Quote:
Originally Posted by dawiggs
Not sure where this subject goes, but here goes...PLease no personal opionions, just facts!!!
On another forum there is a lot of discussion about North Carolina towing regs. It seems that Sate Police in some areas are stepping up enforcement of :> gross weight of towing vehicle plus trailer and load gross weight, how licensed?:> Width, Where is measurement, beam of boat or outside axle to axle?, >Do we need a over width permit which has restrictions?> Do we need a Class A license?> Is there a difference between "private recreational" and "commercial towing" ???? : Lots of questions but there are confusing answers from the State agencies...
Regards,
dave
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Dave:
anything Rec is just that, Rec...
So, you are licensed to haul any Gross Combined Vehicle Weight (GCVW) under 26000 pounds with holding a simple drivers license, with proper weighted tags identifying that vehicle to haul that load.
Measurement is not the beam of the boat, it is from side to side of the load and apparatus. Hence, if your axles stick out over the beam, or your beam sticks out over the axles on a big Carolina style boat, or the extended mirrors on your dually 3500 stick out, then that's the measurement in NC for width of your vehicle, in the eyes of the NCSHP.
You may well be towing and 8'6 beam boat, but I bet those axles and fenders stick out another 6 inches on each side of your trailer, and that's what's making you overwide.
Once you hit 26K lbs loaded GCVW, then you must have a CDL in NC. Because at 26k lbs you really need air brakes on multiple axles, and they require some special training, hydraulic doesn't do it anymore. Not hard to train, just different.
CDL-A should be reserved for heavy 18 wheelers and up, because they haul more weight, and generally have hazmat loads mixed in, which is a whole different matter with background checks and strapping requirements, also about which roads you can and can not drive on, during certain hours of the day. Over 40K lbs, you must have a CDL-A
So, there's the background.
Now, let's say you want to haul the SP down to florida for some fishing, as an example.
You have a triaxle trailer, load the boat up. Your 26 is a 9'6 beam, with the trailer your at 10'6. Even though your rig weighs less than 26K lbs, your overwidth. You'd have to affix overwide signs to the front and rear of the GCV announcing you're overwide, as well as flags flying off the corners. In some states (up north, MA, CT, VT, NY, you'd need a pilot car fore and aft as well as a pre approved DOT report as to which routes you will be allowed to take). Down south, no worries. Texas allows you to haul 18 feet down the road, no problems. You are safe with a standard drivers license, underwidth (less than 108 inches total width), and less than 26K lbs combined GCVW, in NC ONLY. FLORIDA is a whole different matter, and they will stop and inspect you on the way down I-95.
Here, there cracking down on the GCVW, and that's all. Wait till the troopers figure out that they can fine for dimensional width also, especially during non daylight hours.
That's a 500$ moving violation I believe.
You cannot drive during darkness with an oversized load. period.