What is the rationale for the Bridge Laws?

Look in the front of your rand McNally's trucker atlas. That drawing you made at the beginning post is in it.

Inner vehicle bridge, & outer bridge are explained.
There is a table which shows how much each axle in a group, depending on axle number & space in allowed to carry in lbs rounded to the nearest 500lbs..

Need a minimum of 51' steer to rear on 5 axle to scale 80k lb..
On a the inner bridge of a 5 axle rig would be axle 2-4. You actually need 38' from axle 2-4 to scale 68k lbs. (+12k steer for 80k)
It shows a grandfathered 36' of inner bridge will still allow the 68k lbs. So in essence, you can have the trailer tandem too far foward to legally make weight..

It's an interesting read

 

It was $35 when I was buying mine. Lol.

Question for you, what’s the deal with those long wheelbase single axle trucks pulling the tri-axle end dumps? What is the reasoning behind those? I tried asking a guy once but he no speaka and I no speaka his language either.

 

Ahh,, so $35. That's an annual right.? Fairly reasonable price..
My step is 48'5" so I've never bought the KPRA permit. Hasn't stopped them from pulling me around back asking where my permit is though..

Can't find a picture pulled by a single scew tractor, but yes they are crawling all over this place!!

So I'm just as curious as you are, maybe more so as I previously ran a single screw FLD, but have been stymied by the same language barrier.! Lmao They run channel 9 & 13, but yet to come across a bilingual one. Lol Thought I might get some local work in the winter & stay out of the snow, but still hasn't panned out..

All I know is they're called FL spec end dumps.
22' box with 8' of extra frame rail as a tandem, or
24' box with 8' of extra frame rail tandem & a single tire pusher
See both pulled by singles screws, or tandem tractors.

One time I spanglished with a guy while fueling. He was 6 axle, and said 78,500 legal gross weight on 6. Gotta be less for the single screw rig on 5.?
So it doesn't seem they get the same dump truck permit? Tandem dump with a pusher & 20k steer (so short 4 axle) is allowed 70k gross here..

They haul mostly sand, & phosphate. That's about all I got for ya. Lot of words, for little info.. I will find out more before I'm in the grave! Lol

 

@Long FLD
Oh snap
Just found an all owner op fleet in Bartow FL
Looks like it got English speaking owners. May just have to inquire to get the skinny once & for all bout these FL spec end dumps.. lol

 

"Bridge Law", like every other term in trucking is used by different people and means different things to those people. SOME of the "bridge law" is meant to reduce wear and tear on roads. It also makes vehicles able to stay safely in their lane or go around corners without undue risk to other motorists.

 

That’s Kent. He’s been with Cliff for 30 years or so now. He got his license and Cliff gave him a shot with no experience and he’s been there ever since.

 

Because a term or word is used incorrectly by some it doesn’t change what it actually is. The actual bridge laws are for weight. If some of it is about cornering like you state then why do they allow more weight for larger distances between axle groups?