VA. Updated GVW law

60MPH · Nov 28, 2011

Found out the other day that the state of VA. updated there GVW law regarding what is and is not a TRUCK. If you have over a GVW of 7500 pounds and your vehicle is used for property carrying (which we do) you ARE to cross the scales and abide by ALL TRUCK laws (no not the over 10k DOT rules). Do not get caught in the left lane if it is posted no COMMERCIAL vehicles like it is on I-95 from the W/W bridge (MD. state line) all the way to 2 miles north of the I-295 split north of Richmond.

I got popped in the HOV lanes heading south past the scale house around the 154 mile marker on I-95. I did not get a ticket but was warned that I must exit the HOV lanes 1 exit before the scale and cross the scales. If you are in the HOV lanes there is a sign telling you ALL TRUCKS MUST EXIT.

FYI I live 2 miles behind that scale and have never (until the other day) been pulled over in the HOV lanes(which TRUCKS can roll in) and have NEVER crossed those scales in a van.

I thought ya should know if ya travel in VA. Will I cross the scales?? YES being that I have personally been warned.

ntimevan · Nov 28, 2011

Huh i guess i got lucky, i went through there last monday morning. I was in the center lane and the scale was open. Picked up my load in Richmond and headed to Auburn, Al. NEXT time I'm in the area I will have to PAY MORE attention to the SIGNS.

greg334 · Nov 28, 2011

Sorry but you know that vans are not CMVs.

Moot · Nov 28, 2011

60MPH said:
I got popped in the HOV lanes heading south past the scale house around the 154 mile marker on I-95.

What were you doing in the HOV lane? Are you sure you didn't get "popped" for being in the HOV lane?

60MPH · Nov 28, 2011

MOOT it was before the restricted hours and TRUCKS are aloud to run the HOV lanes during unrestricted hours but you must exit 1 exit before the scales if heading south.

60MPH · Nov 28, 2011

greg334 said:
Sorry but you know that vans are not CMVs.

DID NOT SAY THEY WERE CMV'S I said in VA. you are considered a TRUCK!!! if you are over 7500 GVW and are used for property carrying. I even went as far a stating in the OP that you do not follow over 10k DOT RULES.

Also the scales say ALL TRUCKS MUST CROSS SCALES!!!

As for the left lane restiction some of the signs say COMMERCIAL and some say TRUCKS and some say over 13 TONS take your pick if you want to run the left lane on the strech I listed in the OP.

CALL RICHMOND and ask for MOTOR CARRIER ENFORCEMENT, they will inform you of the updated law it was updated in June of this year. 804-674-2000

greg334 · Nov 28, 2011

Whoa there, I understand I just threw that in for the heck of it but those who seem to think that the FMCSA rules always apply.

60MPH · Nov 28, 2011

I have a OHIO TRUCK tag and that is the sole reason why I was pulled over, he was sitting in the HOV lanes waiting for what VA. now considers TRUCKS. Was told they have been partoling this zone since early July of this year. As I stated earlier I live 2 miles from there and I usually exit before the scale to go home, but I was on a load and was dropping in Ashland so I got popped just past the SB scale house.

60MPH · Nov 28, 2011

greg334 said:
Whoa there, I understand I just threw that in for the heck of it but those who seem to think that the FMCSA rules always apply.

Sorry Greg I took you post the wrong way. Did not mean to shout.

I am also going for the unit most pulled over and not ticketed in a years time, So far this year 8 times and no tickets. This is just this year:

4 times window tint

1 suspicious vehicle, runnig 60 in the 75 @ 3 a.m. in a deer infested area no less

1 on the Belt Parkway, had deacals on my unit at that time. Don't anymore because of that. Not a truck in NY.

1 for failure to stop at scale house.

purgoose10 · Nov 28, 2011

Well if more states follow suit it will be even harder to load a C/Van going threw VA. It looks like the future will start putting more 12,500 GVW trucks on the road.

Logging

RoadTime · Nov 28, 2011

http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/pdf/dmv109.pdf

Weight Inspection Requirement
Operators of trucks having a registered gross weight in excess
of 7,500 pounds are required by law to drive their vehicles
onto scales for weight inspection as directed by either a law
enforcement officer or by a regulatory highway sign. A law
enforcement officer may require the operator of a truck
to drive a distance of up to 10 road miles to a permanent
weighing station for weight inspection. Refusal to drive onto
the scales for inspection is a misdemeanor.
Tow Trucks Not Engaged in Towing Another Vehicle
Trucks designed and equipped for towing inoperative or
disabled vehicles do not need to be weighed at motor carrier
service centers (weigh stations) if the truck is not engaged in
towing another vehicle.

