Truck Registration

[Bollweevil]

Section 382.107 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, defines a commercial vehicle. Basically it is this, if it is for hire, and either the vehicle or vehicle trailer combination weigh more than 26,001. It is considered to be a commercial vehicle. Now, if you will step back and look at this for a moment, it also says what a commercial vehicle isn't. I just came home from the County tag office. I always wait untill the last moment to renew the registration on my dump truck. You don't ever know, you might sell out or even die, in which case you won't need a new tag. While there, I made some inquiry's about antique or historical tags. now let me say, this is Ga only, in the state of Ga a vehicle has to be 25 years old to be considered a historical vehicle. If the vehicle is not used for hire, and the gross vehicle weight is less than 14,000, it can be registered as a historic vehicle. Cost, $18.00, that doesn't include applicable taxes. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a provision for a historic, or antique commercial vehicle. It is either one or the other. A person has to decide for their self what they have, I want to say this one more time, a manufacturers GVWR has nothing to do with how you register your truck. If you are not going to work the truck, register it in the lowest weight group that you can, that includes the actual weight. in any event try to keep it under 55,000, any more than that and you will open another can of worms called, Federal Road Use tax.

[Rob]

Section 382.107 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, defines a commercial vehicle. Basically it is this, if it is for hire, and either the vehicle or vehicle trailer combination weigh more than 26,001. It is considered to be a commercial vehicle. Now, if you will step back and look at this for a moment, it also says what a commercial vehicle isn't. I just came home from the County tag office. I always wait untill the last moment to renew the registration on my dump truck. You don't ever know, you might sell out or even die, in which case you won't need a new tag. While there, I made some inquiry's about antique or historical tags. now let me say, this is Ga only, in the state of Ga a vehicle has to be 25 years old to be considered a historical vehicle. If the vehicle is not used for hire, and the gross vehicle weight is less than 14,000, it can be registered as a historic vehicle. Cost, $18.00, that doesn't include applicable taxes. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a provision for a historic, or antique commercial vehicle. It is either one or the other. A person has to decide for their self what they have, I want to say this one more time, a manufacturers GVWR has nothing to do with how you register your truck. If you are not going to work the truck, register it in the lowest weight group that you can, that includes the actual weight. in any event try to keep it under 55,000, any more than that and you will open another can of worms called, Federal Road Use tax.

I can tell you that in the Communist Republic of Illinois that it is no problem to plate a vehicle that is 25 years plus in age with antique plates. The cost is $37.00 for five years and pro-rated within the window. I have my 51 A-40, 57 B-61, 58 B-61 plated with antique plates. Of course I cannot use the truck(s) commercially, or for hire but who is to say the loads of fill sand or dirt, or gravel is not for my personal use at the shop? Most of the local folks, (including law enforcement) are pleased to see the old girl(s) work, and give me a wave as we pass. Antique registration exempts from a state inspection also. I've never inquired about IFTA, and have never been out of state with my trucks so I can't answer for that part. The law explains that usage is limited to travel to and from expositions, service and repairs to the vehicle, and occasional testing of the vehicle. I know several people that have tried the antique plates on older cars and driven them daily, and been ticketed for non compliance to the registration. I'm just saying I've never had any problems, but never had to deal with anyone except local persons, and they know me.

Rob

[Bollweevil]

Rob, you have made my point exactly. I have never had to pay the DOT to stop me and do a roadside inspection. The fact is I have ran miles out of my way to avoid them. When you make it a point to know enforcement officers personally, they become part of your program instead of adversary's. In your case they like to see your old girls still in service. If you make them part of your program, they can help you to get your paperwork right and keep it right. If I schedule it ahead of time, one our local officers will come to my place of business, and inspect my trucks, at no cost. He git's to inspect a truck without the danger of being ran over, and I get a CVSA sticker in the windshield. We both get something, since he has to inspect trucks anyway. The up side of this deal is when they see me coming down the road with a load. They know my paperwork is right, and my truck is in good shape. Then we can wave at each other like you do, or I can yell at him on the CB Hey Man you look good back that way, I ain't seen no dump trucks.

