Straps outside rub rails

Doesn't your trailer registration paperwork indicate trailer dimensions?

Would the DOT officer need to measure, or could you just point out the info on the paperwork, and the officer verify the paperwork identifying info matches the trailer?

 

A lot of them measure with a wheel so you don't need anyone to hold the other end.

I was in a Florida weigh station one them. A driver had his tandems all the way back. The DOT was actually measuring it. I don't know if the driver was playing dumb or was dumb,or if the DOT guy was just messing with him.

 

Following protocol so he could put the info on the inspection and/or citation.

 

Yup. A citation isn't going to stand up to a challenge without hard data backing it up. If the law says 41' max KPRA and you're at 43', the officer needs to be able to testify that it was 43'...not that it appeared to exceed 41'. If you're only allowed to be 102" wide and your load is hanging off 2" on each side, he's going to measure the trailer if he thinks you're overwidth. Most of them can tell just by looking. Your tractor is likely 96" wide at the drives (unless you swapped your duals for stupid singles...and I suppose if you spec'd the truck with wider axles for stupid singles and then came to your senses and put duals on there, you'd be a little wider...but for the most part, most trucks are 96" at the drives), so if the trailer is flush with the drives you're probably pulling a 96" wide trailer...and if the trailer overhangs the drives by 3" on each side, you've got a 102"...but he's still going to pull out the tape measure and get the exact measurement because if your load is 100" wide on a 96" trailer you're good to go, but if you're 106" wide on a 102" trailer he's going to document that so that he can testify to your exact dimensions when you appear in court to fight it.

 

DOT will measure you. They can spot an over size load easily. They get lots of practice.
In our state they're especially picky about overwidth loads on 102" trailers. They won't cut you any slack on those.
Besides, you see how we all sit around and talk about how to get around the cops? What do you think cops talk about when they're together? Right...they talk about truckers and all the ways truckers try to pull a fast one on them.
Run it legal, save yourself some grief.

 

I don't know and they probably wouldn't tell us if they did.
I know a couple of commercial cops and they tell some really good stories. If they've done that kind of work for any length of time they've heard just about every excuse and seen every scam that a driver can think up.

 

Blueline... at least here.