Double towing in Ontario

troubledwaters wrote:

Geodude wrote:
shum, actually in Ontario, under the Ontario Automobile Policy (https://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/en/auto/forms/Pages/oap1_forms.aspx) your insurance company won't pay if you're impaired by drugs or alcohol, convicted of certain offences under the Criminal Code relating to driving or any similar offence in Canada or the US (e.g. causing bodily harm, dangerous operation, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, operating a motor vehicle when disqualified). As well, racing or illegal activity, or driving when not authorized by law...

It doesn't say anything like that in your link. Not even close.

Oops, I could have posted a better link, directly to the document. Here it is. Look at section 7.2. This is exactly how it works in Ontario:

https://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/en/auto/forms/Documents/OAP-1-Application-and-Endorsement-Forms/1215E.2.pdf

Geodude wrote:
shum, actually in Ontario, under the Ontario Automobile Policy (https://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/en/auto/forms/Pages/oap1_forms.aspx) your insurance company won't pay if you're impaired by drugs or alcohol, convicted of certain offences under the Criminal Code relating to driving or any similar offence in Canada or the US (e.g. causing bodily harm, dangerous operation, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, operating a motor vehicle when disqualified). As well, racing or illegal activity, or driving when not authorized by law...

It doesn't say anything like that in your link. Not even close.

Thanks for your post Wadcutter. I don't plan to double tow outside of my home province. I think it's imperative that we understand the laws in the states and provinces that we travel especially if we plan to double tow.
Thankfully I got a response from the Ministry of Transportation so I now have an understanding of the law as it applies in my home province.

packnrat wrote:
this is a old argument.
towing doubles is legal in all 50 states. pending.
first:
one must have a class A driving permit.(some states require it to also be a commercial class A, with doubles endorsement)
second:
the tow must be a pickup truck, (most states require them to be registered as commercial). yes you can register as another,(show, rv) but you must jump through a bunch of hoops to get and keep that way.
third:
MUST not exceed the trucks gvwr. (so must be at a min a 3/4 ton. better 1 ton-up).
forth:
can not be longer than (65 feet--bumper to bumper-- in ca). your state?
fifth:
most states require the first trailer to be a fifth wheel.
sixth:
got proper insurance?
seventh:
some states require the second trailer to have active, not just surge brakes.
eighth:??
now this is for the USA, sorry can not say for canada.
there are some roads and minor hwy's with size, width and length restrictions across this country. some due to bad, or reduced, clearances, or rd conditions or weather can prohibit double towing.
but on all interstate and most state hwy's it is legal to double tow pending the above.
this is from what i have read on some states laws,(not read up on every state, to many laws to search out here), talking to fed and state dot officers and dot inspectors.
i know personally no problem in these western states. Ca, Or, Wa, Nv, Az, as i have not had any problems, from state, fed, local, or tribal police agency's. been too many miles to not have been seen by all of them.

Disregard all this quoted above. There's so much wrong posted there it's hard to say where to start.
Double towing is NOT legal in every state. It doesn't matter whether on an interstate or not. You have to comply with the law in the state you are traveling.
DL requirement - wrong.
Pickup requirement - wrong.
GVWR - wrong.
Length - wrong.
I hated when people called wanting to know "can I tow this?". They didn't want to know what was legal. They wanted someone to tell them it was OK. When you told them they couldn't tow that combination legally then they'd want to argue what they wanted the law to be. They just wanted to OK what they were doing, they didn't really care if it was legal. Or they didn't listen. Or they didn't or wasn't capable of understanding what they were told.
People do not understand the difference between commercial and non-commercial hauling. Those are 2 very different sets of laws. Just having a commercial DL does NOT make it a commercial tow. If you aren't towing for hire, ie, getting paid to move a trailer from point A to point B, then you are NOT commercial. If it's your personal RV and you're on vacation then you are NOT commercial. As such the laws for commercial haul/tow do not apply. Forget those laws even exist. They are totally irrelevant to the RVer. People don't understand the differences which sure sounds like above. Same type of resopnses I use to here almost daily.
Do you really think you want to claim commercial status? If you think that then you really don't have a clue about commercial towing laws. Just ask someone who is a long haul commercial driver. Ask them all the laws they have to comply with hauling commercial that you as an RVer don't have to mess with.
You still want to claim commercial? Be prepared. You'll run out of money before I run out of tickets.
Why did I stop you? Don't need a reason. You're commercial.
Open your trailer for inspection. You're commercial. Don't need a reason.
Where's your medical card?
Where's your motor fuel stamp?
Where's your log book?
Is that your wife in the truck with you?
Where's your letter of authorization permitting you to carry a passenger?
Where's your log book? How many hours have you driven today? This week? When was your last rest period?
You wear glasses? Where's your extra pair?
Where's the ID placard on the side of your truck?
Where's your ICC number?
That's just a few for starters. The FMCSA book is over an inch thick. We'll end up going thru each page.
Just FYI, I was one of 2 of the first FMCSA certified Troops in the state. I taught truck law. I was recognized by the courts as an expert in truck law. I gave presentations nationally on truck law and enforcement.

