DPS stopping tow rigs in Texas

[uhcougs]

It would be really good of the tracks to maybe contact there local DPS district offices and see if they can't get an officer or an expert in the subject from DPS to come out and go over the rules and regs for rigs. Then maybe DPS and tracks can work out some sort of "hauling race cars in the state of texas" pamphlet. with all of the racing that goes on in this state. I mean - they have boaters guides and what not, why not this? It won't happen over night but if racers and tracks (dirt and asphalt) all take some initiative in this situation, DPS may recognize that. Not that it will help individuals, but if there were a pamphlet, almost every trooper would carry it in there trunk, and have to be familiar with it during there training. Just like all the other stuff troopers carry.

[dancer52]

Ok...I guess what I meant to say is, for commercial you must intend to make a profit. There is no way...even if the purse was triple current standards I could intend to make a profit....

[landlord]

Ok...I guess what I meant to say is, for commercial you must intend to make a profit. There is no way...even if the purse was triple current standards I could intend to make a profit....

I knew what you were trying to say and all that has been said to the troopers at the florida line.To them the sponsors on the side of the trailer or car was enough to consider you commercial.

[dancer52]

Ok...I guess what I meant to say is, for commercial you must intend to make a profit. There is no way...even if the purse was triple current standards I could intend to make a profit....

I knew what you were trying to say and all that has been said to the troopers at the florida line.To them the sponsors on the side of the trailer or car was enough to consider you commercial.

 

Yeah, I remember reading that....that's why we decided not to decorate the outside of the trailer at all...As for sponsors, got to have em to even consider putting them on there...lol

[racer61]

Im trying not to beat a dead horse but I called the inspection department at DPS and this is what they told me as it would apply to racers.

Inside the state of Texas the combined GVW that requires a CDL is 26,800 lbs. Thats well documented. The sticky part is that even though your truck and trailer are privately owned, in auto racing we are considered commercial due to the fact that we may (MAY) win monetary compensation. Be it 5,000 dollars or 5 dollars. Therefore a CDL is required for racers. Size of trailer seems to be a mute point at that time.(that part sux)

Once you cross out of your home state(which in our case is Texas) that total drops to 10,000 pounds in which a CDL IS required. Racing or just traveling. That is GVW. If you check you will find that every one ton truck on the road has a GVW of more than 10K. So by the letter of the law, a one ton outside of its home state without a trailer is required a CDL. Markings or no markings. Its not a matter of intent, its a matter of capability. This was given to me straight from The Department of Public Safety. He did say that rarely will a single vehicle be inspected unless it was stopped for traffic violations. If you are pulling an RV trailer none of the above applies due to an RV not being considered commercial.

Hope this helps.

[Mona]

Im trying not to beat a dead horse but I called the inspection department at DPS and this is what they told me as it would apply to racers.

Inside the state of Texas the combined GVW that requires a CDL is 26,800 lbs. Thats well documented. The sticky part is that even though your truck and trailer are privately owned, in auto racing we are considered commercial due to the fact that we may (MAY) win monetary compensation. Be it 5,000 dollars or 5 dollars. Therefore a CDL is required for racers. Size of trailer seems to be a mute point at that time.(that part sux)

Once you cross out of your home state(which in our case is Texas) that total drops to 10,000 pounds in which a CDL IS required. Racing or just traveling. That is GVW.

 

I have never heard of the GVW being 10,000 pounds for a CDL if you cross out of the state of Texas. The weight remains at 26,001 by Federal Regulations for a CDL. But as I stated earlier, if you use the vehicle to make money, it is considered Commercial, no matter the size. I have had this battle with the troopers before. Many troopers don't want to waste time on the small rigs unless they meet up with some one that is uncooperative, then they will throw the book at them.

[jracer98]

in auto racing we are considered commercial due to the fact that we may (MAY) win monetary compensation. Be it 5,000 dollars or 5 dollars. Therefore a CDL is required for racers. Size of trailer seems to be a mute point at that time.(that part sux)

 

oh swell...

So, SCCA and other club racers get a total pass on this because they race for "trophies" ? Hmmmm....

 

Jay

[landlord]

Just leave the sponsors logo off the car and trailer and things should be fine!!!!!What a crock!!!!!!!!

