Towing In North Carolina
 

Does anyone know about towing car trailers through NC? I got pulled over today on the way to the Charlotte race track by a state trooper. He told me that I have to go over the scales and anything over 10K in gross vehicle weight has to do so. I had never heard of this as I am not commercial. No lettering on my truck or trailer. This cop was an a- hole too. I have to wonder if this applies to personal vehicles and was this guy just being a jerk. Detained me for about an hour, and wrote me a warning ticket. In the 35+ years that I've been towing car trailers, this has never happened anywhere in the country. Ruined my day! I would like to know what NC law states??

Any help appreciated.

Jerry

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

He was probally being a jerk you went below the mason dixon line.The cops are always real thick in NC .

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

enjoy your stay here in NC......lol........i think anything under 90 foot should be legal now without having to have a CDL or weight limit.....not sure about goose neck trailers and duallys i just know the rule change for motor homes with trailers and big rig haulers...i know there are more people on here that know more about it than me.....hope any of this helps...i dont think you should have gotten pulled over

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Jeff Tripp got pulled over for the same reason last year...passing the scales with his dually and fifth wheel trailer....he has since gotten DOT numbers for his truck.

I talked to NYS DOT Officials and was told my deisel pusher w/ 26 ft. tag trailer must pull in to weigh stations also...only if trailer is on the back.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Don't forget your log book!If you are more than 150 miles from home you are required to fillout a log book. My ticket cost me big money after I decided to fight it.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Here's the kicker. My truck is a 2500HD short bed crew cab Chevy truck, not a dually! Trailer is a 26' tag trailer. Truck and trailer was 18,000 lbs total weight.

Jerry

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Iam a DOT inspector in the state of Texas. You dont have to have a DOT for anything under 26000#s. But if they consider your racing a business, such you are trying to make money, the number changes to 10000#s and above. These numbers are based on the GVW#s on your tow rig and trailer. Now you can reregrister your trailer for a lower weight to try to get under this weight, but dont be caught over weight. I think you would have to tow with a S-10 pickup and a open trailer to meet this weight.

Kirk

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

There have been a lot of issues in North Carolina over race cars and haulers; however, a couple of years ago all of the laws were change thanks to Steve Earwood at Rockingham and several NASCAR people who got involve. There was a couple of internet post concerning towing in North Carolina. I will try to call Steve now and see if I can get some information concerning your incident. There have been some reports in previous year about troopers who don't know the law.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

The officer told Jeff you are racing for prize money....it falls under regulations for DOT laws. This happened at the bottom of the state of VA. Jeff said there was another weigh station further north. As the officer let him off on a verbal warning ( Jeff is a truck driver and knew some of the laws related) Jeff was on his own to not get pulled over again at the second weigh station a few hours away for not having a log book and DOT numbers.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Chris your are right...the NYS trooper I spoke to was not sure on the law and pointed me towards the DOT official at the inspection site.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations manual under 390.3(f)(3)
Exceptions. The occasional transporation of personal property by individuals not for compensation nor in furtherance of a commercial enterprise;

Further research will find this.
Question 21;
Does the exemption in 390.39(f)(3) for the occasional transportation of personal property by individules not for compensation nor in furtherance of commercial enterprise apply to persons who occasionally use CMV's to transport cars, boats,horses, ect., to race, tournaments shows or similar events, even if prize money is offered at these events?

Guidance:
The exemption would apply to this kind of transportation, provided; (1) The underlying activities are not undertaken for profit, i.e., (a) prize money is declared as ordinary income for tax purposes,and (b) the cost of the underlying activities is not deducted as a business expense for tax purposes; and where relevant;(2) corporate sponsorship is not involved. Drivers must confer with their State licensure to determine the licensing provisions to which they are subject.


Hope this helps you.


Mike

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Kirk, I live in Texas and have recently went through the license procedure for my tow rig.
I have a diesel pusher motorhome with a 33,000 GVW.
When I asked the question of the license division when I bought the motorhome I was told I just needed a Class C. That was in 2001. After discussions on here and with other racers I found I needed the Class B.
After taking the written and driving test in July of 09 which included parallel parking a 40 ft motorhome, I now have a Class B Texas license which allows me to drive the motorhome legally pulling a trailer of less than 10,000 in weight.
The license dept told me I was not required to carry a log book as my license was not a CDL and CDL drivers were the only ones required to have the log books.
It seems you get a different story from everyone you talk to.
I have not been stopped yet and have been pulling the rig for 8 years and 85,000 miles now, but I do expect it at some point. I just hope I do not get one of those a hole officers.
My 2 Cents

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

If your truck is titled in a company name, ABC Inc. or AABC RAcing, you are subject to DOT regulations that start at 10000 lbs. If the truck is in your name personally, the approach I would use is the 390 exemption that exempts a vehicle that normally would be a regulated vehicle for personal use. North Carolina has become the absolute worst in the nation. Steve Earwood of Rockingham fame is fight ing the battle as is the North Carolina Motorsports Assoication. On the NC website, they cite the 390 exemption, but the field people don't know about it. If you want to call me I can write the letter for you. My cell is 985-804-6161.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Get a lighter trailer, or stay out of NC.LOL, No really... I have a copy of the federal DOT laws that I carry. Federal law always trumps state law, however, any areas not clearly defined by the feds, are fair game for states. Anytime a NC state trooper gets you( a Yankee LOL!!) to over react, he can arrest your ***, and then you have a real moneymaker for the state (fines, legal fees, etc.). Remember your lawer is the cop's Brother-in-law.LOL. More revenue generating BS. See you at Atco.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Hey Jeff,
can you supply a link for that 390 exemption so we can print it out.
Thx.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...0163348002325f

question 21

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Only on Federal Funded Highway Interstate or US Highways not on State Roads

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

I researched this about as much as I could for an article I wrote for www.dragracingonline.com a couple years ago.

