Truck and trailer laws

TBLADY · Postby **TBLADY** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:04 am

Have any of you heard about any new laws regarding turcks and trailers over 10,000# needed a special stick and the driver must ahve a health card...this I was told was for all not just commercially licensed.

valerie · Postby **valerie** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:29 am

Actually this has been ongoing for a little while now. I have been stopped several times out in OK, TX and MO already. What a nightmare. It used to be that I did not need this since I told them I was trail riding but this year it doesn't matter

Cathy D · Postby **Cathy D** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:10 pm

I believe that the laws have been on the books for a while, but they haven't enforced them for trucks and trailers. If your truck has a GVWR of 10,000 and up, you are subject to them. In MD, I have to go through the weigh stations, possess a current medical card, keep mileage, and maintenance logs, have an annual truck inspection, and either a state or US DOT number. I'm also subject to some stupid driver qualifications paperwork, even though the truck is for my farm use.

It's a pain, but what can you do? DOT assumes all trucks are commercial, and you are subject to all of the trucking laws whether you drive commercially or not.

casallc · Postby **casallc** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 1:52 pm

You are not subject to DOT if you have a farm tag. You can get by without the farm tag if you have your vehicle marked "not for hire" or that effect.

Cathy D · Postby **Cathy D** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:22 pm

That depends on the state, and whether or not you cross state lines. In MD, even if you have farm tags you are still required to have either a state or US DOT sticker. If you don't, you can count on being directed "around back" at the weigh station. That's a hassle I can do without.

cewright · Postby **cewright** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:04 pm

http://www.cdl-course.com/faq-tx.html

Some info on TX requirements. I believe these rules a standardized across all states. It seems for most horse trailer situations the trigger is the GVW of the trailer.

Chuck

nythoroughbredvz · Postby **nythoroughbredvz** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:20 pm

I believe this changed when CDL's were changed to state issued, but government mandated. How its written is that if your truck says "not for hire" as casallc states you are ok, but you also better be able to show proof that the horses you have in your trailer are yours! There has been a few locals ticketed for it in my area, luckily the Judge droped the charges. You also are required to have a DOT/HUT tag as well as a DOT Physical Card. but they really arent enforcing that either here.