tscottme
2004-04-21 12:33:19 UTC
I didn't realize how many truck drivers don't know this, but I'd say
over half don't. Many states have various maximum length laws for
trailers. These laws are sometimes called "kingpin" or incorrectly
called "bridge laws". Anyway, in many, if not most states, when pulling
a 53 foot trailer you may *not* travel with the trailer tandems slid to
the rear of the trailer, even if empty or lightly loaded.
The states have various particular limits. TN uses 41 feet between
kingpin and middle of set of tandems, which is similar to some other
states. Some states measure from the nose of the trailer and some
states use other locations on the tandems. But regardless of the exact
distance the state uses or exactly how they measure it, many drivers
don't seem to even notice where the tandems are set.
Some or many customers that have sunken docks, where the rear of the
trailer is much lower than the front of the trailer when it is backed
into a door, require that trailer tandems be slid fully to the rear so
the trailer will not be below the dock plate during loading/unloading.
One driver after another, regardless of years of experience, type of
experience, or even certainty of crossing DOT scales seems not to bother
with sliding these tandems back into a legal position before getting on
the road.
Let me be clear, if the state you are driving in has a maximum "kingpin
law", it is illegal to pull a 53 foot trailer, even empty, on the road
with tandems at the rear of the trailer or anywhere beyond that maximum
distance. If you are caught with tandems at the rear in TN, it is a $75
fine and the driver, not the trucking company or customer, is
responsible.
I think 2 things explains why this happens to so many drivers of such
varied experience and backgrounds: 1) many OTR drivers only are
concerned with getting their axle weights legal, and this almost always
keeps the tandems near or ahead of all but the most restrictive lengths
without requiring a check for this "kingpin" limit. Every single driver
I have pointed out that they have just pulled a trailer with their
tandems set illegally responds "the trailer is empty, or the trailer is
under X thousand pounds." and 2) an alarming number of drivers I see
perform no inspection on the trailer before they put it on the road.
The majority of drivers I see every day hook to a trailer, connect their
lines, raise the landing gear, close the doors and take off. If you
follow that "procedure" and the trailer last came out of a sunken dock,
you are likely to pull an illegal trailer. God help you if you didn't
notice there were Hazmat placards on that empty trailer.
Some states may allow you to slide the tandems forward and be on your
way, if your axle weights are OK. But, TN will give you the ticket even
if you can slide the tandems and weight was never an issue.
Slide your tandems before you get on the road, even if the trailer is
empty.
An easy way to verify you are at or ahead of the 41 foot
kingpin-to-middle-of-tandem position is to note the position of the rear
mudflap on the tandem and the "tie-back" device which secures the
trailer door open. If the mudflap is about a foot forward of either the
forward edge of the open trailer door or the latch on the bottom rail of
the trailer which holds the trailer door open, you are pretty close to
the 41 foot mark. Even though my company tries to mark all of its
trailers with an unlabeled black mark at the 41 foot mark, I notice that
the mark is incorrectly located on about 1/3 of our trailers, half being
to far forward and half to far back. I'm not sure that obeying a
company's mark on the trailer will absolve the driver of a fine for
being over-length. I'd rather not bet my pay on that question.
--
Scott
--------
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall
pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend,
oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. John
F Kennedy
over half don't. Many states have various maximum length laws for
trailers. These laws are sometimes called "kingpin" or incorrectly
called "bridge laws". Anyway, in many, if not most states, when pulling
a 53 foot trailer you may *not* travel with the trailer tandems slid to
the rear of the trailer, even if empty or lightly loaded.
The states have various particular limits. TN uses 41 feet between
kingpin and middle of set of tandems, which is similar to some other
states. Some states measure from the nose of the trailer and some
states use other locations on the tandems. But regardless of the exact
distance the state uses or exactly how they measure it, many drivers
don't seem to even notice where the tandems are set.
Some or many customers that have sunken docks, where the rear of the
trailer is much lower than the front of the trailer when it is backed
into a door, require that trailer tandems be slid fully to the rear so
the trailer will not be below the dock plate during loading/unloading.
One driver after another, regardless of years of experience, type of
experience, or even certainty of crossing DOT scales seems not to bother
with sliding these tandems back into a legal position before getting on
the road.
Let me be clear, if the state you are driving in has a maximum "kingpin
law", it is illegal to pull a 53 foot trailer, even empty, on the road
with tandems at the rear of the trailer or anywhere beyond that maximum
distance. If you are caught with tandems at the rear in TN, it is a $75
fine and the driver, not the trucking company or customer, is
responsible.
I think 2 things explains why this happens to so many drivers of such
varied experience and backgrounds: 1) many OTR drivers only are
concerned with getting their axle weights legal, and this almost always
keeps the tandems near or ahead of all but the most restrictive lengths
without requiring a check for this "kingpin" limit. Every single driver
I have pointed out that they have just pulled a trailer with their
tandems set illegally responds "the trailer is empty, or the trailer is
under X thousand pounds." and 2) an alarming number of drivers I see
perform no inspection on the trailer before they put it on the road.
The majority of drivers I see every day hook to a trailer, connect their
lines, raise the landing gear, close the doors and take off. If you
follow that "procedure" and the trailer last came out of a sunken dock,
you are likely to pull an illegal trailer. God help you if you didn't
notice there were Hazmat placards on that empty trailer.
Some states may allow you to slide the tandems forward and be on your
way, if your axle weights are OK. But, TN will give you the ticket even
if you can slide the tandems and weight was never an issue.
Slide your tandems before you get on the road, even if the trailer is
empty.
An easy way to verify you are at or ahead of the 41 foot
kingpin-to-middle-of-tandem position is to note the position of the rear
mudflap on the tandem and the "tie-back" device which secures the
trailer door open. If the mudflap is about a foot forward of either the
forward edge of the open trailer door or the latch on the bottom rail of
the trailer which holds the trailer door open, you are pretty close to
the 41 foot mark. Even though my company tries to mark all of its
trailers with an unlabeled black mark at the 41 foot mark, I notice that
the mark is incorrectly located on about 1/3 of our trailers, half being
to far forward and half to far back. I'm not sure that obeying a
company's mark on the trailer will absolve the driver of a fine for
being over-length. I'd rather not bet my pay on that question.
--
Scott
--------
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall
pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend,
oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty. John
F Kennedy