop" and "all trucks must stop" depending on the state. I don't recall which states say what because any time I'm hauling I'm in a commercial truck so I have to stop regardless. If in doubt I'd stop anyway. There is no reason to worry about crossing the scales if you are legal.

The key is "Interstate Commerce" you are not involved in Interstate Commerce in a Not for Hire Vehicle. The only thing is the towing vehicles licensed weight ???
In NC you get 38,000 lbs on a tandem axle and 20,000 on a single axle.

This is a subject that comes up on every site dealing with hauling and trucks, and I've never seen a clear answer. I think thats because there is no clear answer, because of the variety of laws, and the way the laws are interpreted. By common sense, and by many state's laws, you are non commercial. Its a personal vehicle and you aren't paying your friend for the trip. BUT...depending on the state, and the local officials, THEY may consider you commercial. Some states say that its only non commercial if you are hauling YOUR property with YOUR vehicle. Well your friend is hauling YOUR property with HIS vehicle. They can get more detailed: are you paying him? If you are buying his fuel, or even his lunch, you may be considered commercial by some rules. "Giving him a few dollars for his time" would definitely be considered commercial.

Then there is the interstate vs. local laws. Most states have different laws regarding interstate commerce vs. local, and have different policies for an out of state driver coming through on the interstate vs. a local driver on secondary or local roads. To keep rules simple, most states agree to a set of rules covering interstate highways. But as soon as you leave the highway you get into local laws. Its hard to keep track of every state's laws, and some can be very confusing and make no sense. So stay on the interstate to keep it simple.

Don't always believe everything you hear, and this includes law enforcement officials. No disrespect meant to any on this forum, but leo's are human, and have human defects. Some will tell you what they think, and state it as fact. You can get 3 different answers from 3 different officers, but the only one that matters is the one who stops you. Get all the info you can, but only use it as a general guide. You might be able to get info from different state's web sites and print it out. I've had to do this many times myself because of clueless officers.

Good luck with the recovery. We used my father's 1-ton Chevy and 10-ton lowbed trailer to haul home my 2nd Deuce from N.J. and didn't have any problems. We saw quite a bit of law enforcement on the trip and they didn't pay any attention to us. We saw many loads behind 1-tons (and smaller) that stood out more than ours.

Jim

Your Private...so what if they chase you down. You say I'm a John Doe hauling my truck home. Being private, they will not expect you to know the commercial rules. I wouldn't stop...never have and have never been stopped.

I thought the interstate bridge laws limited a tandem to 34,000 lbs. If the driver has a class "A" CDL, pleading ignorance to some of the laws might not work.

I'm referring to NC Motor Vehicle Weigh Laws and as far as the bridge law it depends on the distance between the axles... These limits are defined in Chapter 20 of NC General Statues.
Interstate Commerce is defined US Code 49 CFR Part 390.5

NC General Statutes States:

Interstate motor carrier. – Any person, firm, or corporation that
operates or controls a commercial motor vehicle as defined in 49
C.F.R. § 390.5 in interstate commerce.

US CODE 49 CFR 390.5 States:

Commercial motor vehicle means any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle—
(1) Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater; or


(2) Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or


(3) Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or


(4) Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations prescribed by the Secretary under 49 CFR, subtitle B, chapter I, subchapter C.

You would be a CMV in a Not for Hire Status...

I'm referring to NC Motor Vehicle Weigh Laws and as far as the bridge law it depends on the distance between the axles... These limits are defined in Chapter 20 of NC General Statues.
Interstate Commerce is defined US Code 49 CFR Part 390.5

NC General Statutes States:

Interstate motor carrier. – Any person, firm, or corporation that
operates or controls a commercial motor vehicle as defined in 49
C.F.R. § 390.5 in interstate commerce.

US CODE 49 CFR 390.5 States:

Commercial motor vehicle means any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle—
(1) Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight, of 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, whichever is greater; or


(2) Is designed or used to transport more than 8 passengers (including the driver) for compensation; or


(3) Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation; or


(4) Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under 49 U.S.C. 5103 and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations prescribed by the Secretary under 49 CFR, subtitle B, chapter I, subchapter C.

You would be a CMV in a Not for Hire Status...

Some individual states have higher limits. Something like a new Rand Mcnally motor carriers road atlas will list all of the different info for each state along with phone numbers and other contacts.

Well you could print this thread out and the Highway Patrolman Should shake your hand.

You would think since I have a CDL I'd know how to use the dang thing. But I got out of trucking in the '90s. I've been reading the NCSHP website, downloaded power points and read NC Gen Statutes till I can puke. Which only add's to my confusion
.
What I have assertained is that under NC state law, if your GVWR or combination weighs more than 10001 lbs, you'd better stop at all weigh stations. Commercial or private. All this per NCGS 20-118

The total I'll be pulling (trailer and deuce) weighs less than 20,000 lbs so I should be good on that. I think even if you throw in the weight of the F550, i'm under 26,000 lbs total.

First if the GVWR of the trailer is over 10,001 lbs or the combination of both the trailer or truck exceed 26,001 lbs you will have to have a Class A CDL, the exception is if the truck is engaged in farm business and has farm truck registration you can operate with a Class A Classified License.

If the vehicles in the combination have a combined GWVR of 26,001 lbs or if the truck is licensed for 26,001 lbs a IFTA Fuel Decal is required.

Just make sure that your vehicle has enough license weight to cover the weight of the truck, trailer and ther trailers load... and stop at the weight stations and you should be fine.