Got the call yesterday evening that I was needed in Duvol,Oklahoma for a emergency repair. The emergency was I needed to install a o-ring. Well I didn't make it. I got shut down at the scale house. I recieved 8 tickets. Two are the same ticket twice. Apparently there are two entities that can write you tickets. My truck passed inspection. What they got me for to shut me down was driving a cmv without a cdl. In Texas I don't need a cdl to operate this truck. It's registered for under 26,000. The trooper tells me that federal law goes by the gvwr and not what it's registered for. So now I am waiting to be towed across the state line so that I can go home. This is the most expensive o-ring ever.
What I learned is to sneak into Oklahoma and avoid the scale house. I also learned that the troopers at this scale house are condescending d**k heads. It probably would have went better had I didn't tell them so. I give the same respect that's given me. And I don't much like my employees talking down to me.
The only way around that for interstate is to placard it as "not for hire". Clearly you are "for hire".
It was something to that effect. I will run it by boss. I wouldn't know how that would work legally. Technically we are for hire, but not in this state. We are merely taking care one of our customers from Texas.
I should have messaged vtech63 and see if he would replace the o-ring for me. A nice dinner for two and whatever he charges would have been cheaper.
^ that is a good idea by any metric. The "not for hire" thing is not going to fly for a service truck, unless you have farms in both states and only work on your farm equipment. Even then, expect a ton of crap from law enforcement at the border.
Learn this week in IA scale south of Sioux City . After they did inspection that included opening compartments on service truck that R134a bottle on my portable reclaimer could not be hauled in service truck cause bottle did not have sticker on it like torch bottles.
So am I understanding this correctly. Because I crossed the state line it required me to have a cdl?
Finally out of the people's republic of Oklahoma.
Those white OCC cars will stop a landscapers 3/4 ton truck pulling their lawnmowers on a 16ft trailer and check them like a semi. Watched them pull over a sprinter van pulling a small car behind it a month back. Pulled my Cat rep over in a half ton pulling a towable air compressor and gave him a ticket for being 400 lbs overweight. He weighed 10,400. They have no mercy. Over 10k lbs with a trailer and you're game to them. They run those state lines hard.
Read up Paul on the Regs, it is NOT licensed or Registration weight, it is the door tag GVWR for CDL Requirement and I have no clue how you avoid it in TX as I could NOT in MO. OK. KS. IA . IL. NB. or CO. driving service trucks or any truck with a company logo on it. My Previous Employer would NOT listen as to that either until several of my co-workers were stopped and ticketed Off Company Premises headed to a associated site.
the solution is to buy the right truck in the first place, but nobody wants to admit that mistake.
I'm thinking that I avoided that ticket because I don't have to stop at the scales here. And if I do then the Texas state troopers don't seem to mind when I don't. I am a little pissed that my company has put me in this situation. Since I don't have a cdl I don't bother with knowing all the rules. They will have to get me a smaller truck or take me out of this and put me in the shop. I refuse to get a cdl.
Had a Class A since they converted the old Chauffer's licenses here, moved to UT, they accepted my MO Chauffer license to issue theirs, Got back to MO and had to retake ALL my tests to get CDL, have NOT allowed that to lapse since. Hazmat, Tank, Multiple Trailers endorsements. Been utilizing them ALL but tank/HM of recent note, and that is STILL a potential at current position.
Guess that is one of the "problems" we can have in the way this country is set up with each state free to act like a separate country from all the others in many ways. It's a wonder some states don't try to have us driving on the left side of the road!
They have changed that. It is the greater of either the door tag or the ACTUAL WEIGHT. No more dodging the cdl requirements by overloading a non-cdl vehicle.
I think that's been the way all along according to the Fed's but I might be wrong. If the truck is rated at 25,999 GVW and you are 26,001 on the road, the man has the authority to shut you down.
It has started expanding where if overloaded against gvwr rating will shut it down as unsafe use in MO, have heard other states headed that way and that became reasoning the big 3 have increased gvwr tag numbers on heavy one tons. Ends the skaters, they either go full CDL and all the rules or get hung out to dry on undersized vehicle tickets.