Several things remain the same and some change minute to minute, depending on enforcement officer.

1. Weight is important but more so if you deduct the vehicles or the racing expenses from you Federal or STate taxes, that defines you as a commercial enterprise. You are "not for hire" but you would be commercial.
2. All states are short on funding and you can COUNT ON ONE THING, better enforcement to drive up revenues to save the enforcement officer's job.
3. The bottom line is actually this:

• be courteous if stopped.
• don't tell them what you have, let them tell you first.
• Ask what you can do to be in compliance.
• I will tell them I race for money, not profit. I cannot predict if a trip is going to net any revenue until it is over. If it does make money, I claim that money on my taxes.
• Personally, I tow with a regular diesel pusher motor home and have a 26' stacker. Coach is 29,000 lbs and trailer is about 15,000 lbs. Length is 72'. I have a Class A CDL with air brake endorsement and a copy of my DOT physical with my log book.
• I keep a very accurate log book, I carry the FMCSA Code Book (avaialble at any big truck stop), do my Pre-Trip inspections and log them in, carry the required spare fuses, emergency equipment any DOT / Commercial driver must have.
• If you look like you are making an effort to be compliant without in most cases you might get a warning. I got a THANK YOU in Missouri from a Trooper who said I was the first one he had stopped that year who actually had a log book and Pre-Trip records. He just told me to have a safe trip. He also liked "that thing" I was using behind my motor home, the Trailer Toad.

To ignore this problem is foolish but to try to become an over-the-road trucker as a weekend racer is absurd as well. Just meet them half-way and don't be a smart-a**. Most of those guys are OK, they have a tough job and if it looks like you are trying to be safe they will appreciate that.
If half of your lights are out, the tires look like crap, your safety chains are held on with wire ties and everything looks worn out.........expect to be checked. Their job includes protecting other people from your negligence.

I will try to get a link to my article up here later today so you have some information to think about.

You can expect more inspections with budget cuts. The guys with the toter homes and big white trucks with semi-truck type axle ratings, air brakes on the trailer, etc can expect to meet Federal DOT regulations very soon. It won;t matter if it is registered as a motor home according to DOT officials I interviewed. They will look at the axle weight rattings, tire weight limits, air brake endorsements on your CDL (you have one right?) and log book accuracy.

Regular motor homes will fly under the radar a little better, the AARP lobby for retired motor home owners is a strong force keeping motor homes away from the hassles. Even though I have to agree, an 80 year old at the wheel of a 40,000 lb Prevost does SCARE THE HE** OUT OF ME!!

Good luck and tow safe.

Jok Nicholson

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

John Warehime, Federal laws don`t trump state laws when get pulled over by the state DOT officer,that your in at time, I have been driving a big truck for over 30 years. In Nebraska if your toterhome and trailer is over 65 feet total, you need to license it with commercial plates and have a CDL license. Tom

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Okay let me give this a try with out all of the legal wording. North Carolina Motorsports Association worked to get House Bill -69 throught the North Carolina State General Assembly which modifies North Carolina GS-20-116. A vehicle may use any roads when in connection with motor sport competition including a cab or other motorized vehicle with or without sleeping quarters and an attached enclosed specialty trailer to to exceed 90 feet in length. Vehicle may operate on the roadways when either going to or from a competition event, going for fuel or maintenance or other travel related to motorsports competiton. Not a lawyer and this is the short version.

Steve Earwood and the members of the North Carolina Motorsports Association were involved in composing this bill. Won't help much if the troopers feels the need to give you a hard time. I had heard there was a trooper in the Greensboro area who just apparently does not like racers.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

Yesterday went to the DOT in Harrisburg,Pa with questions on this subject. The bottom line was are u commercial or not. If commercial and over 10,000 lbs you have to stop at weigh stations and have a DOT number and in compliance with insurance,log book, correct weight,ect. However under 26.001 lbs and not commercial ok. We need a way to show non-commercial. The fine in Pa. for not stopping at the weigh station is $300. So what to do. I for one am not going to stop untill I have too. I hope the bill passes in N.C> and is adopted by other states. In N.Y. over 17,000 some odd lbs you are supposed to have a HUT sticker on your vehicle{highway usage tax) I wonder if NHRA would help us with this????????????

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

i drive a hazmat tractor trailer, (hold a class a with every endorsment) and cannot answer all needed questions troopers can come up with. if they want to find something to fine you they can and will, i like jok's post because the best thing you can do is be very polite, do anything they ask and help in any way, if you are trying to comply not being a a-hole, it will go a long way. and by the way, they don't know what to think of the toad! (better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission)

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

I think I had the "original sin" 2 1/2 years ago near Mt. Airy, about two miles from the VA. border. One of you who posted that someone near the border has a ....on for racers is correct. His name is Marvin Graves and he is a weight and measures control officer who "lurks" at the border just picking off trailers of racers who appear otherwise law-abiding travelers. I appealed my case to the Governor of NC, and the Chief of the Weights and Measures Division, to no avail. It cost me $220.00 to visit the state of NC and I am still very bitter about it.

Re: Towing In North Carolina
 

I do not think the bureaucrats really think about the harrassment of out of state travellers when they hand out the fines and won't listen to reason. It really hurts their future travellers and visitors as people who race talk. We all leave a pretty good sum of money as we travel and race.
I have avoided NC and most of the north east due to the harrassment of vehicles with trailers. I also do not ever plan to visit Utah or cross the state again for the same reason. I have a trucker friend who drives around Colorado for the same reason. He always drives way out of what would be a normal route with his trucking fleet to miss Colorado due to harrassment from the state patrol.
It costs the states and their businesses and I have a very long memory for that type of thing.
My 2 Cents