Step Deck operator need your advice

Please explain the large bold statement. Not sure what you mean since I have ran through TN with a 53' step with close to 40 on the spread which was not a CA legal spread

 

Connecticut is not 37' that would mean absolutely 0 trailers ever built would be legal in Connecticut

 

Only state that requires you to run a closed axle is California, and that is only due to the king pin setting on a trailer over 48' long.

And Western Canada only allows 10k per axle on a 10' spread. 72" is the maximum distance between axles allowed in Western Canada beofre you go to the 10k weight rating. You can haul up to 37,400 pounds on a closed tandem (up 72") in Western Canada. At least that is what my research has found. But I won't ever be going to Canada, so it does not matter lol

 

I

There are a few more that have KP laws. Michigan Connecticut there are a few Connecticut will drop the hammer on you if they feel like it. I just know 37' is not a realistic number

 

From my atlas……

Connecticut:

Semitrailers greater than 48’ and less then or equal to 53’ require a distance of not more than 43’ from kingpin to center of rearmost axle with tires in contact with roadway. Trailers of 48’ or less: no kingpin requirements.


Tennessee:

Measured from kingpin to end of trailer or load. If the trailer length exceeds 48’ the distance from the kingpin to the center of rear axle or group limited to 41’. 48’ or shorter trailers: no kingpin requirements.

 

Those are for non-STAA routes

 

Those are from the US Interstate System /National Network routes table. I do believe that the Interstate System is part of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act routes.


The State/Provisional table has different limits. I’m not going to reprint the entire atlas here.

 

Well that's all news to me. I have ran in TN and MI for a few years and never had a single problem. Have had 2 level 3 inspections done in TN as well

 

Dot officers are much like IRS agents, ask 10 of them the same question you will get 10 different answers. The government just passes so many regulations that even those in charge of the enforcement can’t keep up with or make sense of them.

I suspect most states just gave up enforcing kingpin rules and just failed to remove them from the books as I rarely ever see anyone talking about them except for California and Canada.

I would worry with budgets being what they are that some states might start enforcing them again for extra revenue.