I'm glad they go by number of axles up here instead of weight. Saves the stupid BS of needing a CDL for a single axle straight truck.
Nope, won't work. Still need a CDL even as a private carrier.
I got pulled in to the scalehouse in Kamloops one time to see my papers while driving a long deck Budget rental with a set of tracks on. I wasn't a truck driver just a dumb mechanic going to do a job. No air ticket. Told him it didn't have air brakes. Got to see this he says. Came out and poked his head under. Said he had never seen a truck that size that wasn't air. He did compliment me on the way I had the tracks tied down tho so I left feeling pretty good. D.D.
the problem is states try to screw over the working man for revenue. Think about all the hoops you have to jump through to open a business and keep it going it’s a racket. My wife does business licenses for a small city here. The business license is just to allow you to run a business in the city. It does not guarantee a quality level- you can cheat customers as much as you want and they don’t care. It does not guarantee any kind of safety like a building code. It’s just a way for the city to charge you money to be allowed to operate in the city and the more money you make the more you pay. furthermore, if say, you have a mobile mechanic service, landscaping, construction, etc type job you have to obtain a license just to do even a one day job in the city limits. It’s ridiculous. Her departments enforcement officer has even written a ticket to a guy volunteering to cut his churches grass the guy was just a member of the church and not a landscaper but they made him buy a business license. She told me that if I was to say, cut my great aunts grass I could be stopped by this enforcement guy and made to buy a license for doing that
That is the whole irritant of this. At first regulations were to protect us and now it's designed to fleece you of your hard earned money. I can't make a 100 bucks without 5 or 6 hands grabbing for it.
I’m down in the middle of Texas. I guess this is why local dot told me as long as I stayed around here I was fine, but if I crossed state lines he couldn’t help me
In light of all this I will be telling the boss man that I can't drive his truck anymore. If I were to get a cdl I would probably quit turning wrenches all together and go over the road.
I do not understand the Texas allowances to mechanics, no other state I am aware of allows mechanic to not have a CDL to test drive or pick and return equipment. Fed Rules were not written with such a caveat not giving room to maneuver around by each state. I worked with co workers long ago that had no Chauffer or CDL License and as a working foreman had to test drive their work, had mechanics that could perform work on HE and had no confidence in themselves to test operate either.
When I worked on trucks, I had to maintain a CDL with air brake endorsements. Now that I play in the dirt and my truck GVW is 26k with an H plate, I don't have to, nor do I want to maintain a CDL if I'm not forced to. If I'm not in the service truck, I drive like an @$$hole. I know it, I admit it. I speed . I get pinched, I pay a fine, go to driving school and I'm good to go. If I do that with a CDL , the costs grow exponentially. I don't drag a trailer, won't deliver equipment, I'm just a wrench. It's all I do. That other stuff is another man's job. I won't step on his toes and ask the same in return.
I don't think that it is allowed. I was told that we don't have to stop at the scales. And that's why I haven't been caught. Any trooper will know that my truck is cdl territory and could've stopped me anytime. I keep my truck clean and I don't let crap collect in the back, you can see the floor in back. So it's probably been a case of it looks good so it is probably good. When I hired on and moved into this truck I had thought that I shouldn't be driving this truck. My first clue was the air brakes. But I ignored my gut instincts and chalked it off to the fact that this company is overly cautious about everything. So why would they let me illegally drive this truck. I learned a lot this weekend and I should've known better to ignore my instincts.
FWF, the license plate rating has Nothing to do with the GVWR of the machine, IF it is OVER 26K GVWR(NOT License weight) you are still required to have a CDL and especially with Air Brakes on it. Can put a Auto License on a Pete Tractor if want to, still has exceeded GVWR and has Air brakes requiring a CDL to operate on roadways.
I like to drive fast and do crazy things in my personal vehicle and that is the main reason I don't want a cdl. The other reason is that I worked in construction for a long time. And if I had a cdl I would be doing a lot more than turning wrenches. Hey... when you get done putting the tracks back on. Could you load it up and haul it to the job site? Steve didn't come in this morning and we need that dozer on site today.
