Which truck signs do I need to worry about?

My philosophy is this:

Truck signs that refer to commerce eg. weigh stations, Port of Entry don't apply to me.

Truck signs that refer to highway safety apply to me because at 26,000 lbs my motorhome is a truck!

Some states make insects check on RV and boats and those usually are done at port of entry. This has nothing to do with commercial checks.

mericksonjr wrote:
So what about stopping at weigh stations and port of entries? Do you have to do that?

Only if there is a sign specifically saying RV's must stop. I only saw that one time and it was someplace along I-80 in either Nebraska or Wyoming or someplace up there. There was a sign saying Private RV's must stop at the scales, but when I got to the scales they were closed.

mericksonjr wrote:
So what about stopping at weigh stations and port of entries? Do you have to do that?

Mericksonjr, what I do, is fly by the weigh stations as they are for commercial trucks. The 'port of entry' stops usually funnel everyone into the inspection station so you really don't have a choice. Otherwise, we would pass them.

Our coach even has a plaque on the side that says 'Private Coach' so if a LEO comes up for any reason, they will know that we are not commercial.

MM.

So what about stopping at weigh stations and port of entries? Do you have to do that?

Per your signature you're in a 45 foot RV with a toad. So although truck signs may not apply to you, many of them are there because the road ahead is not wide enough or high enough or of sufficient strength to support a truck. Many truck signs are also designed to keep trucks on designated routes so as to keep the heavy commercial traffic out of residential and business districts. You don't have to worry about those. In California, since you are over 40 feet, you are prohibited from driving on certain roads. However, there are no signs on those roads that tell you that. Instead you are supposed to know when you see the sign that says "No Trucks over 26' Kingpin to Rear Axle" that also means no motorhomes or busses over 40'.

It is useful to follow truck routes and pay attention to "No Trucks Over ..." going into or through towns because there may be clearance or weight limit issues. Often these restrictions are for safety or noise control, but sometimes there are real physical limits. There are still a lot of rail underpasses along the routes of 1930s-built highways where a 12-16 foot wide roadway goes under a structure with 8 to 12 feet of clearance. There are even more narrow bridges with 6 to 10 ton weight limits, and a few that have gone down to as low as 4 tons before the bridge and route were finally closed.

Another thing I've encountered off highways, getting into through streets in urban areas, is low tree limbs. If the street is a bus route, limbs might be trimmed to bus height, but a lot of our RVs are taller than modern low-floor transit buses, or even school buses and sanitation trucks that regularly use those roads. My city has a "trim anything lower than 12 feet" rule, but limbs might droop over the roadway to 8-10 feet near the curb before anybody gets a citation, and branches start growing back into this space as soon as they are trimmed.

Case by case, you need to figure out whether the rule is about regulation of commercial traffic, is it about managing safety of large vehicles in the traffic mix, or is it about physical limitations.

There are not enough RVs on the road to make it worthwhile to change signs to read "Trucks, Busses, RVs and other large vehicles" which is what is sometimes intended by "Trucks." And there are other times when the "Trucks" prohibition includes privately owned pickups and vans, as on some of the boulevards in Chicago and its northern suburbs.

I will follow most of the signs that are designated for trucks, except weigh stations/inspection stations - those are for commercial, unless they say ALL Vehicles w/o exception. Truck signs are generally designed for heavy and tall vehicles, of which my RV is both.

All truck signs are actually a very good clue as to what's ahead - IE Trucks use Low Gear 8% Grade. Most of the time with the Trucks only Right 2 Lanes (Or Vehicles >10k lbs) is on roads with 4 lanes each side, and they are trying to limit the damage to the road surface from the weight of the vehicles. Also the construction of the road may be why. You'll even see Trucks LEFT LANE ONLY on a standard 2 lane per side road - again damage control/road construction.

Some of the exclusion signs like No Trucks between 8am-8pm you'd have to look at to see why. Sometimes these are due to traffic conditions or narrow lanes with heavy traffic, or noise.

Even on Tollways, I'll use Truck Lanes at the toll stations - Wider, Taller and the toll attendant is up or slightly taller - all around easier. International, it's a little different, but generally they are where you need to be, COMMERCIAL ONLY, I'll avoid unless waived over.

We have both yellow and red/white.
Tennessee:
Traffic Sign Color Tips

Traffic sign colors can clue you into what you might need to do on the road.

Below you’ll find a list of common traffic sign colors and their meanings:

Red. Almost always, red means stop! A red traffic sign either signals you to stop your vehicle or prohibits entry.
Green: Green means go! A green traffic sign signals that you can proceed, or provides you with direction on where to proceed.
Yellow: Yellow stands for caution. A yellow traffic sign serves as a general warning.
Black and White: Black and white traffic signs provide posted regulations (i.e., speed limits).
Orange: Orange signals construction time! If you see an orange traffic sign, you will likely encounter construction or road maintenance ahead.
Brown: Brown traffic signs reference local recreation areas or scenic points of interest.
Blue: Blue stands for guidance. Blue traffic signs often offer information to assist motorists.
Traffic Sign Shape Tips

The shape of a traffic sign can often signal its meaning. For example:

An octagon signals the need to stop.
An upside down triangle always means “yield.”
A diamond always warns of possible hazards ahead.
Pennant-shaped traffic signs serve as advanced warning of no passing zones.
Round stands for railroad. When you see a round traffic sign, you will likely see a railroad crossing.
A pentagon signals a school zone ahead or a school crossing zone.
Horizontal rectangles typically provide guidance to drivers.
Vertical rectangle usually serve as regulatory notices