Apportioned Plates
- Thread starter movercash
- Start date
It depends on the state issuing the IRP plate. I drove a company owned Ford E-350 with an IRP plate on the front and a license plate sized sign on the rear stating IRP Power Unit, plate on front.
The following is from the Michigan Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Quarterly:
Michigan is a participant in the International Registration Plan (IRP) which allows commercial motor vehicles to
operate between states with only one registration plate. As such, Michigan is required to comply with the requirements
of the plan. Officers should remember that not all states require that commercial vehicles display their IRP plates in
accordance with MCL 257.225.
According to the IRP requirements, commercial vehicles are required to display their IRP plates in accordance with law specific to the state in which the plate was issued.
For example, Illinois requires that IRP plates on trucks be displayed on the front of the vehicle as opposed to the rear.
Under the IRP, Michigan is required to honor Illinois law.
The following is from the Michigan Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Quarterly:
Michigan is a participant in the International Registration Plan (IRP) which allows commercial motor vehicles to
operate between states with only one registration plate. As such, Michigan is required to comply with the requirements
of the plan. Officers should remember that not all states require that commercial vehicles display their IRP plates in
accordance with MCL 257.225.
According to the IRP requirements, commercial vehicles are required to display their IRP plates in accordance with law specific to the state in which the plate was issued.
For example, Illinois requires that IRP plates on trucks be displayed on the front of the vehicle as opposed to the rear.
Under the IRP, Michigan is required to honor Illinois law.
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dieseldiva
Veteran Expediter
You are correct, as is the Ohio trooper mentioned in the original post. The state of Ohio requires that plate to be on the back of the truck. Everyone looks for it on the front but by law, it goes on the back.
Once while crossing back into the states from Canada, a border agent got all ****y with us about it and when the Hubs told him that was the requirement and we had a paper we were to show anyone that disputed that, he flat out said he didn't want to see our paper, stamped our paperwork and let us go but as we were pulling away, he was STILL saying "get that plate on the front"!
Some people just cannot accept that they're not always right!
Brisco
Expert Expediter
In Texas, we are required to place apportioned plates on the front of the vehicle.
ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/library/pubs/bus/mcd/txirp_carrier_booklet.pdf
(Page 12)
For those that run with Apportioned Plates on their Duallys or other power units that usually have a trailer attached to them, they have another plate that says "Texas Apportioned" on the back of the trailer and/or the truck too for when they run without the trailer.
This also applys to "box trucks", or straight trucks as they're called in Expediting. Apportioned Plates go in the front. You see 33K Box Trucks(Battery Trucks-Fuel Trucks-Etc) and Flat Bed Trucks(Sod Haulers-Wood/Framing Suppliers-Etc) running all over Texas with no plates on the rear.
An Ohio Trooper cannot change Texas regulations or enforce Ohio regulations on a Truck registered in Texas, period.
ftp://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/library/pubs/bus/mcd/txirp_carrier_booklet.pdf
(Page 12)
For those that run with Apportioned Plates on their Duallys or other power units that usually have a trailer attached to them, they have another plate that says "Texas Apportioned" on the back of the trailer and/or the truck too for when they run without the trailer.
This also applys to "box trucks", or straight trucks as they're called in Expediting. Apportioned Plates go in the front. You see 33K Box Trucks(Battery Trucks-Fuel Trucks-Etc) and Flat Bed Trucks(Sod Haulers-Wood/Framing Suppliers-Etc) running all over Texas with no plates on the rear.
An Ohio Trooper cannot change Texas regulations or enforce Ohio regulations on a Truck registered in Texas, period.
Mine [SC} started on the rear, but after losing 2 of them, moved to the front bumper. There's just no support for the plate on the rear, it hangs in the wind & gets blown off or something.
No problems with DOT yet, but haven't been inspected for awhile, either.....
No problems with DOT yet, but haven't been inspected for awhile, either.....
I think this says it best. Mine is and always has been on the back - issued in PA.
I too initally had trouble with mine on the back - flopping in the wind. My local mechanic welded a 1/4 inch metal plate, with holes for nuts and bolts to secure the plate, to the frame. Works great. End of problem.
I was told by the IRP office in Mich that it goes on the back of my straight truck. I had a mounting plate, with light, put on at a trailer shop. Excellent support.
AMonger
Veteran Expediter
Problem with that is that it won't allow you to install a pull-cord in the cab that retracts the plate on demand. That's a handy feature to have.
Yes, in Ohio IRP Plates have to be on the back of a straight truck. I had a Richfield, Ohio cop try to get smart with me when my one truck was hit by another truck a few years back. He said he was going to write a ticket for no front plate and I looked at him at said "no your not". He said "yes I am" I told him then he better write one out for the state of Ohio too because they only give you one plate and it goes on the back. So I got on the phone with OSP and ask for a trooper to come explain to this bone head about IRP Plates.
The trooper came and this bone head cop still wanted to write a ticket. The Trooper asked if they would send out the cops Sergent. Then he got the picture. So yes it needs to be on the back of the truck. Now if your driving a tractor trailer it goes on the front
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
This is either a thing with the Richfield PD ..... or there's one officer there who's riding his own personal hobby horse.
My wife (who works out of the FHD terminal in Richfield) was also ticketed - although it was for her personal vehicle (which didn't come from the factory with any way to mount a front license plate) .... she'd been driving it for years with no issue ....
Glad ya stood up Dave and straightened the dipwad out ...