When I was OTR HH and 100% legal I would trip plan when I was hauling post holes to avoid the POE scales in any state if I could those guys are a PITA and paid to be that way- it's their job. If it's got an inspection shed & pit you'd better have your **** right n tight. I'm close to 3 other states and have been asked to "hop over" do work there- hard pass. Here it's <26K roll past the scales (I'm 25,500 on the service truck) & I went to an Int ra state CDL- works for me and the other states can do what they want. I'm not a big fan of making DOT "equal" between the sates so that I can be equally miserable.
When I worked at the dealership we were running 33k service trucks. I was the only one with a class a license and everyone else had class b. We weren’t allowed to cross state lines or haul a trailer because we weren’t registered for it except when the dealer needed us to go into the next state or haul some tracks or a bucket or a mini excavator. Then it was “don’t get caught”. I had a couple d.o.t safety checks but we ran nice equipment and every time I went through the weigh stations I was just waved through.
We have customers in all surrounding states and I have worked in all of them except for Louisiana. I asked my boss why we didn't register the trucks for interstate d.o.t. I didn't get a answer. I did find that it is legal for me to drive this truck in Texas because they are registered for under 26k. It is not legal for me in any other state. My best guess is if we registered the trucks for interstate d.o.t. Then the trucks would fall under c.m.v. rules and regulations. All I know is that they knew it wasn't legal for me to leave Texas and had me do it several times. This time I got caught. And I am still a little pissed that they put me in this situation.
What exactly were the tickets for? Bob
Two tickets for no registration. One from the o.c.c. and the other from a Oklahoma state trooper. Two tickets for driving interstate with intrastate d.o.t. registration. Again one from the o.c.c. and the other from the Oklahoma state trooper. No valid insurance, operating a c.m.v. without a c.d.l. No medical card and I can't think of the 8th ticket at the moment.
Horror stories. Now you get to find out about your employer's ethics program.
How do you mean John? Do mean if they will do the stand up thing and pay the ticket?
That, and quit messing around and do the thing right going forward.
Help me clarify what happened here. I drive a 26k mechanics truck with air brake, and a USDot number. I am not required to have a CDL. I am required to have a log book, medical card, current registration, fire extinguisher, and road side triangles. What is different about your situation?
As far as I know it depends on what your state allows, but if you cross the border into another state then you are held to the federal standard of operating a c.m.v. Some of this is my fault. The truck is registered but one of the times that I cleaned my truck. I think that I kept last year's registration and threw away the current registration paperwork. I have a medical card, but I couldn't find that either. And the trooper said that there wasn't anything in the system for my medical card. The insurance I think he was being a dick and wrote it because I didn't have a c.d.l. I normally respect the badge, but these guys were very unprofessional and very rude. I can certainly understand the animosity towards the police if this is how they act. I am not one to be bullied or pushed around. And I am not afraid to put you in your place if you step out of line. When this is over I will look strongly in pressing charges for oppression.
oops
Interstate vs. Intrastate If MCS-150 shows Intrastate, stay in that state and follow their rules. Some are easy, some aren't. Check the Interstate box and it's another ball game in most cases. Authority, clearinghouse, insurance is different, BOC-3, IFTA, UCR.....
Bloody well endless. They're as always trying to dissuade the little guy with mountains of paperwork and fees. I have a Dodge 3500 cab and chassis flatbed, when I''m hooked up to the gooseneck it's 36K. Sometimes we need to go to Washington or Idyeo (sic) so for a truck I use now and then to deliver a job or pick up something we bought? Total nightmare, and for me personally to keep my CDL and stay legal as the owner and only driver? Ridiculous. My insurance is just a hair under $500 a month and I'm damn lucky to get that.
If you roll through the Spokane POE and CVEO Tim is still there, kick him in the...... Tell him it's from the guy he had pull around back for a Level 1 Easter morning a few years back because he was "bored", he'll know. I just wanted to get home!!!!!! [edit] I did get a cool sticker for my window though. Hey now. Should I be offended?
Why would you be offended? Hell my Mom and my paternal grampa were both born there, was kinda hoping to retire there before the latest mass exodus from liberal cities started another liberal land rush. I'm stuck in OryGone.
