Overstepping the bounds or in line with expectations?

Ohio scales have a sign "All vehicles over 5T GVW Next Right."

I pulled into an Ohio scale with a U-Haul and a car in tow. They left me sitting on the scale for what I thought was longer than necessary then got a green light.

I yelled over to the speaker, "I was supposed to pull in right?"

"Yes sir. You're good to go".

I've seen similar signs in other states.

 

@Ridgeline I know you mean well, but please understand one thing about Pennsylvania registration, we do not make a distinction on our license plates or registration card between commercial and non-commercial trucks and a RV tag is out of the question, t truck will never qualify for RV tags in Pennsylvania without modifications that will ruin the Prime replica. We only have three basic types of registration plates in Pa, automobile (any sedan or station-wagon type vehicle, except pickup trucks), truck (any vehicle that is not an automobile or RV), and House Car (RV with very specific requirements). Outside of these three basic registration types we have a weight class sticker for truck plates that applies to private or company vehicles, apportioned plates for any vehicle over 26,001 GVWR or three or more axles, and dealer plates (which include tow truck, repair, and salvage classes).

Unless you are obtaining an apportioned plate, which Joe is not since he is not a commercial vehicle, you will get the same plate for a F-150 as you will for a 73,280 pound straight truck. We also do not have a tractor specific plate, so again there is no distinction with Pennsylvania registration. Joe is doing everything correct for being a Pennsylvania resident.

It is the motor carrier enforcement guys that are making it difficult on Joe. It would be a no brainer if this was a 1960 Mack restored for a ATHS show, but because it is a 2016 Western Star they have a hard time believing a non-profit would spend $200k to build a toy.

 

You are correct in theory, and as far as driver licensing goes many states do require non-commercial class a or b driver licenses for operating recreational vehicles, although it is rarely enforced. As for being an RV with just a chemical toilet, sadly it is not that easy in Pennsylvania. Unless the vehicle was originally manufactured and titled as an RV from day 1 you have to undergo a very expensive, cumbersome, and time consuming inspection process in Pennsylvania to have the title re-branded as an RV (reconstructed title) and you must make the required upgrades not only to toilet and water facilities but also to building and safety codes, all of which will be inspected and signed off by a licensed inspection facility. Also, due to the nature of the inspection and liability for such most licensed facilities will insist on doing the conversion work themselves or they won't sign off on it being safe and proper.

 

At that point two choices remain. Leave the state of PA for a free state in which standards accomodate the basic toilet and sink addition. The other would be to hand over a bunch of money, something on the order of between 120 to 250K to build a large car apartment behind the cab to accomodate the codes.

In my time many truckers usually have bought a tractor and knowing it's pluses and minuses with a eye towards a later life time using it as a RV type situation more than it's old working for a living around trailers on the interstate. Usually owners got older and they simply converted over and enjoyed the retirement that way. For the money you would have spent in a retail RV situation with it's anemic offerings unable to get out of it's own way upgrade you would do very well with a older tractor conversion and have some money besides.

I appreciated your updating on PA codes. I find it horrifying. It is not always well that we are supposed to be a union of 50 states in which all of them allow freedom in the owner'sa decisions involving older equiptment no longer suited or the owners medically able to carry on in trucking.

If you think PA was bad, take a gander at Maryland's requirements for vehicles. If you did not simply put a historic tag (Which was years ago a truly historic workaround against truly onerious emissions and inspection codes of today) on a classic car or something similar because it wont meet or pass modern inspections (My cars did actually... believe it or not... by the time I got through rebuilding the v8 engines to get it done... they were firebreathers in the day...) Glasspacks and straight pipe with no converters in existance in them old days...I think the historic tags has probably become history itself as the States saw that there is a percentage of owners simply ordering a 30 dollar tag and slap it on anything older than 25 years rather than spend hundreds if not thousands to get past emissions and inspections.

 

Brian, I appreciate that you have explained this but I contend that he can register it in another state and use it as an RV. I don't think it would ruin anything, the truck has a sleeper, it needs to be a minimal requirement of an RV which has been already established as such and being registered in another state as one then transferred should - depending on the DMV people who deals with the case - be easy.

 

You are correct, should Joe chose to register his Optimus Prime replica in another state. That could be a simple solution, provided that he can meet the registration requirements for a non-commercial recreational vehicle including the domicile restrictions.

Ultimately it would be wonderful if the motor carrier enforcement officers would just leave a hobbyist alone and let him enjoy his toy! He is not a commercial enterprise, never represented himself to be anything other than a really big fan of movie and television vehicles. You should see his amazing replica of K.I.T.T. from the tv series Knight Rider. I would have a different point of view if Joe was using these replicas to advertise for a fabrication shop or charging a fee for appearances. I do believe accepting a nominal donation to cover the travel and upkeep expenses is acceptable, however the law may differ as that walks a fine line between commerce and hobby, just ask the dirt track racers in Middletown, NY that get their haulers inspected by motor carrier enforcement and harassed over no operating authority if they have any sponsorships.

 

Dirt track racers? First Ive heard of that level of enforcement.

Anyone with any knowledge of racing will have the vehicles correct with certain defenses against fire and such far better than most anything in production today on actual roads if you ask me.

There is a couple tracks not far and some nights you can hear em with screaming engines with the wind is right. It's not my flavor, I lean towards old school big rig pulls up steep hills that place extreme demands on both engine and driver. First to top wins. If you can get up there at all.

 

You have a nice setup and something to be proud of. However you really need to start contacting an experienced attorney for these kinds of questions. DOT officers around the country are busy doing things like trying to keep the roads safe keeping unsafe tractors and trailers off the roads, making sure trucking companies are complying with general and road use tax laws and keeping a close watch out for drug and human trafficking. Like every other profession you got some dork that pushes the envelope a bit. best advice is to keep your documentation all together and just be prepared for an extended stay sometimes, you should have known this would have been the result when you chose to use a class 8 vehicle in this way!

 

Just run the scale. #### em.