Originally Posted by MadJoe

I'm starting to think individual DMV's and inspection stations just do what ever they feel like. Even with the new cameras it seems certain parts of MA law aren't applicable if the garage you've gone to doesn't want to apply it and the DMV you registered at allowed you to get passenger plates.

As far as I know MA law is if the vehicle is not on the exempt list and meets either one, or both of the following criteria it must be registered and inspected as a commercial vehicle: 10,001+ GVW, and/or 5+ wheels on the ground.

But it seems some inspection garages will inspect your truck as a passenger vehicle if the DMV allowed you to register it as a passenger vehicle even though it met one or both of those criteria.

So yeah, about as clear as mud.

My own personal experience in Dec 2016 was that the 1st 2 garages I went to to get inspected said I needed commercial because 6 wheels (my truck is only rated 10,000lbs GVW), and the 3rd said passenger plates, passenger inspection. I was thinking that with the new cameras garages would start insisting on the 5+ wheel provision, but maybe I'm wrong since Don was able to get his done. Yes, my truck is officially out of inspection. I tried to get it done, but the weather made starting it a chore, and the season made finding time almost impossible. So maybe next week after we all dig out from under this thing with the weather that's about to happen...

I guess my only question for Don, other than the one Ken already asked, is what is your truck rated GVW wise? Is it 10,001 or more?

Originally Posted by BIGKEN

Rule was changed a number of years ago...10,001+ also requires commercial reg.

Originally Posted by 2002 F350V10

I last year bought a new superduty gate with step from a man who is retired. He sold the gate cause he put a fifth wheel on his truck and wanted to travel and live throughout the country at his leisure with his wife. He sold his house, and bought a trailer to live in.

He rents something called a "traveling mailbox " from somewhere in north dakota and has the truck, registration , and his drivers license and insurance there. He pays a monthly fee, and gets his mail sent there. He calls them on the phone whenever he wants, tells them where temporarily he is, and they send whatever mail he has accumulated to him whereever he is temporarily at around the country. No costs of an empty house, no worries, whereever he is at, hes home.

I never heard of it before, but I believed him, especially with the nd plates I saw on the truck.

Any of you could circumvent this issue with that game plan.

Originally Posted by donjamer

Yes Joe my truck is over 10,001.. I believe it is actually 11,000.. I will have to look at the sticker

The rules as I understand it is more than 4 wheels it is required as commercial vehicle.. which means 1 year registration and DOT inspections..

If any truck has signage for a business it will need commercial registration..

I have neither on my truck

Originally Posted by satwood

Folks,

Have any of you been caught in the Massachusetts commercial registration vise that I have encountered? It seems that even though they recognize F250 and F350 pickups as elegible for non-commercial registration, if you have a dually, you have no choice. MA has a one sentence clause in their rules, 540CMR2.05-3(b) which states "Any vehicle which has five or more wheels on the ground" must be registered as commercial. This after they excludes campers, motor homes, and a whole list of other things, making it targeted specifically at dual rear wheel pickups.

I am forming a campaign to get this changed as it is a ridiculous extra burden for those of us with trailer campers. It makes the registration, inspection and toll fees hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars higher for no apparent benefit to anyone except the state. If you are of a similar mind, can you let me know here so we can get an organized letter writing activity going to both the Governor and the Registrar?

If you have had similar experiences in other states can you share those here as well to help me build a stronger case to get a change made? I am specifically looking for either states that allow the non-commercial registration of DRW F350s and similar trucks, or those states that have recently had changes to allow such use.

The registry in MA has publically commented that they support the rules because of numerous people not registering their commercial vehicles as such. Those of us who are legally using our DRW trucks for personal enjoyment and recreation should not be treated badly in retalliation for those who circumvent the commercial registration vehicle laws.

Moderator: If this would belong in another area of the forum then please let me know and move it. I figured the Super Duty people would be most likely to have an opinion on this.

Thanks
Steve

Originally Posted by MoTel2024

Not completely true.
Here is the whole paragraph if you care to look:
"Any vehicle which has five or more wheels on the ground; except that a pickup truck which has five or more wheels on the ground that is registered to an individual and is used solely for personal use shall not be classified as a "commercial plates required vehicle" for purposes of registration unless another provision of law requires such registration;"
I have a dump truck 24k lbs as a personal vehicle, personal plate. I do not use as a comercial vehicle and it is registered to myself. It is a 98 Ford 10 wheeler dump truck that I want to fix more and make it a relic.