Better hurry, the locals are fortn' up and giving the coasties the cold shoulder & evil eye.
I've been fortunate I've never been pulled over and can count on 1 hand the number of times I've had to cross the scales in the 6 years spent running service trucks.
Already too late....
Base judgement, pays your money takes your chances, the rules have been out there for years now and while can be confusing there are NO Unwritten Rules of any validity, there are suppositions and guesses and State regulators not wishing to push the employers in their states but the basic line is the License requirements exist and IF you are driving a Chassis over 26001GVWR or paired with a Trailer or the chassis requires DOT Equipment/inspections then YOU are required to have the license, it is just that simple and chasing the cat around the room arguing for it to stop does not actually make it so. My License, Class A, ALL the endorsements available and including the HM Test and FBI Background check fees was under $200, how much for the tickets? How much time lost Unpaid? How many jobs tied up and at what expense? Do the math as it is NOT that hard and NOT that bad to get the license unless cannot pass the physical or cannot pass the roads tests and CANNOT argue a Need to Drive Fast or Arrogantly when not working as that is just foolish. Kept this license for a reason, has panned out several times, has protected my bacon more than once and I do know the rules and I do follow those rules. I was just placed into Clearinghouse, newer program less than two years according to present employer. Nationwide system to screen drivers.
This thread cracks me up. The first mistake was making a right turn into the coop. Scale houses in any state are not that interested in trucks that have a {Fixed Load}. The minute that service truck crossed the scale plugging it up the weigh master knew he had a pigeon. Yes anything over 26 requires cdl. If a scale is open and trucks are backed up into the traffic, hit the hammer lane because you are a traffic hazard. DOT is not going come blasting out of a scale with the blues going to pull over a service truck. They have much bigger fish to fry. Rookies.
I beg to differ. The kind officer was quick to point out all trucks over 8 tons must weigh. Thought I was disrespecting him at first until I explained my ignorance. Then he educated me on how I just need a class C non-CDL to roll with and not to bypass anymore scales. He really was a nice guy except for having written 500$ worth of tickets. Not licensed for the vehicle. No ME card. Evading a scale. No seatbelt. Had to pay for the scale, everything else was thrown out in court for compliance.
Well Paul, moving forward, just throw some wrenches in your trunk with an O-ring kit and hit the road . Can't get ya for a CMV in your personal vehicle
I would have taken care of that in a jiffy! I got knabbed the same way in Kansas about 15 years ago. I passed right on by a scale house at the southern border that I had NEVER had to stop at before. Freaking trooper ran me down before I got 2 miles from it, took my license, and had me go back to the nearest previous exit (in OKLAHOMA) and return to the scale house. I was fine on weight, driving under gvw of 25K.......got 5 tickets......no med card, no log records, etc...... Told him I was required to have that in Oklahoma but he didn’t give a ****. He then escorted me to the next exit about 5 miles into Kansas and I had to sit there for 12 hours before I could proceed. I just avoid Them if I can and I still drive past them when I run into one. Never had another problem since. I think that trooper just wanted to be a prick that day and decided I was the perfect target.
IDE have to check with my other girlfriends (MG & FWF) first and get an ok......I wouldn’t want them to think I’m cheating this soon in our relationship
I had considered that and almost did. I changed my mind because they always say that it only needs a o-ring. And you show up to find out that the driveshaft broke and ripped a bunch of hoses out.
yeah, by the time your imagination helped you move tools over to your personal rig it would have looked like one of the "overload picture of the day" candidates
Boss actually wanted me to go to Oklahoma today. I politely said **** no! There isn't a scale at that border crossing and I have been there a few times already. It's to damn soon. I am waiting to see how they handle the tickets before I leave the state again. If they want to pay those tickets then I will go.
You sad sick little monkey . I'm a fat boy, I'd never stand in the way of a free meal. That's just wrong.
Me getting towed back into Texas so I could get home.