[GGB3_MS]

In Mississippi, an antique tag is $26.00 and it is for the life of the vehicle. Many people use them for local drivers and all. Never a problem. When I went to plate the truck, they looked for the GVWR and that was what they tagged it for. No choice. We have B tags. B 10 for 10,000 lbs, B12 for 12,000 lbs, B 26, etc. I was issued a B- 48. Now, something I started noticing was pickup trucks Duallys with a B 10, a 2500 with a B 26 or a dually with a B 30. No ryhme or reason. They just say that if you are pulled over and are not tagged for the weight you are hauling, it is your a$$. Then I hear, if you are hauling 30,000 pounds in a pickup truck with a tag for 30,000 pounds and it exceeds your GVWR, your hosed anyway. I do not know and it is hard to find anyone at the DMV who knows what they are talking about. I find it hard to believe that any of the manufacturers of the 2500 model pickups are rated at 26,000 GVWR. $500 is not really bad, until the wife is chewin yer a$$ for spending it on somethin that I do not use a whole lot. Take it easy y'all.

George

[77rmack]

Here in the State of Confusion (NYS) there doesn't seem to be a weight limit. I have my '77 R-600 registered historical, the girls at DMV asked ME if they could do that but after some phone calls, it all happened without a hitch. Ihook my drop deck up to her and load up my two restored Farmalls and take the whole mess to shows and the like without a problem. I've rolled right into inspection stations and been given the thumbs up and waved right through, so it's either my boyish good looks(ha-ha) or they don't have a problem with the set-up

[mechmagcn]

My Mack is registered in Arkansas as a Motor Home. All I had to do was install a refrigerator and microwave in the sleeper. There is no restriction on what it can haul or pull as long as it is not commercial. No CDL is required and the plates are $35 a year.

Mostly I use it to pull a 16K 37' 5th wheel RV, but have been known to pull other trailers as well. Get some really strange looks when I hook my jon boat up behind it

I could have registered as antique, but it would have been restricted to a 10K load.

Jeff

[blueknight105@hotmail.com]

Ok guys I have been following this and I have to put my two cents in.

First, I am a Police Officer in the state of Connecticut and have been so for 35 years. In the state of Conneciticut we have 'historical plates". The vehicle has to be 25 years old or older. Now here is the catch, with a Historic plates or Antique plates the vehicle is NOT a commercial vehicle and therefore is not subject to the commerical laws. No CDL is required, reguardless of how large the vehicle is.

I have a 1969 Marck R-600 wrecker with antique plates. I could not list it on the registration as a wrecker because here in the state of Ct. a wrecker needs a wrecker registration. The truck is listed as a winch truck. Now part of the definition of the antique registration is that it can only be used for "demonstrated for public display or use". This means I can't drive the truck to work or use it for errands. I can drive it to shows and public demonstrations. The wrecker (or for that matter any vehicle with Historical plates) can not be used for hire or tow (Wrecker or tractor) a vehicle or trailer that is not registered with antique plates on it. Although the vehicle meets the commercial definition in size and weight and I do not have a CDL, I can still drive it with Histroical plates.

Example: I also have a 1950 International Pick-up truck with antique plates. I may use my Mack to tow the International but I may not tow my '06 Ford F-250. Here in the state if I had a day cab Mack, I could not tow my camper with it unless the camper had antique plates on it. Also here in the state if I were to have a tractor towing a trailer I could not tow a second trialer behind the first. This would be a "tandem" and would require a CDL with the proper endorsements. (I did see my Brother tow a camper with a boat trailer behind it, a tandem, in Butte, MT and that was alright......out there.)

Some of you say that the Cops wink at the fact you are towing out of class. All you need is a bubble gum chewing, buzz cut. rookie to get invovled and you will have a major problem. Here in the state of Ct. If I were to tow by '06 Ford F-250 with my Mack (even for public demonstration) the rookie would charge mis-use of registartion plate, operating an unregistred vehicle, operating a commercial vehicle without a CDL. oprating without commercial insurance (out of class). I would get a misdemanor summons and both vehicles would be towed away.

The Point I am trying to make is use the plates wisely. Don't use the historical/ antique plates in leu of commericial plates. Yes it is cheaper but if DMV figures out that too many people are abusing the law, the Legislature will change the law and all of us will suffer.

As a Cop I have stopped people for misuse of antique plates. I recently had a carpenter using a 1976 Ford with Historical plates to drive to and from construction sites (loaded with his tools and lumber). He was saving about $350 a year by using the historical plates. I advsied him of the law and gave him a chance to get the correct registrtion, which he did.

The major point is becareful out there and don't "feed the Bears"

Jim

[BobH]

Jim, some of us will take great interest in your post as the National Historic Construction Equipment show is in Conn. this year. My 60 B mack dump has NY historical plates for 25,900 and i don't have a cdl. from what you said I should be fine driving to the show. Can you steer me to some state regs I can point out to any "bubble gum chewing, buzz cut. rookies" who may not be as educated as you are? In NY you cant get historical plates for a trailer. If someone has a historical tractor and a regular trailer are they still ok in CT? Thank. Bob

[blueknight105@hotmail.com]

Bob

Is the heavy equipment show going to be at Zagrey Farms? I thought a friend of mine told me it was at Zagrey, If it is, that is an asume place. I have been there sevral times. Right now my Mack is torn apart and in a zillion pieces. Hopefuly it will back togather and painted for the show.

