Is this a gray area?

Otherhalfw is completely right when describing a truck and trailer. The truck has a tank or in some cases a van permanently mounted to the power unit. There's no fifth wheel or any other attachment for the tank. The trailer is connected to the pintle hook so there's no fifth wheel on the whole truck. You back them like you would your car and they get easy after awhile. This type of set up was designed for gasoline trucks so they could get into the very old stations with minimal problems. The trailer tracks closer to the truck than a semi would do since it pivots in 2places. Some would think the trailers would be mounted on a con gear but they are not (in general). They have a permanent turntable instead of a fifth wheel so when you unhook you do it at the pintle hook. The longer the drawbar the easier to back.

On fuel tankers you have to either show there's been no product ever loaded into the tank or a certificate that the tank is gas free. That will make it like any other empty trailer.

If you hook a con-gear on the back of your truck then it's the same as doubles. You'll never see a double set in CA pulling a con-gear behind a set of two boxes. I know CA loves to check when you're just pulling a con-gear. They what to know if you have brakes to the unit and yes mud flaps. I don't like pulling just the gear. You'll flatten tires all the time so we always grabbed an empty if it was there.

 

I would think an empty tanker, even if new and never used would require a tank endorsement.

But I always ask those flatbedders from Landstar hauling tracked military armor equipment if they have a TANK endorsement too!

 

While it does require brakes/lights/flaps...I don't recall ever seeing any registration or licensing plate...are you sure it is considered a "vehicle"(?)...while they will fall under compliance for required items mentioned above and the inspection can park the driver if anything is out of whack....I really never thought about them as a separate vehicle!

Interesting, very interesting!

 

Con gear or dolly's as we call them do not require plates and only require lights if they are the last part of the combination - single with a dolly, or a set with a dolly in triples states. Lights are not required on dolly's when the are between the trailers and in no istance are they required to be tagged.. Ours have a plug in the frame for the lights in the event it's on your back - instead of taking the pigtail from your lead to the back box you take it from the lead to the plug in the dolly.

They are indeed considered a "vehicle" in regards to doubles or triples. You cannot pull a single pup with a dolly on the back without the endorsement and in Ohio you cannot pull a set with a second dolly on the back unless you're certified per the state to pull triples. I would have never known this but I was sent on some "dolly recovery missions" from pads on the Ohio Pike because I'm triples certified in that state even though I was not a a triples terminal. I'm now hundreds of miles away from triples so no more..haha.. In Ohio just to tack a dolly on the back of a set the LCV inspection sheet had to be filed and so on..

A dolly or con gear is indeed considered a vehicle but does not need tags and does not need lights unless it's on the back.. And yes, a driver can be placed out of service for something on a dolly just the same as a trailer for things like brakes, air leaks, and tires - but only lights if it's on the back..

Hope that clears it up a little..

 

You betcha....clear as mud....glad I don't play with multiple trailers anymore!

 

Glad I only play with two..hahaha.. Those drivers can keep the third..hahaha..

 

Two trailers then pulling a congear is a set of triples. Did you see that in CA?