You want a driving job that DOT stays away from? You will still run paper logs, no one bothers you with needless horse ****, at scales it's the by pass lane. If it's warm to hot weather you just keep moving. Apiary-Bees. Haul Bees. If it's warm to hot weather and you get pulled into a scale and set a little too long the bees will start swarming. And when you leave and the bees home is gone he's pi$$ed and will take it out on anyone around. Construction zones are great, the bees create heat in the hive, when the truck slows down there is no air to cool the hives and the bees will swarm. You don't stop when hauling bees.
I had to go to Kelowna, Canada one time a few years back to look at a D5TSK. I talked to the dealer up there about crossing the border. He asked what I would be driving and when I told him he said don't even try. He told me they had whatever I might need and to just drive up there with my wife in her car. Tell the border guys that you are just going to see some friends and don't mention anything about work. He said "if they think you are there to do some work, you will never get across the fence."
That white and red looks so pretty together! I feel your pain bro.
No valid insurance? Was your weight higher than the insurance policy. It is normal here for a over weight truck to get an over insurance ticket, if the truck is insured for only its gross its weight. You on board policy must show the weight you are insured to avoid that ticket. Nearly every logger here is forced carry insurance of 120,000 lbs to get to the next step when the winter AG load allowed without permits is 99,000 on six axles with the 10% winter allowance.
Hey Paul........I talked with that trooper that wrote you up. He said he would like you to come back and try again........His wife needs more shoes.
I got busted years ago trying to get across at Windsor, Ontario and all they found were a couple blue prints in the car! I talked to an old-timer afterwards and he told me he got busted with just a just a small hand-carry metal tool box. Last time I went to Canada with my current company I had to have to written invite from the Canadian division to "observe and direct" Canadian workers because I have special skills. ISZ
If their going to do that stuff we should do the same.
Yeah......screw them Canadians!
Rules changed somewhat after the North American Free Trade agreement. I don't need or even want to go to another country any more.
In 1993, My Dad & I bought a few old Cats in Bridgeport Wa,We had some hand tools in the truck with us. At the us customs in Orville we where detained us over half a day because they figured we going down to work, we had receipts & pictures of the machines, they phoned everybody, my Boss, my wife, the owner of the machines, searched my truck let us go after 6 hours of sitting my dad was 81 . It works both ways, since 911 it’s gotten terrible
The US side is far worse. It was as much for the amount of drugs coming across the border as it was watching for terrorists.
Getting into the US at any entry point these days is a challenge in my experience. My usual retort to the curt "purpose of visit" from the INS official (I could never figure out whther it was a statement or a question) is generally "not from ***king choice that's for sure........."
I have the other story from 25 years ago. I was crossing into Canada late at night to visit my brother and ski at Whistler with friends. This young fellow is in the booth, feet up. He asks " purpose of your visit? " I tell him my line, and he makes a very exaggerated motion to check the box as he says " Plleeaasurre". " Got any guns?" Nope. " Have a good time!" I also never got any hassle crossing with the planes. I guess we didn't look nefarious enough.
It was no problem going into Canada to spend money. The problems came about when they thought you might earn some. I've never spent less than twenty minutes answering questions before being allowed back into my own country.
Update... My company is going to take care of all the tickets. I snuck into Oklahoma today and I will keep going in as long as they are willing to pay the tickets. I will be checking for scale houses on my routes from here on.
I think there’s an app for that
Look for "Drivewyze" on your smart phone app store.
I use Trucker path, works good. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sixdays.truckerpath
I got the license to cover my ass!!
I do too but sometimes it's just better to stay off of their radar, know what I'm sayin'!
I like flying low and under the radar as well.
I could get the license, but don’t see the need to. I don’t think it is worth the hassle for all that I do. And besides that it will only be one less ticket to get. I am still not legal to cross over with our D.O.T. #’s. For whatever reason the company doesn’t see a reason to change that.
I’d love to know how the wildcat trucker who conned the job to haul my 15,000 pound backhoe on a landscaping trailer got the thing from Indiana to Mass without getting impounded or arrested. He blew three tires, drove all night and dropped a whole axle on the Mass pike. Once I found out what this guy did, I called a pro towing company with an 18 wheeler and an excavator trailer, and hauled it to my house. I made the landscaper guy pay the cost of the tow.