Box truck - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

C.C.R. · 02-12-2008, 09:30 PM

Does anyone know anything about the DOT laws, particularly in MA.?
I got pulled over by a statey the other day and he said I needed to have a "medical certificate" on my possession when driving. Now I asked my local P.D. , my local RMV, and the main RMV office in Boston, MA no one know what this guy is talking about. The GVW is 11,000 lbs. so I don't need a CDL (you only need that for over 26,000 lbs.) I don't know if this guy was just having a bad day or what but he was pissed. And if there are any officers here, don't think I'm bad mouthing the P.D. My brother is a cop and my grandfather was a cop so I do have plenty of respect for you guys. If it was a young guy I would just chalk it up to him trying to prove himself. But this was an older guy. Any info would be great. Thanks.

mdshunk · 02-12-2008, 09:38 PM

Anything over 10K you need the medical card if you're crossing state lines, that much I know. Not sure about your state, in particular.

C.C.R. · 02-12-2008, 10:57 PM

Thanks MD he said anything over 10k but didn't mention crossing state lines. I don't do much work at all out of state.

firemike · 02-13-2008, 05:45 AM

Michigan you need a medical card for ANY commercial vehicle with a GVW or GCW over 10,000 pounds. A commercial vehicle here is any self-propelled or towed motor vehicle used on a highway in interstate commerce to transport passengers or property when the vehicle:

1. Is used for the transportation of passengers for hire, or constructed or used for transportation of goods, wares or merchandise, and/or all motor vehicles designed and used for drawing other vehicles and not so constructed to carry any load thereon either independently or any part of the weight of a vehicle or load so drawn.

2. Has a gross vehicle weight rating or actual gross weight or gross combination weight rating or an actual gross combination weight of 10,001 lbs. (4,536 kg) or more, whichever is greater
3. Is designed or used to transport more than eight passengers (including the driver) for compensation
4. Is designed or used to transport more than 15 passengers, including the driver, and is not used to transport passengers for compensation
5. Is used in transporting material found by the Secretary of Transportation to be hazardous under 49 USC 5103 and transported in a quantity requiring placarding under regulations prescribed by the secretary under 49 CFR, subtitle B, chapter I, subchapter C

Here is a link to the info the MSP uses: http://www.truckingsafety.org/PDF/Brochures/cmv2005.pdf

I got nailed for not having the medical card a couple years ago ($175 fine) The dealer and a local cop both said I did not need anything special because the truck was only 18,000 lbs GVW and I was not using it to transport others goods, only my own tools and materials. On the fire department we were exempt from any commercial licensing requirements for heavy trucks (just as military and agricultural) so I never checked in detail when I bought my box truck, just assumed that the dealer and a local cop know what they were talking about.

C.C.R. · 02-13-2008, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by firemike

The dealer and a local cop both said I did not need anything special because the truck was only 18,000 lbs GVW and I was not using it to transport others goods, only my own tools and materials. just assumed that the dealer and a local cop know what they were talking about.

Thats what my case was. I talked to the health dept. of the RMV and they said just what you said anything over 10k regardless of what's in it. So it's off to the M.D. No big deal But wouldn't you expect the registry to mention something like that when you put the truck on the road? I mean apparently it's a federal law.

Electricmanscot · 02-13-2008, 07:05 PM

Maybe I missed this part CCR but did you get a ticket?

A buddy of mine did and he fought it and for the very reasons you mention he beat it.

There is no info available on this matter here in MA other than the cops and even some of them get the deer in the headlight look when you ask about it.

My truck has a GVW of 13K and guess what I don't have.

I believe you also need an emergency kit with flares, triangles and first aid plus a fire extinguisher.

keep on truckin'

C.C.R. · 02-13-2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electricmanscot

Maybe I missed this part CCR but did you get a ticket?

A buddy of mine did and he fought it and for the very reasons you mention he beat it.

There is no info available on this matter here in MA other than the cops and even some of them get the deer in the headlight look when you ask about it.

My truck has a GVW of 13K and guess what I don't have.

I believe you also need an emergency kit with flares, triangles and first aid plus a fire extinguisher.

keep on truckin'

O.K., scott, here the whole story ,
I got off 93 in wilmington. AS soon as I pull onto 129 there he is behind me. And he was visibly upset. I've never seen a cop so upset (and I've met plenty of them on less than positive terms)

This guy was acting like I just ran over his mother. (all 4'7" of him) no S it was all I could do to not laugh. But as I said I do have a high respect for cops in general because of my grandfather and brother. It was monday when it was extra windy, he read a whole list of infractions. Including no brake lights, no license plate(the whole bracket came off) and he said I wasn't supposed to be in the 3rd lane. He made me pull into a mobile and told me to put my front plate on the back and fix my breaklights. Then gave me a mini inspection, which I had everything, but my extinguisher wasn't mounted(it was behind my seat). He printed out all the infractions and let me off with a warning. And you know what, even though I knew I wouldn't run in to him again on the way home, I stayed where I was until my breaklights were fixed. But yes you do need a D.O.T. for anything over 10k lbs. I think D.O.T. is cracking down because one of my customers got pulled over by the D.O.T. personaly. (They weren't so lucky). So keep a low profile.

**AtlanticWBConst** · 02-17-2008, 07:45 PM

You should contact the MA DOT yourself.

MA DOT: http://www.mhd.state.ma.us/

vital151 · 02-17-2008, 09:49 PM

i just bought a chevy box GVW is a little over 12K and i live and work in NJ. never heard of any laws like this but if anyone knows otherwise please let me know.

buildenterprise · 02-17-2008, 10:17 PM

Hey Vital watch out for those roadside DOT inspections, they love to set up on the Parkway to catch you coming out of the toll booths.

**AtlanticWBConst** · 02-17-2008, 10:21 PM

We've had box trucks in the work "fleet" since the early 80's ...and even till this day.

We have only been pulled over once, in about 1987.
The truck got weighed. We got a fine for having it registered in the wrong weight class.

Nothing since then....the OP's story is rare indeed.