OK, it's that time of year again, vacations and horse camping. I'm hauling two horses in a large LQ trailer (30' bed length) with a one ton single axle pickup for recreational purposes. Which states want me on the scale and which states allow me to keep on truckin'?
Posted 2007-05-23 10:26 PM (#61200 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
Expert
Posts: 1871 Location: NY
I was told by a friend that hauls horse for a living that I should go in to the scales and if they wont me the will stop me if not they would wave me thought. So that is what I do and so far they have waved me thought
Posted 2007-05-24 1:24 AM (#61208 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 3853 Location: Vermont
ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL DOT book, all motor homes, travel trailers etc are exempt from the law of pulling into a scale house UNLESS noted by a highway sign!
Another question is should a driver with a combined vehicle rate of over 10,001 lbs., but less than 26,001 lbs., pull in at a weigh station? This is somewhat of a gray area. Each state has a different weigh station policy. My experience is that unless you are driving a semi or vehicle in excess of 26,001 lbs., it is not necessary to pull into a weigh station. Generally, the weigh station is too busy with tractor-trailers to bother with a pick-up and horse trailer and will waive you on. However, state enforcement officials have the option to enforce the regulations as they determine. Further, some D.O.T. checkpoints refer to Vehicles with trailer or with livestock. If the request is for vehicles with trailer or with livestock, then you must pull in. Otherwise, it has been my experience that it is not necessary to pull into a weigh station.
Posted 2007-05-24 5:39 AM (#61209 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 1283 Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
Also, If you consider what you are doing is a business. I.E. you are claiming the fuel, Truck expenses, hay. feed, ect..ect.. and you are showing the winnings as income. Then you are a commercial operation, and you must go into the scales as such. Lots of folks are commercial and don't stop, they get by with it because the majority of us are not commercial. Here in Kentucky it's a little bit easier, in order to count the trailer off on your taxes you must have it licensed(tagged for a weight rating) if it's tagged you should go through the scales. Anything that is farm exempt don't need a tag.
Posted 2007-05-24 6:26 AM (#61212 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
In North Carolina ... 4 horse or less trailers are specifically exempted.
The actual law >> (Colored bold text by me )
§ 20-118.1. Officers may weigh vehicles and require overloads to be removed.
A law enforcement officer may stop and weigh a vehicle to determine if the vehicle's weight is in compliance with the vehicle's declared gross weight and the weight limits set in this Part. The officer may require the driver of the vehicle to drive to a scale located within five miles of where the officer stopped the vehicle.
Any person operating a vehicle or a combination of vehicles having a GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more or any vehicle transporting hazardous materials that is required to be placarded under 49 C.F.R. § 171-180 must enter a permanent weigh station or temporary inspection or weigh site as directed by duly erected signs or an electronic transponder for the purpose of being electronically screened for compliance, or weighed, or inspected.
If the vehicle's weight exceeds the amount allowable, the officer may detain the vehicle until the overload has been removed. Any property removed from a vehicle because the vehicle was overloaded is the responsibility of the owner or operator of the vehicle. The State is not liable for damage to or loss of the removed property.
Failure to permit a vehicle to be weighed or to remove an overload is a misdemeanor of the Class set in G.S. 20-176. An officer must weigh a vehicle with a scale that has been approved by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
A privately owned noncommercial horse trailer constructed to transport four or fewer horses shall not be required to stop at any permanent weigh station in the State while transporting horses, unless the driver of the vehicle hauling the trailer is directed to stop by a law enforcement officer. A "privately owned noncommercial horse trailer" means a trailer used solely for the occasional transportation of horses and not for compensation or in furtherance of a commercial enterprise. (1927, c. 148, s. 37; 1949, c. 1207, s. 3; 1951, c. 1013, s. 4; 1979, c. 436, ss. 1, 2; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1259, s. 2; 1993, c. 539, s. 356; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1995, c. 109, s. 4; 1997-261, s. 109; 2001-487, s. 50(f); 2003-338, s. 1.)
Posted 2007-05-24 7:42 AM (#61218 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 1283 Location: Home of Wild Turkey Whiskey
Hoss, if I'm reading that right, you are exempt only if you are non-commercial. So if you are hauling a stud that you charge for his services, across the county with a truck licensed to ACME Stables in a two horse BP, you have to stop.
Posted 2007-05-24 8:35 AM (#61222 - in reply to #61218) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
Originally written by HWBar on 2007-05-24 6:42 AM
Hoss, if I'm reading that right, you are exempt only if you are non-commercial. So if you are hauling a stud that you charge for his services, across the county with a truck licensed to ACME Stables in a two horse BP, you have to stop.
Technically.
I'm a lot of things but not a lawyer... Seems like unless the truck and BP combination are rated for more than 10,001 pounds you can bypass the weigh station.
See second paragraph .... You're okay traveling with Mr. Studly to his next party if you take the 1/2 ton truck ...
Posted 2007-05-24 1:49 PM (#61240 - in reply to #61229) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 2828 Location: Southern New Mexico
Originally written by jdzaharia on 2007-05-24 9:42 AM
But, if the 1/2 ton pickup was, say 6400 GVW, and the trailer was 5000 GVW, you would have to stop, correct? 6400+5000>10,000.
