tandem distance to kingpin; which states care?

My trainer told me to always use the 4th or 5th hole for California. So I deduced aloud that in California it can be 40 feet or less but not more? NO he said it had to be exactly 40 feet.

Scratching my head now because aren't the holes about 6 inches apart?

Picked up a heavy bottled water load next to another company driver who was getting the same thing, he told me to run the tandems all the way up to the first hole otherwise be overweight. This was in Cali.

 

scottied67,
Your deduction was accurate. In California the requirement is that you maintain a distance of 40 ft. or less from the kingpin to the center of the rearmost axle for semitrailers with two or more axles.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d15/vc35401_5.htm

The interesting part of this discussion is that length and weight are interrelated but legally separate issues. The requirement to maintain a maximum KPRA distance as cited above is a length law. Despite the fact that many people refer to these requirements as the bridge law, this is a misnomer and can lead to confusion. Bridge laws determine, by a formula, how much weight can legally be carried on a group of consecutive axles based upon the distance between those axles.

The KPRA requirements are length restrictions. In 1982 President Ronald Regan signed the Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA). This act, among many other things, mandated that the states allow longer commercial vehicle combinations to use the interstate highways and those highways designated as part of the national defense network. These longer commercial vehicles (longer meaning longer than what many states at that time allowed) are commonly referred to today as "federally legal" or as "STAA vehicles". The portion of the act that deals with length has been codified in Title 23 CFR.

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...v8&view=text&node=23:1.0.1.7.33.0.1.7&idno=23

Although every state then had to allow the federally legal vehicles, nothing prevented them from placing conditions upon them. And many states have done so. That is why we have the KPRA requirements that vary from state to state.

Probably more information than you wanted but I thought that some folks might find the background information of interest.

 

This goes to sow its all just a big money making scam because it could have been so easy to also write some type of uniformity for every state to follow. Tats what makes trucking so crazy the FEDS make laws that we have to follow to be legal by there regs but illegal by state regulations. Even worse within a single state it differs. Ran from ATL on 85 to VA pulling a 53 first scale in VA on 85 said I was over on my rears adjusted them have a nice day hit scales on 95 in VA over on drive adjust back to original slot now how was this possible???? oh ya legal in GA,SC, and NC

 

reviving this old thread.

i'm curious as to the state listing on the fist page.

west virginia at 37 feet from rear tractor axle to front trailer axle. cuz i'm pretty sure i'm higher then that. and most of you are too.

and what about the rear axle??? that slides on a step. cuz that just doesn't make sense.

 

Measure 13 feet from the back of the trailer and set your front tandems there. No no we aren't linger then that. I run mine 8 feet from the back in my rear tandem.

As far as your second question I have no clue what your asking.

 

well, think about it.

west virginia. 37 feet from tractor rear axle to trailer front axle. so what bout the rear axle??? becuase they make no mention of the rear axle.

my step doesn't have a sliding front axle. it has a sliding rear axle. and 2 positions it can be in. 40 feet kingpin. or 46 feet kingpin.

 

If it doesn't mention rear axle then don't worry about it. And if you can't slide your tandems (most spreads can't slide) then I wouldn't worry about it. When in doubt call the dot and ask them. They can answer the question better then we can. Look in the front of your rand McNally atlas and call your state dot.

 

I got to donate $750 to Connecticut for 13".

 

Thanks a lot !!!

 

just never worry about that crap and its easy. just worry about your axle weights and your good