[JRfan]

this topic is kinda of iffy because i can actually see it from both sides. now i'm not an officer of the law or any thing so that's not what i'm talking about. i understand that we believe we should all be allowed to haul our "privately owned and opperated" racecars around. that i agree with, but i also think that just like the amount of money everybody is spending on their cars, they also think they have to go all out with the haulers. a few weeks ago i saw a stacker trailer and all it was carring was a legends car just a little overkill. not to say anything bad about those that can afford it, because if you can affor it go for it. but if you were driving down the highway and saw a little old 90 yr old man driving a duelly hauling a 48' gooseneck that doesn't seem vey safe from the outside. and by the way everybody seems to be talking that would be perfectly legal. our racing haulers are getting very big and the state is doing what they need to do to make sure that those driving them are able and qualified to do so. cant blame them for that. jmo

[landlord]

this topic is kinda of iffy because i can actually see it from both sides. now i'm not an officer of the law or any thing so that's not what i'm talking about. i understand that we believe we should all be allowed to haul our "privately owned and opperated" racecars around. that i agree with, but i also think that just like the amount of money everybody is spending on their cars, they also think they have to go all out with the haulers. a few weeks ago i saw a stacker trailer and all it was carring was a legends car just a little overkill. not to say anything bad about those that can afford it, because if you can affor it go for it. but if you were driving down the highway and saw a little old 90 yr old man driving a duelly hauling a 48' gooseneck that doesn't seem vey safe from the outside. and by the way everybody seems to be talking that would be perfectly legal. our racing haulers are getting very big and the state is doing what they need to do to make sure that those driving them are able and qualified to do so. cant blame them for that. jmo

If I am not driving to make money,I am NOT commercial and should not be required to have a CDL.I am not buying the weight crap neither if they are not going to enforce it on the RVs,why enforce it on the enclosed trailers.A good friend of mine has a 40' travel trailer with 4 pop outs that weighs 28,000 by itself(B.T.W. his 81 yr old dad pulls it better than him).All they are after is the revenue!!!!!!

[KISS_Racing]

this topic is kinda of iffy because i can actually see it from both sides. now i'm not an officer of the law or any thing so that's not what i'm talking about. i understand that we believe we should all be allowed to haul our "privately owned and opperated" racecars around. that i agree with, but i also think that just like the amount of money everybody is spending on their cars, they also think they have to go all out with the haulers. a few weeks ago i saw a stacker trailer and all it was carring was a legends car just a little overkill. not to say anything bad about those that can afford it, because if you can affor it go for it. but if you were driving down the highway and saw a little old 90 yr old man driving a duelly hauling a 48' gooseneck that doesn't seem vey safe from the outside. and by the way everybody seems to be talking that would be perfectly legal. our racing haulers are getting very big and the state is doing what they need to do to make sure that those driving them are able and qualified to do so. cant blame them for that. jmo

 

I might be a little off on this, but I think it's three legends cars, a Scion xB and a really sweet golf cart all wrapped to the hilt... Nice group of folks....

 

Here's the bottom line... The state and federal government are taxing and dictating everything we due there days. One thing that was brought up earlier that not many have caught is that the state of Texas is now requiring state inspection stickers on many types of trailers. I know someone who was pulled over by an SAPD officer and give a ticket for no state inspection on the trailer. They took the ticket in to fight it and were asked how they were planning on paying....

 

What is next?

[ProTree]

the problem is,over the last few years,racing rigs have gotten bigger and bigger and started to get more and more attention from d.o.t..It has also caused another problem in racing, in order to hold a national or divisional event,the venues that are holding races have to have more and more acreage to hold all these massive units.Then when the events are over, the track owners are left with major expensive repairs to their asphalt pits from the mega units turning on a dime,the heavy weight ripping and buckling the pavement during extreme heat and landing gears from trailers and mega motorhomes punching holes right through the pavement.Track owners end up with thousands and thousands of dollars of extra expenses out of their profit they werent counting on.

[landlord]

the problem is,over the last few years,racing rigs have gotten bigger and bigger and started to get more and more attention from d.o.t..It has also caused another problem in racing, in order to hold a national or divisional event,the venues that are holding races have to have more and more acreage to hold all these massive units.Then when the events are over, the track owners are left with major expensive repairs to their asphalt pits from the mega units turning on a dime,the heavy weight ripping and buckling the pavement during extreme heat and landing gears from trailers and mega motorhomes punching holes right through the pavement.Track owners end up with thousands and thousands of dollars of extra expenses out of their profit they werent counting on.

I am sure most tracks give the job to the lowest bidder and alot times in construction you get what you pay for.This is all legitimate problems with heavy rigs and asphault(especially if not installed correctly).The sad thing is if you are racing out of town and want to try and be competetive you almost have to have a big trailer.To start with you have to bring 2 cars(a primary and a rolling parts bin)the roll off tool boxs keep gettin bigger every race but even a small one is big.Jacks/stands/Rims/tires and a rolling tire rack with at least 2 nitrogen bottles.Add some cabinets,bbq pit,canopy,icechest a generator and a 44'gooseneck is full.We don't even have room for a push vehicle and its hill country out east,so that adds to the fatigue.The only answere is obvious of coarse,GET A BIGGER TRAILER!!!!!