Your '60 B should be alright. The whole point of my post was commercial use. I have seen in this string and other strings on the same subject of antique plates the alarming use of antique plates as a dodge for commercial plates. Commercial plates are for a vehicle that is for "hire" or is used to generate income for an individual or a business.

Although the Oscarmayer Winner mobile does not carry any freight or product, it is registered as a commercial vehicle because it generates revinue for the company, reguardless of its age.

Your '60 B is registerd with antique plates and you are hauling your antique equipment to an antique show is covered and you do not need a CDL. However, if you are hauling someone elses antique equipment to an antique show for a fee......you do need a CDL and commerical plates. If you are a vender and hauling a trailer for selling items or souviners (generating income) you need a CDL and commercial plates.

Now, as far as the law.....( and this is advice for anyone any where) if you become a target of of a rookie, he will become real "uppitty" if you should start pointing out statues where he is incorrect and you will be in a pissing contest real quick. The end reuslt would be your explaining yourself to the "senile old man wearing the black robe behind a tall bench." Try to defuse the situation by asking to speak with a supervisor about the interrperation of the law. Usually the supervisor will have a more "worldly" approach to the situation. (What we have here, boy.....is a definet lack of communication!)

For the most part, local Cops don't have a fine command of the small nuances of Commercial statutes. (they are rather lengthy)and they will not pick apart the antique registration law. The Big Hats (State Police) and DMV are the guys that will make your life misrebile. These are found a weight stations and Interstates and I have found that there are enough of the Hobby people (like you and I) in both agencies to help foster an understanding of out hobby. However, if one should flaunt the law ( a antique truck hauling a over weight, wide load , with bald tires, for hire) ....stand by, it will cost you. Belive it or not "common sense"

does prevail.

Oh, if you should get stopped feel free to mention my name....you will get the jail cell with the flush toilet. (that's the only pull I have.)

Enjoy the show and maybe I'll see yo there. Jim

[GGB3_MS]

Bob

Is the heavy equipment show going to be at Zagrey Farms? I thought a friend of mine told me it was at Zagrey, If it is, that is an asume place. I have been there sevral times. Right now my Mack is torn apart and in a zillion pieces. Hopefuly it will back togather and painted for the show.

Your '60 B should be alright. The whole point of my post was commercial use. I have seen in this string and other strings on the same subject of antique plates the alarming use of antique plates as a dodge for commercial plates. Commercial plates are for a vehicle that is for "hire" or is used to generate income for an individual or a business.

Although the Oscarmayer Winner mobile does not carry any freight or product, it is registered as a commercial vehicle because it generates revinue for the company, reguardless of its age.

Your '60 B is registerd with antique plates and you are hauling your antique equipment to an antique show is covered and you do not need a CDL. However, if you are hauling someone elses antique equipment to an antique show for a fee......you do need a CDL and commerical plates. If you are a vender and hauling a trailer for selling items or souviners (generating income) you need a CDL and commercial plates.

Now, as far as the law.....( and this is advice for anyone any where) if you become a target of of a rookie, he will become real "uppitty" if you should start pointing out statues where he is incorrect and you will be in a pissing contest real quick. The end reuslt would be your explaining yourself to the "senile old man wearing the black robe behind a tall bench." Try to defuse the situation by asking to speak with a supervisor about the interrperation of the law. Usually the supervisor will have a more "worldly" approach to the situation. (What we have here, boy.....is a definet lack of communication!)

For the most part, local Cops don't have a fine command of the small nuances of Commercial statutes. (they are rather lengthy)and they will not pick apart the antique registration law. The Big Hats (State Police) and DMV are the guys that will make your life misrebile. These are found a weight stations and Interstates and I have found that there are enough of the Hobby people (like you and I) in both agencies to help foster an understanding of out hobby. However, if one should flaunt the law ( a antique truck hauling a over weight, wide load , with bald tires, for hire) ....stand by, it will cost you. Belive it or not "common sense"

does prevail.

Oh, if you should get stopped feel free to mention my name....you will get the jail cell with the flush toilet. (that's the only pull I have.)

Enjoy the show and maybe I'll see yo there. Jim

Hey Jim:

Thanks for your posts. I am glad you decided to include your info.

George