Going To A Bigger Box

wallytrucker1 · May 9, 2007

I'm changing boxes from 22' to 24'. This will put me REAL close to the 40' rule. My question how many of you have had the scale houses actually come out and measure the trk and if you were over a bit, what did they do. I spoke with a Calif Comm bear and he said they can make you remove the Excess lenght right there or you can choose to be towed to a facility where they'll start cutting metal:'( :'( . Any horrible stories out there. I hope to be ok ,but liftgate installation will be the tell of the tape , so to speak. thanx, b safe

JohnO · May 9, 2007

Greg,
One of the trucks I was looking to buy was 44' and he said he did numerous CA runs and never was challenged even when CA DOT did an inspection.

You could always be a rebel and run the scales...lol

Broompilot · May 9, 2007

I have a friend with FECC never been busted about 42 feet, Class 8 Columbia with the Exhausts between the sleeper and box.

But I sure do not like those measuring sticks at some scale houses showing 40 thru 120 feet. If they want to look it sure is easy for them.

But why are straight trucks limited when now they want to go to what 60 foot trailers? And all those Motor Homes with Airbrakes and no Airbrake endorsement on the lisc?

wallytrucker1 · May 9, 2007

Thanx John & broom.. This chippie went through the veh code with me and it was real clear on the 40', even though I'm 3 axle. There are exceptions such as` being part of a combo unit, bus etc. Thanx for the imput.

RichM · May 9, 2007

A while back the state of North Carolina was getting real strick about lenght and having severe fines if you were over 40ft. Florida has on some of the scales fixed measurements to see if you are over. The scale personnel on US 1 as soon as you enter FL will come out and measure the truck if it looks close.

tec1959 · May 9, 2007

Hi I once had a friend with a 24' box and the unit was 40' total,But with the rubber dock bumpers on the back end made that 40.5' and the CHP made him pull them off right there at the scale house.He's the only one that I've every heard having any problems and I know a few units with 24' boxes...

ATeam · May 9, 2007

No officer has ever measured our truck. If one did, it would come in at 40.0" exactly, including dock bumpers.

I have heard first-person accounts from two drivers that got in trouble with overlength straight trucks. One was in California. He was ordered out of the state by the scale cop that measured the truck and found it to be overlength. Another drove a straight truck flat bed. He had extended it just a bit to squeeze on one more drom box. He received a ticket but did not tell me the eastern state. A third driver told me about being measured for truck length at a California scale but there was no problem because his truck was under 40 feet. I also have heard first-person accounts from drivers that have been driving overlength trucks for years and claim no troubles.

x06col · May 10, 2007

Interestingly, States with some room, like California and other large ones limit a truck to 40 foot. On the other hand Vermont and Connecticut with some smaller real estate and roads limit a truck to 45 foot. Go figure. State limits range from 40 foot to 70 foot, with Nevada allowing the longest.