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Can you get a commercial ticket in a Sprinter?

Dubs

Dubs

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
I was driving home empty from northern Michigan and got a speeding ticket and improper use of plates. My van can pass as a contractors van but he was being very aggressive so I told him I dropped a load off earlier in the day. I have no CDL and I can prove my van was less than 10,000 lbs. I thought these tickets were for cdls?? Anyone know some lawyers near Lake City, Michigan. I appreciate it guys and stay safe out there.
 
C

coalminer

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Dubs said:
I was driving home empty from northern Michigan and got a speeding ticket and improper use of plates. My van can pass as a contractors van but he was being very aggressive so I told him I dropped a load off earlier in the day. I have no CDL and I can prove my van was less than 10,000 lbs. I thought these tickets were for cdls?? Anyone know some lawyers near Lake City, Michigan. I appreciate it guys and stay safe out there.
Click to expand...

Is your vehicle registered as commercial?

Even your average contractor van has to be registered commercial if your home state notes a difference from regular to commercial.

If you have it registered non commercial the fact that you are under 10k means nothing.

I have seen several people post pics of their sprinters on here with Ohio plates and it's real easy to tell when they are non commercial, it's only a matter of time before they are ticketed.

In Ohio the difference in price between a sprinter registered commercial or non commercial is around $50 to around $200 depending on what the local tax is on the plates.




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Dubs

Dubs

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
No it's not commercial. No commercial registration or plates. Michigan law corresponds with federal guidelines in this subject. Thanks for the link brother.
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
the main focus should be of course
A DOT officer's duty is to ensure the safety of the highways, they have the duty to inspect ANY vehicle if they believe it maybe a danger to the public whether a car, van anything using the road in an unsafe manner....

The following vehicles require GVW plates:

  • All trucks weighing over 8,000 pounds (empty) used commercially
  • All semi tractors used commercially
  • Trucks weighing 8,000 pounds or less (empty) towing a trailer or any other vehicle for commercial purposes (This does not include pickups and vans under 8,001 lbs. towing a trailer. They use regular fees as if there was no trailer).
From state of Michigan web site....

SOS - Do I need a commercial plate on my vehicle?
 
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C

coalminer

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
OntarioVanMan said:
the main focus should be of course
A DOT officer's duty is to ensure the safety of the highways, they have the duty to inspect ANY vehicle if they believe it maybe a danger to the public whether a car, van anything using the road in an unsafe manner....

The following vehicles require GVW plates:

  • All trucks weighing over 8,000 pounds (empty) used commercially
  • All semi tractors used commercially
  • Trucks weighing 8,000 pounds or less (empty) towing a trailer or any other vehicle for commercial purposes (This does not include pickups and vans under 8,001 lbs. towing a trailer. They use regular fees as if there was no trailer).
From state of Michigan web site....

SOS - Do I need a commercial plate on my vehicle?
Click to expand...

There you go that link spells it all out, if it's registered non commercial you are going to be fined, best bet is to register it correctly and when you go to court show the judge you registered it correctly and you never know, if he(or she) is in a good mood the charges might get dismissed.

By the way, if anyone has an Ohio based van not registered commercially and you are driving up i77 through broadview hts, that police department will ticket for that. If you have decals on your van it's going to be hard to prove you are not using it commercially.


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OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Over the years I learned many a thing..."Officer Discretion" can bite you on the butt.

Officers are able to ensure that EVERYONE runs in a safe manner...whether be car , motorcycle, van...if your front tire is wobbling back and forth and an officer sees it...you'll get pulled over...thats just the job...

I think we van drivers get to focused on BIG truck laws..."if you appear" to be driving an unsafe vehicle you are a potential target
examples:
Illinois
A police officer may pull over any vehicle suspected of exceeding weight limits.

Nebraska
All trucks over 1 ton must stop, except a pickup truck pulling a recreational trailer.

New Hampshire
The driver of every motor vehicle shall, upon request of any law enforcement officer, stop and submit such to a weighing of said motor vehicle by means of either portable or stationary scales. If such scales are not available at the place where the stopping occurs, upon request of a law enforcement officer, the driver shall drive said motor vehicle to the nearest public scales provided the distance to the public scales does not exceed 10 miles.
 
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C

coalminer

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
OntarioVanMan said:
Over the years I learned many a thing..."Officer Discretion" can bite you on the butt.

Officers are able to ensure that EVERYONE runs in a safe manner...whether be car , motorcycle, van...if your front tire is wobbling back and forth and an officer sees it...you'll get pulled over...thats just the job...
Click to expand...

Exactly, the officer is just doing their job, being nice to him/her will go a long way, being nice might get you off with a warning, but being an ass might get the book thrown at you.

Attitude is everything....


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OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
coalminer said:
OntarioVanMan said:
Over the years I learned many a thing..."Officer Discretion" can bite you on the butt.

Officers are able to ensure that EVERYONE runs in a safe manner...whether be car , motorcycle, van...if your front tire is wobbling back and forth and an officer sees it...you'll get pulled over...thats just the job...
Click to expand...

Exactly, the officer is just doing their job, being nice to him/her will go a long way, being nice might get you off with a warning, but being an ass might get the book thrown at you.

Attitude is everything....


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Click to expand...
.bottom line....just run your van responsibly....and be prepared to meet up a with stick in the mud officer one day and be prepared for a lot of Yes Sirs.....LOL
 
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jaxonviking

jaxonviking

Expert Expediter
He could have popped you for not having a chauffer endorsement on your license. It's $ and a simple written test to get one. Required to carry cargo for hire if you're a resident. Michigan Secretary of State's office says you need one if you:

"Operate a motor vehicle as a carrier of passengers or as a common or contract carrier of property."
 
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Dubs

Dubs

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
Doing his job my ass. This mountie had a hard on as soon as he saw me. He braked so hard I thought there was a shooting somewhere. :censoredsign: cops I suck up to them all the time I know the game. Only a few are cool.
 
Dubs

Dubs

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
Whatever I'm writing this off on my taxes. If I get any interesting results I will update
 
RoadTime

RoadTime

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
xiggi said:
You can write tickets off?
Click to expand...

Ummm, no you can't.

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Worn Out Manager

Worn Out Manager

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
US Air Force
So, is my 350 a 1 ton, as in an F350 is called a 1 Ton Pickup, or is it a 4 ton truck based on the GVW?
 
F

fifaref2

Veteran Expediter
Dubs said:
Doing his job my ass. This mountie had a hard on as soon as he saw me. He braked so hard I thought there was a shooting somewhere. :censoredsign: cops I suck up to them all the time I know the game. Only a few are cool.
Click to expand...

Will you post a pic of the ticket?


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