...so +10k tow trucks (which are trucks) don't have to stop if they are not in tow. But a small van (which is a van not a Truck) is suppose to stop?
Sounds like they don't understand their own rules. Nothing I could find on the state site leads me to believe that this is true for vans

nightcreacher · Nov 28, 2011

60MPH said:
Sorry Greg I took you post the wrong way. Did not mean to shout.

I am also going for the unit most pulled over and not ticketed in a years time, So far this year 8 times and no tickets. This is just this year:

4 times window tint

1 suspicious vehicle, runnig 60 in the 75 @ 3 a.m. in a deer infested area no less

1 on the Belt Parkway, had deacals on my unit at that time. Don't anymore because of that. Not a truck in NY.

1 for failure to stop at scale house.

hate to see your csa score

60MPH · Nov 28, 2011

RoadTime said:
http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/pdf/dmv109.pdf

Weight Inspection Requirement
Operators of trucks having a registered gross weight in excess
of 7,500 pounds are required by law to drive their vehicles
onto scales for weight inspection as directed by either a law
enforcement officer or by a regulatory highway sign. A law
enforcement officer may require the operator of a truck
to drive a distance of up to 10 road miles to a permanent
weighing station for weight inspection. Refusal to drive onto
the scales for inspection is a misdemeanor.
Tow Trucks Not Engaged in Towing Another Vehicle
Trucks designed and equipped for towing inoperative or
disabled vehicles do not need to be weighed at motor carrier
service centers (weigh stations) if the truck is not engaged in
towing another vehicle.

...so +10k tow trucks (which are trucks) don't have to stop if they are not in tow. But a small van (which is a van not a Truck) is suppose to stop?
Sounds like they don't understand their own rules. Nothing I could find on the state site leads me to believe that this is true for vans

Your last line what do you mean by that this is not true for vans?? Clear as day all TRUCKS above 7500 gvw must cross. In VA. you are a TRUCK if you carry property, there are a few other things that can make a van a TRUCK but the property carrying is the biggest because that is what expedite vans do.

Look up what VA. considers a truck to be. I posted it in post 16 on the next page.

60MPH · Nov 28, 2011

nightcreacher said:
hate to see your csa score

No warnings formally wrote

Just advised.

greg334 · Nov 28, 2011

Tow Trucks usually have some connection to the local LEOs so the same goes for Michigan, they are exempt.

However I wonder about buses, they are hauling for money so aren't they also CMVs?

60MPH · Nov 28, 2011

Here is the definition for what VA. calls a truck from the

CODE OF VA. site. 46.2-100

"Truck" means every motor vehicle designed to transport property on its own structure independent of any other vehicle and having a registered gross weight in excess of 7,500 pounds.

blizzard2014 · Nov 28, 2011

60MPH said:
Here is the definition for what VA. calls a truck from the

CODE OF VA. site. 46.2-100

"Truck" means every motor vehicle designed to transport property on its own structure independent of any other vehicle and having a registered gross weight in excess of 7,500 pounds.

Someone is trying to tell you something. The higher powers that be are trying to tell you that you are much to intelligent to waste your life away in a cargo van. There could be better things in your future.

60MPH · Nov 28, 2011

blizzard said:
Someone is trying to tell you something. The higher powers that be are trying to tell you that you are much to intelligent to waste your life away in a cargo van. There could be better things in your future.

What move back into a real TRUCK with air horns and a big ol' shifter, LOL

comet_4298 · Nov 28, 2011

I just went and got my new registration(this month) and when I was at the window they told me the Sprinter Van was changed from a van to a truck body (on the registration).......so they might be some changes coming.

moose · Nov 28, 2011

60MPH said:
4 times window tint

1 suspicious vehicle, runnig 60 in the 75 @ 3 a.m. in a deer infested area no less

1 on the Belt Parkway, had deacals on my unit at that time. Don't anymore because of that. Not a truck in NY.

1 for failure to stop at scale house.

I'd Bethya'h some of those so called 'warning' ended up on your carrier SMS scoreboard .
just enter usdot# on top right.

SMS - Safety Measurement System