[sprintsrule]

Using a tow rig under the magical 26,001 pound CDL rule, the argument I would make is I am not being "paid" to haul the car. The car brings in the revenue at the track. Therefore, I would not believe I would need a CDL. If I would need a CDL for hauling equipment that I could use to bring in revenue, then look at all of the people that would need a CDL. If a mechanic hauls his A/C machine to get it repaired, does he need a CDL because that machine could produce revenue? When a DJ hauls his equipment to a wedding to play, does he need a CDL because that equipment helps bring in revenue? The list could go on forever.

[Whitey741]

Well,

Seems like some of us blame everything else on NASCAR so why not this. If the only perception the DPS or DMV have of racing is watching Daytona or Indy then they probably believe that all drivers are the prima-donna(sp?) “do you know who I am?“ or “ its not my fault!” types they see on TV. They probably figure that they deserve to be hassled.

[Harlin Covert]

I went to the dps web site & there is a flow chart on the need for a CDL.

It is easy to do[easier than most rule books] and if the rig is less than 26001 than you do not need a

CDL. It sayes nothing about revenue.

Harlin

[ratdaddy]

I hate to bring this up but, be very careful how you list your racing for your income tax. As some of you may or may not know, in the state of Taxes oh I ment Texas, there is what is called a "franchise tax" this tax is to tax businesses for the right to do business. It has been on the books for a long time, but this year it has been changed to affect the "sub contractors" the most. Which means that if you earn any income by being a "sub contractor" {a person who performs a job for a business who is not employed by that business} is subject to a 1% franchise tax. The only ones exempt from this (this is the good part) is all/any member of goverment, doctors and lawyers. This is so new there isn't any fileling paperwork or any literature available yet, and get this, the franchise tax is due JUNE THE FIRST 2008.

[Harlin Covert]

I hate to bring this up but, be very careful how you list your racing for your income tax. As some of you may or may not know, in the state of Taxes oh I ment Texas, there is what is called a "franchise tax" this tax is to tax businesses for the right to do business. It has been on the books for a long time, but this year it has been changed to affect the "sub contractors" the most. Which means that if you earn any income by being a "sub contractor" {a person who performs a job for a business who is not employed by that business} is subject to a 1% franchise tax. The only ones exempt from this (this is the good part) is all/any member of goverment, doctors and lawyers. This is so new there isn't any fileling paperwork or any literature available yet, and get this, the franchise tax is due JUNE THE FIRST 2008.

But there is a $300,000 Exemption.

Harlin

[landlord]

I went to the dps web site & there is a flow chart on the need for a CDL.

It is easy to do[easier than most rule books] and if the rig is less than 26001 than you do not need a

CDL. It sayes nothing about revenue.

Harlin

The 26001 is the problem a 44' loaded and 4-door dually weighs 28400.(with NO push vehicle)

[Whitey741]

Apparently, as noted by others there is some sort of "crackdown" going on. Just spoke to a friend who was pulled over by DPS in Corpus and had their trailer impounded. 1 ton truck with a flatbed and a 14,000 goose neck.

Seems like there are some arbitrary specifications here. Truck was considered 12,500 (instead of 10500) because of the flatbed. This truck & trailer was purchased to stay below the 26,000 limit specifically. This was an open flatbed trailer & company owned truck hauling company owned material.

 

The original stop was for no trailer inspection.

[rebelracewriter]

landlord......then leave that full-loaded, 50 gallon ice chest out!!!!!!

[landlord]

landlord......then leave that full-loaded, 50 gallon ice chest out!!!!!!

Some of these tracks getting $4.50 for a coke(I mean ice with a splash of coke)!!!!!!

[ratdaddy]

I know there are some exemptions, and if it is a $300,000 before it kicks in, than that would pretty much eleminate race car drivers.

[97car]

When does the trailer inspection requirement kick in? What size and type?

[HiTech]

landlord......then leave that full-loaded, 50 gallon ice chest out!!!!!!

Some of these tracks getting $4.50 for a coke(I mean ice with a splash of coke)!!!!!!

landlord simple. ask for less ice ..problem solved .i do ..lol ..we bring our own food and drinks to the track .but we always buy from the track aswell ..they need our money also .....besides i love those sassage raps from kyle ..darn good ...