List,
There seems to be some confusion regarding weight, weight enforcement, and
DL and CDL classification requirements. And for those of you who are REALLY
confused, this has NOTHING to do with registered weights!
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (or GVWR) is used in the computation to
determine DL or CDL CLASS.
GVWR is the manufacturer's determination of what the vehicle can weigh
(gross) when loaded to it's maximum capacity. GROSS means the total
combined weight of vehicle and its load.
When we use GVWR as a determing factor is does not matter if the vehicle is
loaded or not. Remember it is only the RATING that we are considering when
looking at GVWR.
In the absence of a GVWR by the manufacturer (an example might be found in
the case of a home-made trailer) the inspector may fall back on actual
weight of the vehicle (Gross) -or- officer's determination based on other
factors...whichever is most inclusive.
I will provide a real life example of officer's determination.....(the names
have been changed to protect the stupid).
I stop Charlie Driver with a class "C" driver's license. It is NOT a CDL.
He is in the business of buying and selling cars and has just come from the
auto auction.....a commercial endeavor. He is driving a Ford F-350 with a
GVWR of 11,200# and pulling an ABC brand, three-axle trailer showing a
14,800# GVWR. That's 26,000# GVWR, right?
Now when I see that number, 26,000, my antennae go up and start waving
around like mad. You might even see one of my eyebrows hunker down and the
other crawl WAY up high on my forehead! Having had previous experience in
dealing with the ABC brand trailers and knowing the manufacturer cheats on
the GVWR for 'friends,' I ask Charlie if he knows the fella who makes these
trailers. "Oh, sure!" he says. "We go hunting together all the time!"
Uh-oooooooooh. BIG frowny face! >:-(
So, reading the data plate just a little further I find that this trailer
has three 7000# GVWR axles.....OOPS!.....This trailer actually has a 21,000#
GVWR! Sorry Charlie, YOU need a class "A" CDL!
Now here is where Charlie finds himself between a rock (me) and a hard place
(the driver's license testing official). Charlie Driver goes the the driver
licensing office to take his test for his CDL in the same truck and trailer.
But the nice lady who administers the test takes one look at that ersatz
14,800# GVWR and having no reason challenge it, says, Sorry, Charlie....you
need a trailer with at least a 14,801# GVWR to take THIS test! Poor
Charlie, he has one official saying one thing and another saying ANOTHER
thing! Is this some weird governmental catch 22? (yawn) Nooooooo!
Whereas it is part of my job to include any folks who legitimately need a
CDL in the process of inspection, it is conversely the CDL testing
official's obligation to EXCLUDE all unqualified
vehicle/vehicle-combinations from the testing process!
Of course, Charlie is most thoroughly and rightiously screwed until he goes
back to Bubba at ABC Trailers and gets the right data put on the trailer.
YES, he fooled a lot of people....for a while. But in my humble opinion, he
went to a lot of trouble for nothing.
Weight enforcement is an entirely different animal.
Its purpose is to ensure that (a) you have paid the tax man for every pound
of weight you are putting on the road (per your registration fees) and (b)
that the weight you put on the road is correctly distributed on axles or
axle groups -or- that you don't have too much weight and too few axles.
Pretty simple stuff.
Hope this helps.
TJ
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Mar 05 2001 - 07:58:31 PST