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Sleeper Questions

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porkchop1981

Seasoned Expediter
Actually its really just 1 question. You guys that are running these sprinters and cargo vans. You are all marked as commercial vehicles so you can't just shoot by the coops or what not. My question is this.

How does the sleeper in these trucks/vans work? Does DOT hassel you? I used to pull a 2/3 car trailer with my dully on the east coast and never got bothered or pulled.

If i wasnt loading/unloading or parked, then I logged off duty. YES I know......the rule book doesn't state where you HAVE to sleep, but they arent stupid. I have heard good and bad stories about DOT guys out there but never had a problem.

Are you guys all doing the same and logging everything off duty while nto driving/loading??? And if so, how often do you get botherd in the vans VS straights?????

Thanks in advance.

Chop
 
greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
I never heard of a van getting hassled because they are under 10,000 lbs.

But a truck, pickup included running as a commercial vehicle with a combination weight of 10k as I am told has to follow the same rules as I do for logging and sleeper requirements.

I think that the states are lax but they are actually missing a great money maker.

In this horrible state, I heard the other day, but yet to confirm that they will start requiring all commercial vehicles over 10K to have perminet signs, no more magnets or cardboard.
 
greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Last edited by Jefferson3000 : Today at 11:01 PM. Reason: Greg334 beat me to the punch

Sorry, ok OVM and you too, maybe coordination is needed posting, I have two left thumbs.....
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
A Tennessee buddy said they were nailing the new dually sprinters down there lately...they finally realized they are over 10,000
 
dcalien

dcalien

Seasoned Expediter
porkchop81 said:
Actually its really just 1 question. You guys that are running these sprinters and cargo vans. You are all marked as commercial vehicles so you can't just shoot by the coops or what not. My question is this.

How does the sleeper in these trucks/vans work? Does DOT hassel you? I used to pull a 2/3 car trailer with my dully on the east coast and never got bothered or pulled.

If i wasnt loading/unloading or parked, then I logged off duty. YES I know......the rule book doesn't state where you HAVE to sleep, but they arent stupid. I have heard good and bad stories about DOT guys out there but never had a problem.

Are you guys all doing the same and logging everything off duty while nto driving/loading??? And if so, how often do you get botherd in the vans VS straights?????

Thanks in advance.

Chop
Click to expand...

I have never stopped at a chicken coop in my Sprinter, nor do I log. My Sprinter is not a commercial vehicle according to the DOT.

While I am on the subject, I hear a lot of argument about whether Sprinters have to stop at the scales or not. Does anyone know the deal on this?
 
dhalltoyo

dhalltoyo

Veteran Expediter
Yes, in some states.

I have a list on my laptop and I'll send it to you.

One example comes to mind: Alabama expects you to scale and log, but considering the only scalehouse I have seen in Alabama is the one on I-20, it would seem unlikely they would enforce te rule.

Of course, if you get caught speeding that might trigger additional violations in the way of scaling and a log.

I have yet to meet the first cargo van driver to have been fined for not going through the scalehouse in Alabama.
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
We've had this discussion before....it would depend on the states definition of a truck and what they mean ALL commercial vehicles. In South Dakota the signs say commercial trucks over 8,000 lbs that would appear to mean Sprinters BUT what does thier DOT define a truck as....I should really go in one day and find out....I see pickup trucks with a horse trailer go in...But that might be a combo rule.
 
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fastrod

Expert Expediter
Any vehicle 10,000# and under not hauling hazmat and not part of a combination is not required to have any markings. If they do it is just company advertising. I have no markings and do not stop at any scales nor do I log at any time.
 
greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
fastrod said:
Any vehicle 10,000# and under not hauling hazmat and not part of a combination is not required to have any markings. If they do it is just company advertising. I have no markings and do not stop at any scales nor do I log at any time.
Click to expand...

