I phoned the PA DOT about the fines and they explained to us that the weight you register the vehicles for is irrelavant to the CDL requirements. The CDL requirement is determined by adding the manufacturers GVW plates on the towing vehicle and the attached trailer and if they exceed 26001 lbs combined, a CDL is required.

This method is used to prevent individuals from registering "heavy trucks" under the CDL limits and thus allowing untrained people to drive them.

I was pulled over by an officer following my vehicle from exit 312 (doylestown) on the PA turnpike. He stated that he saw the T-plates on my vehicle and ran the numbers while we were driving. The state database did not return a record of registration since the truck was new so he stopped us to check if we registered the truck properly.

He also stated that they are TARGETING pick-up combinations since most are not in compliance with the law.

I did register our 05 truck under our business name to recieve the tax benefit mentioned above.

 

I would get ford and your dealer involved....

Sounds like they may have some insight into this "disagreement"...

Maybe ask them how they can justify their advertising based on this issue !

Good Luck....

glad they don't do that in Texus

 

i am very sorry that u have to go thruogh this. our state doesnt have a defined set of rules for us to go by. u need to call and have them change ur truck to 11,000 and it will end your situation. i promise you if u call again, u will get someone different and they will have a completely different rendition of the laws.
here are the REAL rules. take itr from me, i have been through it all here getting my operating authority and dot crap for my F550 has takin from march till just a few weeks ago!!!!!
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov

 

Do Not Pay That Fine!!!!!!!

 

Hmmm....

 

Not new in PA. If you drive a 450 or 550 with a horse trailer, they'll go after you all the time. Guess they figured the new SD is a target, too.

 

I have seen too many push the limits on what a HD pickup can tow, etc. The idea of the larger more powerful pickup is to tow/haul a LEGAL load size. Not keep trying to haul a "bigger" load.

Yes the more powerful and larger pickups will accelerate better, tow easier than there smaller counterparts. But the FACT remains.....you eventually have to brake and STOP what you are carrying at some point.

Why is it that everyone wants a bigger pickup truck and yet they want to carry more weight, especially weight they cannot brake with safely?

Why is it everyone wants a larger more powerful pickup and yet they want to haul more weight....they KNOW darn well they are NOT LEGAL to tow or haul?

I live East of Dallas and these owners are always carrying more than their trucks can LEGALLY tow or safely stop!! It's very easy to figure out. Across the road from this guy tries to pull out from his hay field with 14-17 large rolls of hay. Nine time out of ten he gets stuck and makes it an all day affair getting unstuck. Once on the road, a flat, level and wide two lane road, he cannot even see what's behind him because his inadequate mirrors are blocking his rear view and he is travelling well below a normal towing speed limit backing up traffic and weaving all over.

I do not think you will have much luck in getting out of the fines. From what you told me and the PA law, you were overweight.

Maybe I just do not get it.....What is up with this big pickup thing? If you want to own one, that's fine! But overloading causes unsafe driving conditions for you and me.

I thought people were buying these bigger pickups to carry the same size load better than their older, smaller pickup did, not overload it?

 

That is exactly what the original poster said, right? He bought an '05 to replace his '95. And he had too much rating for his non-CDL license. I don't think was overloaded to the point he couldn't stop safely. Sounds like the PA pig was enforcing the letter of the law and generating revenue rather than making PA safe (from the likes of the last poster's overweighted neighbor)

 

yea, pushing that law will make people get smaller pickups .. heck, there are probably less and smaller fines for having an overloaded truck then having a properly loaded truck that is just touching into CDL area with the looks of the fines you recieved.

the part i remain unclear on, is that these laws are claiming you need a cdl even if this was his personal truck? So its not really commercial .. its a high weight rating/high passenger occupancy/air brakes/haz mat license.

Let get this straight ... after all this is the days of politically correct, their suing some computer company for having "master" and "slave" drives, so lets sue them for making us have "commercial" drivings licence for personal vehicles.

 

You know what chaps my hide?

I got my cdl in texas when I was a bus mechanic so I could test drive them after fixing them. Had to take a special driving test etc....

My friends parents in their 60's just got a 38' Motorhome (more like a bus) it's like 38k lbs and can drive it with an ordanary drivers license.

That is what scares the bejesus out of me, people driving these huge buses/rv's without having to.

Dave

 

I don't get it! This is crazy. If you're not towing commercially, I don't think you need a CDL(at least not in FL)...

I know guys who tow huge offshore race boats all over the country with full blown Kenworths, Peterbuilts, and all otherwise Med. Duty Trucks(F-450, 550, 650, etc.)

The boats sitting on trailers sometimes can weigh 20,000#, plus the truck.

All they are required to do is add some "Not for hire" and "Private Coach" stickers and they don't need CDL's...It's not Commercial transport.

 

That's the biggest problem - it was registered for a business, and you were heavy enough that you should have a CDL - get it? CDL=Commercial Driver's License - business name on reg = COMMERCIAL USE.

Period. And even then, PA may not care if it was a person's NAME on the reg or a company's. Here in NY, we have to register pickups as commercial vehicles if over 5K pounds (empty) - unless you have a cap on the bed.

I feel for you, but guess what? I don't see any way you can really say this doesn't apply to you.

Did the tax write-off offset the $3K in fines and the needed CDL training/licensing? If so, you broke even.

I saw this coming when I heard about the '05 weight ratings, the first thing I thought was everyone with a gooseneck or other heavy trailer is going to have to REDUCE the trailer weight (get a new lighter one) just so they are legal.

In NY, I believe any truck that's 18K (GROSS) or heavier, you need a CDL of some type. Doesn't matter if it's only 10K at the time it's weighed, that's not the point.

 

Now there's a twist...

 

Did some searching, man the state drivers license book is confusing, just put it in a table.....

I think that you actually need to get a class a or b, but not a cdl license for one of these big motorhomes or 5th wheels.

Anyone know what the requirements are for sure?

Dave

 

I just did a study of the law:

PA requires a CDL to operate a "commercial vehicle." The Ford with trailer combo is arguably a "commercial vehicle." According to PA a "commercial vehicle is "A motor vehicle designed or used to transport passengers or property:

(1) if the vehicle has a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more
pounds or such lesser rating as the department shall adopt under the
provisions of section 6103(c) (relating to promulgation of rules and
regulations by department), as determined by Federal regulation and
published by the department as a notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.

However, under 75 Pa.C.S. § 1606, there are exemptions to requireiments for CDL's and "commercial vehicles." Specifically related to farmers, no CDL is needed for (5) A driver with a Class C license operating a farm vehicle which is controlled and operated by a farmer and used exclusively to transport agricultural products, farm machinery or farm supplies to or from a farm. The farm vehicle may not be used in the operations of a common or contract carrier and may be used only within a radius of 150 miles of the farm.

If nothing else, the original poster can go to court and argue for the farmer exemption.

$3400 is a riduculous fine meant for big rig drivers hauling fifteen cars with no CDL. It was not meant to discourage guys from hauling a gooseneck trailer behind a pickup. What a travesty of justice.