Truck Regulations

[IANOZ]

HI xs650, Thanks craig for the reply. Most of the power ,phone companys here use larger trucks to move their gear round, i guess as taxpayers pay for it , they buy what ever they want. Over there you seem to be able to carry a lot more legally than we are allowed to .As I said in earlyer post most owner operators here uses tippers with aluminium ramps,with some towing a trailer if they use two machines[bobcat & compact excavator].Very few uses beavertail trucks because as an owner operator you drive every thing yourself ,including the tip truck.It's a battle to make a dollar these days and i was interested in the runnig costs you guys have to pay. But as I said to neversweat because of the way things run differently over there,you guys as truck drivers probably dont have much idea of running costs.But the regulations seem way over the top compared to here. If anyone else can add any more It would be nice.ian.

[ronnie]

Looking at the pictures of some of the trucks I am curious about the regulation of trucks in other countries. In America we have a federal organization that sets the rules on truck operation and safety. It is quite extensive in it's rules. Each state can then add to that rule but must enforce the federal regulation.

Some of the categories regulated are:
Drivers, Every other year medical exams, Background checks, A Federally regulated drivers license, Limit on hours driving/working etc...
Truck load weight limits, 80,000.00 maximum on any truck or truck/trailer. to go over 80,000. you need a permit. Every state has a different
permit system. Weights for trucks are governed by the number of axle's. There are fixed weigh stations and portable scales out checking all the
time.
Truck safety inspections, The federal regulations are enforced by roadside inspection. These can be from paper work checks to a level one, which
is a very complete mechanical check.
Documentation, Paperwork and record keeping. The fines for not doing the paperwork are higher than the fines for a dangerous vehicle violation.
Cargo, There is a written rule book that dictates everything involved in transporting a load. example, size chain, how many chain, number of
binders, where they can be attached for all the different types of loads that might be secured to a truck or trailer.


Nick

in the usa it's a hasle to think about driving a truck 3 types of licences class c cdl are for busses class b cdl are for 10 wheelers and class a cdl is for tractor trailer then thers the endorsements you have tanker,doubles.haz-mat you have to go into every scale house there is you don't drive buy 1 unless it is closed (evry seldom does this happen) you will pull up on a set of scales to see how much eack axle weighs front axle can only have 11.ooo pds drives 38,000 and trailer 38.000 total over all weight is 80.000 you can be fined for an axle being over or you can get a fine for over gross (over all weight) log books are the way they tell how many hrs you have ben driving easy to cheat on them if you know how if caught you get a fine and put to bed for 8 hrs. maybe more now back when i drove you could only drive 10 hrs then you had to stop for 8 hrs. they do a random inspection on trucks in ll states if found faulty then your out of service and have to pay to have it fixed then and you get a fineyou ge ta federal inspection 1 time a yr and the driver has to take a course every 3 months on haz-mat maybe different know every heavy hauler (equipment) that is gonna make you weigh over 80.000 or is considered a wide load has a permit and you have to go in and show the scale master the permit and all your paper work some say californis is the worst on inspection and the yare if your ducks are'nt in a row but they were easy for mr to get along with but hting change here like the weather i have'nt drove a truck in over 12 yrs. some ststes can give you a ticket if its snowing and the yput the chains-on sign board on for not having chain on the drive axles (both axles) and 1 on hte trailer either axle on it you can lose your licences for a number of things and might never gey them back this is just my 2 cant's on truck regulation in the usa

[IANOZ]

Hi ronnie, thanks for the reply. I guess we all know we need some rules but the world seems to be going overboard on them lately,mostly seems to be more about revinue raiseing than safety or driver welfare.I dont run up and down the highway,just drive a tandem drive tipper round town working with my excavator.so i rules and regulations dont bother us much..Keep the tyres looking Ok and the pile of dirt in the back legal looking and noone really bothers about me. I am just SOOOO glad i live here not in US or england. I dont think I would be doing what im doingif I had to put up with what you guys do. ian.

[ronnie]

the grading company i work for just had to go buy 14 new rims just because the federal motor carriers saftey regulators said the ones that every body has been running for yrs is no longer safe but it a money thing i was lookin at the photos on the down under style of heavy haulin that pay-hauler would never leave the mine that way it would be in a thousand pieces trust me i'm happy sittin on a dozer all week and pullin my dirt track car on saturday night no cdl's required for that

[IANOZ]

Hi ronnie, just took my truck in for its yearly inspection.Didnt get put off the road [what usually happens] for a change. Had to move the rear lights from where they have been for the last 24 years [2 foot from the back of the truck] and move them to within a foot of the back of the truck.Last year it was mudflap height ,one foot off the road, again. Thats alright for line haul trucks running the highway but not real user friendly for tip trucks. Had to change the air dump valves for the maxi brakes [handbrake not comming on quick enough for the inspector,plug the reverse light wire back in again that allways is working,so why check it [wrong]and replace thefront shakle pins and bushes , Not to bad really,got two weeks to carry out the work.What dozer do you operate,and how about a photo of your race car? I am waiting for the day that i take the truck in and get told my split rims are illegal and got to get tubeless rims. Tubed tyres are getting harder and more expensive to get. ian.

[v8detroit]

i bought my kenworth k100c in Indiana and shiped it out of Baltimore on the way we were stoped by the dot for going too slow i was doing 55 when i saw the police car he followed and said minumum was 60.then we had to go into a weigh station seems every one has to cross the scale and if you are ok they don`t even stop.the truckers i talked to seem to think the dot is strict .allthough they did not like my cabover seem`s they are rare in America i never saw one when i was there in 2008.