Michigan requires signs on the van as they do for any commercial vehicle but the definition is so messed up that a van with a 5500lb gvw qualifies as a truck. scaling in Michigan also is the law, some officers will say not to bother, while I know one or two don't care who you talk to, they will catch up to you and ticket you. The state has been talking about doubling the fine to something like $800 and forcing enforcement.

I know first hand Alabama requires a van to scale and log.
 
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porkchop1981

Seasoned Expediter
Dhalltoyo,

Email that list to me at [email protected] ! Thanks for all the input. I completly forgot about anything under 10K not needing logs n such. I'm soo used to running a t/t setup. But it would be nice to know which states are picky and which arnt.
 
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fastrod

Expert Expediter
According to the Michigan truck drivers guidebook signs on a van are only required for vans registered in Michigan and if a US Dot number is displayed they only need to meet federal requirements. As for Virginia the weight inspection requirement says trucks. I drive a 1 ton window van registered in pa. as a station wagon which is a standard car license plate. If I had a cargo van it would have a truck plate.
 
LDB

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
From memory, so subject to being a little off on the numbers, the original Sprinter 2500 single rear wheels has an 8550 gvw. Take that unit and put dual rear wheels and it becomes a 3500 with a 9990 gvw. I believe the new model is similar but now the 3500 has an option for a super duty version somewhere around 11k in addition to the 9990 version but am not sure of the uprated numbers, only that they are in logbook territory somewhere.
 
greg334

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Fastrod,
It don't matter, I listed the statutes before but won't now - too tired. I do know what I said to be true and the source are the state police. To operate in my state, there has to be signs on the van, just like there is on any other commercial vehicle be it a taxi cab, courier car or roofing contractor. They say all commercial vehicles must be identified with proper information, one statute is clear on what has to be there. Whether or not the police want to enforce it, I think is where everyone get caught up. Some cops know the laws well enough while others don't care. My point is that it only takes one cop who has a bad day to pull you over and ticket you under any one of those messed up laws, then you have to return to the state to fight it and chances are you will lose.

I think that this state is screwed up, it need to eliminate the four laws that define a commercial vehicle and go with one, they were on the books before the Feds had theirs and they stick to the laws on the books. The confusion comes into the fact that many up in Lansing don't have a clue what a truck is, I don't think there is one person there that holds a CDL.

I don't know about the plate thing with Virginia, the last time I went through there in a van, it didn't say a thing about plates. I think the same goes for plates that have weight ratings on them, many think just because they have 12k plate means that they can haul 12k, nope not true! The manufactures sticker is the only thing that matters, they are the one who can say what the rating is, no one else.

Pjjjjjjj
They put dualies on vans for the same reason they do on pickups, weight distribution on the tires. They take the position that they must underrate the tires for safety, meaning that they do some research on what is the lowest available tire on the market for the rims they put on the truck and then use them to find the safety limits with that frame and axle. I know I am not really explaining well but I got that from GM.

Leo,
The 3500 sprinter has a different rear axle under it and I heard, but never confirmed that there are some added supports on the body, but who knows. The present Sprinter I understand has been engineered from the knowledge they gained with the Vario van that was marketed in Europe and the rest of the world. It had a rating up to 14k if I remember right and was larger.
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
as silly as it sounds the 2500 sprint has only one leaf spring probably could put in another and carry more illegal weight...
 
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pjjjjj

Veteran Expediter
Ya, I still don't get the duallies thing. So you can have cheaper tires? So your tires don't wear out so fast, but you have to buy 2 rear sets, so does that longer-lasting effect save money if you have to buy 2 sets? Wouldn't having duallies mean your load capacity would be less, or smaller dimensions?
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
pjjjjj said:
Ya, I still don't get the duallies thing. So you can have cheaper tires? So your tires don't wear out so fast, but you have to buy 2 rear sets, so does that longer-lasting effect save money if you have to buy 2 sets? Wouldn't having duallies mean your load capacity would be less, or smaller dimensions?
Click to expand...

NO...more tires on the road meaning you can carry more weight!!
 
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