The way I read it is the only way you would have to stop is if the truck or trailer is sporting a company logo because then it wouldn't be considered a privately owned and non commercial.
Posted 2007-05-24 6:12 PM (#61250 - in reply to #61240) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 2953 Location: North Carolina
Originally written by Terri on 2007-05-24 12:49 PM
Originally written by jdzaharia on 2007-05-24 9:42 AM
But, if the 1/2 ton pickup was, say 6400 GVW, and the trailer was 5000 GVW, you would have to stop, correct? 6400+5000>10,000.
The way I read it is the only way you would have to stop is if the truck or trailer is sporting a company logo because then it wouldn't be considered a privately owned and non commercial.
Terri:
... GVWR of 10,001 pounds or more or any vehicle transporting hazardous materials ...
The second "or" is what gets us in North Carolina. The combination of weight ratings totaling 10,001+ says we're supposed to stop. It is a fact of life that most pick-ups with a horse trailer do not stop at the weigh station... or stay under the speed limit.
Posted 2007-05-25 3:58 PM (#61267 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
Member
Posts: 9
Location: Grundy Center, IA
At the horse fair in Iowa in April, an office from the DOT was one of the speakers. They want all rigs with a GVW combo that exceeds 10000 lbs to stop at the scales. He stated that a majority of the time, the scale people would wave you on through, but according to the law, you are supposed to stop.
He also added that they consider you to be commercial if you are hauling mares to a stud, or going to and from a show, regardless of whether you deduct your horses on your taxes or not. A real giveaway is if you have you name on your trailer, or a website, that seems to be a red flag in the DOT's eyes. From now on, whenever I have the trailer hooked, I'm going to or from a trail ride, never a team roping jackpot!
Posted 2007-05-26 8:52 AM (#61277 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 2689
I just about ALWAYS pull in, even with the little bumper pull 2 horse trailer.
I don't know how observant the individual officers are, but it is at least possible that one might recognize my truck as the one that came through a few days earlier with a long goosie on it.
I have NEVER had papers examined, let alone had anyone actually look into the trailer and try to count horses. At most I get waived on as soon as I offer the folder.
I put up with the "I hope he wins" and "You got Clydesdales in there ?" comments, it beats getting chased down and having to argue the finer points of fed, state, local laws, where I'm going & why, all aimed at figuring if I am in fact commercial or private.
Its just less total hassle.
BTW, somewhere it is defined that a truck has 5 or more wheels in contact with the road surface, a pick-up has less than 5. That definition guides a lot of things, my truck has 6 wheels in contact with the road surface.
Posted 2007-05-27 11:46 AM (#61305 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
Location: KY
Around here, TN, ARK, KY, we don't stop at weigh stations; hauled into South LA several years ago without stopping too. However, my nephew was stopped in FL with a stock trailer full of household furnishings. He was told all trailers which could haul animals had to stop in FL. I think Reg and Loveduffy probably have the right idea, avoid possible hassles.
We are supposed to go out west, ie west of the MO river, into brand inspection areas. What a hoot, got to prove my horse belongs to me. While I am sure some horses are being stolen, I cannot imagine why. On another site I frequent, there are 47 pages of horses to be given away.
Sorry about shifting gears on the thread. Just sick of so many stupid laws subject to discretionary enforcement.
Posted 2007-05-27 6:05 PM (#61315 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 1723 Location: michigan
In my limited experience in traveling out of state ( Illionis, indiana, ohio and kentucky) I have never stopped at a weigh station nor have I been told too. I have never even pulled in only to be waived through. I asked my trainer once, who routinely travels all over the country, about weigh stations- same response...never did, never been asked too. I have never been inspected by state police on the interstate or at state boarders. I suppose it could happen but with the amount of truck traffic on the roads ( and i am referring to semi trucks) my rig is small and unimportant potatoes.
Posted 2007-05-27 7:06 PM (#61317 - in reply to #61315) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
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Posts: 2689
Originally written by farmbabe on 2007-05-27 6:05 PM
In my limited experience in traveling out of state ( Illionis, indiana, ohio and kentucky) I have never stopped at a weigh station nor have I been told too. I have never even pulled in only to be waived through. I asked my trainer once, who routinely travels all over the country, about weigh stations- same response...never did, never been asked too. I have never been inspected by state police on the interstate or at state boarders. I suppose it could happen but with the amount of truck traffic on the roads ( and i am referring to semi trucks) my rig is small and unimportant potatoes.
You will New Mexico & Florida to be different, sometimes Arizona and California too - at the state line.
Posted 2007-05-27 9:50 PM (#61328 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
Regular
Posts: 70 Location: Northern, CA
We stop for the weigh stations with livestock signs and ignore most of the others. In California and Nevada you'd better stop at the border crossings, or it's highly likely that the next thing you are going to see is the highway patrol running you down checking your health papers and brands. If there is a sign for livestock we stop even if we're empty and tell them we are empty.
Posted 2020-02-24 3:31 PM (#172988 - in reply to #61198) Subject: RE: Truck scales - which states?
Veteran
Posts: 183 Location: riverside ca
I always drive through at the port of entry when you go into a state, pretty sure that is federally required, other than that unless it says all towed vehicles must stop then I pass them buy, and I probably look more commercial than most.
Truck scales - which states?
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