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Re: What rules for Canadian pickup towing utility trailer in US?
Haha. You're preaching to the choir on the MTO. Exactly why I said I wouldn't act on what they told me without seeing it in print. Ask 3 MTO people and you'll get 3 different answers. Everything I have asserted as fact, I've read in the Act and Regulations. The conjecture I've identified as such, including having been told by MTO guy. Andy is the first guy I go to for hitch advice, definitely. He probably even knows the rules, but I'd still read them for myself. Note that the requirement to include the trailer weight only kicks in if the actual weight on the road of the axles exceeds 2800kg. (Reg 628 1.(1)) That's a pretty big Airstream. AND, there may well be an exemption somewhere for RV trailers too, I just haven't seen one so I make no assertion either way. In case you weren't aware, in 2011 they modified the Class G definition (again) to remove the need for a restricted 'A' for RV 5th wheels over 4600kg if the total rig is under 11000kg. That removed the need for a lot of the FW drivers to have the restricted 'A'. Not for a big loaded toy hauler though! The rules are a mess here and constantly changing! Exactly why I decided to investigate the US rules so I can go moderately well-informed.1.1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: What rules for Canadian pickup towing utility trailer in US?
shum02, I'm familiar with the reciprocity on drivers licenses. That's no problem. My truck is in fact commercial though due to its weight. Look at section 16 of the Act if you want to read the definition. It kicks in at 4500kg. Ontario rules have changed recently. I researched them carefully for me since a number of my friends were pulled over and fined. So my 15yr old approach of "ignorance is bliss" was showing its weakness! It was expensive research as my truck plate costs me $650/yr now because my total weight is over 10K kg. (Yes, I'm legal with a class G license as my trailer is under 4600kg.) I was already doing most of the annual inspection work every spring anyway so the added cost for the stickers wasn't much for me. I was told by one MTO person that RGW must now include both the truck & trailer whether it's an RV trailer or not. I don't know if that's correct or if affects you anyway but I'll toss it out there. I personally would want to see that in print before I paid to register the weight of an RV trailer with my truck. ...Fred1.1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: What rules for Canadian pickup towing utility trailer in US?
Weigh Scales With my camper on the truck and the trailer in tow I've been driving by them on both sides of the border unmolested for years. I'm undecided about pulling in to them with the empty truck and the trailer in tow. I will probably get some "not for hire" magnetic signs and take my chances. FYI, here in Ontario everyone with commercial plates and weight over 10,000 lbs is legally required to pull in, including pickups. I spoke with an enforcement officer at a social event and was told to stay out. They don't want you in there and you'll just annoy them, which has the potential to end badly. BTW, they know most truck camper rigs are overweight on the rear axle (not me!) but they still don't want you in the scales. Of course they could chase you down when you drive by and charge you! How absurd. The laws here are a mess re personal trucks and RVs.1.1KViews0likes0CommentsRe: What rules for Canadian pickup towing utility trailer in US?
First, thanks to all for your input. I didn't realize that some states also require pickups to be plated as commercial so it's not just some Canadian vehicles with this issue. Second, some people seem to base their responses on how my rig looks in my sig picture. I've been driving through the US for years like that and not worried about it at all. I look like an RV and figured they would not care. I also know I'm (barely) OK on my weight limits. There won't be any resemblance to an RV when towing with an empty pickup box pulling that trailer. Wadcutter, thanks very much for the insight. There's no commercial aspect to what I'm doing except for my truck plates. I'm not hauling for sale, rental, possible prize money, nothing like that. Just for the novelty of driving around Florida with a Model T and our friends there. This brings a little clarity, which is obvious, but I'd not seen. Yes, I know there is reciprocity re my drivers license and since I can legally drive my rig here without a CDL that will be true elsewhere in N America too. Similarly my valid vehicle registration will be respected. But what we are really talking about are the rules of operation on the road. Those have to be followed based on the jurisdiction you're in. I'll poke away at it a bit more but this has been a big help.1.1KViews0likes0CommentsWhat rules for Canadian pickup towing utility trailer in US?