this is a old argument.
towing doubles is legal in all 50 states. pending.

first:
one must have a class A driving permit.(some states require it to also be a commercial class A, with doubles endorsement)

second:
the tow must be a pickup truck, (most states require them to be registered as commercial). yes you can register as another,(show, rv) but you must jump through a bunch of hoops to get and keep that way.

third:
MUST not exceed the trucks gvwr. (so must be at a min a 3/4 ton. better 1 ton-up).

forth:
can not be longer than (65 feet--bumper to bumper-- in ca). your state?

fifth:
most states require the first trailer to be a fifth wheel.

sixth:
got proper insurance?

seventh:
some states require the second trailer to have active, not just surge brakes.

eighth:??

now this is for the USA, sorry can not say for canada.

there are some roads and minor hwy's with size, width and length restrictions across this country. some due to bad, or reduced, clearances, or rd conditions or weather can prohibit double towing.

but on all interstate and most state hwy's it is legal to double tow pending the above.

this is from what i have read on some states laws,(not read up on every state, to many laws to search out here), talking to fed and state dot officers and dot inspectors.
i know personally no problem in these western states. Ca, Or, Wa, Nv, Az, as i have not had any problems, from state, fed, local, or tribal police agency's. been too many miles to not have been seen by all of them.

BTW, that last statement, I presume it means if any of us are towing our rigs and they weigh more than permitted by our driver's licence, then we might be considered not authorized.

JFI..... your weighted drivers license means nothing as far as how much your rig weighs in some states like mine. We have no weights to register the vehicle or nor is one on our drivers license in OK.

If your stopped here a LEO checks to make sure you have a valid drivers license and the vehicle(s) has registration papers so it can be legally driven on the road. Like a OK state troop captain says.....out of state non commercial vehicle's with weighted papers/license means nothing here. Just in that state/province that issued them.

I doubt there are as many overweight truck/trailer combos on the road as many RV folks claim. Hell the vast majority of RV folks have no idea what a legally overloaded vehicle criteria is nor can they tell by looking the truck was overloaded.

I agree Geodude. Best to stay within the law. There’s too much to lose.

shum02 wrote:

The insurance company will pay if you are drunk, speeding AND over the limit. Will you ever get insurance again????.........Sure, you'll just have to pay through the nose.

Shum, actually in Ontario, under the Ontario Automobile Policy (https://www.fsco.gov.on.ca/en/auto/forms/Pages/oap1_forms.aspx) your insurance company won't pay if you're impaired by drugs or alcohol, convicted of certain offences under the Criminal Code relating to driving or any similar offence in Canada or the US (e.g. causing bodily harm, dangerous operation, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, operating a motor vehicle when disqualified). As well, racing or illegal activity, or driving when not authorized by law.

BTW, that last statement, I presume it means if any of us are towing our rigs and they weigh more than permitted by our driver's licence, then we might be considered not authorized.

This is why I bought the GMC 3500 dually and not the Ford -- the GMC has a GVWR under 6000 kgs unlike the Ford, which is over. For the newest Ford duallies you need to have a CVOR. So in Ontario the GMC is a pickup truck under the HTA, the Ford dually is not. No personal use exemption on the Ford.

And as much as my charming better half would like a trailer with a couple more specific amenities, I told her it ain't gonna happen because we only have about 500 lbs to spare on my class G licence and I don't want to get into the Class A(R) licence.

laknox wrote:

goducks10 wrote:
I gave up riding motorcycles when I saw all the overweight RV'ers on the road.

Yep. A =lot= of RVers need to diet, that's for sure! :B

Lyle

....but the salesman said it would be ok;)

goducks10 wrote:
I gave up riding motorcycles when I saw all the overweight RV'ers on the road.

Yep. A =lot= of RVers need to diet, that's for sure! :B

Lyle