I can't find where to get answers to this. In Ontario, Canada all pickup trucks are registered as commercial vehicles. No choice. I'd like to use my pickup (without the truck camper loaded) to tow one or two cars (plated in my name) in my enclosed utility trailer to Florida for the winter. While in Ontario I am exempted from log books, inspection records, and most other commercial rules as I meet some specific "personal use" parameters in Ontario law. I doubt those personal use exemptions are relevant in the US. Since my truck is registered as commercial I'll look just like a hot shot driver going down the road. I understand that US residents choose whether to license their trucks as personal or commercial. (How logical!!) And they put those "not for hire" signs out to clarify. My issue is how can I legally go through the US with my "commercial" pickup truck and utility trailer? If I have to do weigh scales, logs, etc. and risk fines/delays for my newbie mistakes, it is probably not worth it. Anyone know where I can get this information? Thanks, Fred5.7KViews0likes22CommentsRe: To TC'ers who have bought new trucks
I'm seriously jealous of the class 4/5 trucks you're talking about. I wanted to buy a class 5 C&C and add a truck camper body -- until I found out how my home jurisdiction of Ontario, Canada treats such rigs. A CDL is bad enough, but all the paperwork required such as pre-trip inspections, log books, commercial operator records, etc. just wasn't worth it for me. I bought a 3500 with pickup box and live with the limitations. I didn't really want slides anyway. Since no one has mentioned any of this I presume you are lucky enough to have some sort of RV exemption. ...Fred484Views0likes0CommentsRe: Ontario License Plate - Still hard to get!!!!
JaxDad wrote: each have several specialized Commercial Vehicle Enforcement units with specialized vehicles complete with portable scales, jacks, tools, etc., everything they need to be 'truck cops' Yikes! I had no idea they were allocating so many resources to this. I presumed they were just briefing officers to write some easy tickets. Do we really need to fund two groups patrolling the same highways for the same infractions??? One was created for exactly that purpose and the other wasn't. What a waste!672Views0likes0CommentsRe: Ontario License Plate - Still hard to get!!!!
portliz wrote: They can pull the 5th wheel but not the utility trailer without a safety inspection of both truck and trailer. Several people have been told by police or MTO that when towing an RV trailer with a pickup, the pickup does not need an inspection sticker. From reading Reg 611 "Safety Inspections" I'm not convinced this is the law. There is a clear exemption for the trailer not needing the inspection but I don't see anything that would exempt the truck when towing such a trailer if the combined gross weight is over 4500kg. Maybe this is one of those conventions they've adopted? Seems funny though if they're cracking down on empty duallies they wouldn't start to care about them when actually towing an RV is that's in fact the law. It all makes my head hurt.672Views0likes0CommentsRe: Ontario License Plate - Still hard to get!!!!
The cynic in me thinks this is about revenue too. I didn't include that in my post simply because a friend of mine was stopped by police in Peterborough recently for having no sticker on his dually. However he was given several days to complete the inspection and avoid the fine. When he returned with the paperwork the person on duty said that officer had stopped at least a dozen duallies on that one day. Now when doing something wrong we're fair game. I get that but this sounds like such a poor use of police resources.674Views0likes0CommentsRe: Ontario License Plate - Still hard to get!!!!
An MTO manager told me in 06 that 6000kg rule was coming. At the time I was considering a cab & chassis with a custom body. I decided to go with 3500 pickup to stay legit and just live with the lower payload. When I asked an MTO manager recently if changes were coming for RVs because I noted the RV FAQs had been removed from the MTO website. He told me the issue was that some of those FAQs were just policies adopted by the MTO staff rather than actual laws. For some reason, and MTO staff doesn't seem to be pleased about it either, police forces have started enforcing many things that were traditionally handled only by MTO enforcement officers. Police enforce the Highway Traffic Act. They often aren't even aware of such policies that the MTO adopted over time. So MTO removed these to avoid conflicting messages. That made things a little worse for some RVers. ...Fred672Views0likes0Comments
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