Got a question here. I drive for a large (orange) carrier and recently switched from team division to solo. I picked up my truck 4 days ago and realized that it doesn't have a front licence plate. The company told me as follows, "as long as you have current and up to date registration you are legal to run without a license plate". They continued on to say that it was "too expensive to apply for a new one" and that they were not even going to apply for a temp plate unless I was put out of service by the d.o.t. I found this a little odd and more than a few drivers have called b.s. on this one. With hell week coming up I want to make sure I have all my ducks in a row but the company won't budge on this one. I went and printed out the qc messages to show the d.o.t. should I get stopped but why risk it? I really don't feel like eating a several hundred dollar ticket for lunch but I can't find any legal information to prove otherwise. What should I do? Any reference to state or federal laws concerning this matter are GREATLY appreciated.
no plates
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by KD8FQB, May 30, 2011.
Page 1 of 7
-
-
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
-
Admin, maybe bump this over to experienced truckers advice thread, thx
-
I'm sticking my neck out here, but I thought, at the orange company, they always kept a few extra plates at the OC's. I know one of the trucks I had there, the tag was almost falling off. I even used some of that orange tape to hold it on. Around a month later I got the same truck, and it had a new plate on it. You are talking SNI right?
James j Thanks this. -
Well being a a mean old Motor Officer, if I located you with no plate we would stop and discuss the matter. I would look at the qual com message if you were being polite, and ask if you want me to tow the truck or have the company wrecker come get it and they only have 30 minutes or I call city contract. I try real hard not to issue tickets to drivers do to owner/company bad judgement. Plates are for ID purpose and are required. What makes them think they are better than Joe Smith that has to have them on his car. Same thing would happen to Mr. Smith if stopped.
Farmerbob1 and beastr123 Thank this. -
i cannot find anything regarding any CSA points for not having a license plate. whenever i had a trailer plate missing, the shop would make up a copy of the original on a plastic type of material and attach that to the trailer. try asking your shop to make up a copy of the plate for you as well and attach that to the tractor.
otherwise, it's an equipment ticket, not a driver ticket.
if the 'big orange" company cannot get duplicate plates screw'em......frankly too i am surprised no one in the shop hadn't already made up a copy plate. -
Rerun8963 in Indiana ALL tickets issued go aginst driver excpt for some federal dot violations and you can NOT make your own copy of the plate a big no no. Just saying what Indiana law is. Things differ in other states, but the big orange machine has large terminal here and I would not want to deal with this problem on the street if he can get fixed from info here.
-
yes the laws ARE different across this nation. the LTL company i worked for just made a copy of the plate and attached it to the trailer, going into and out of a CT scale was not a problem. when i ran the DHL account years ago, i had switched to another trailer from Erie,PA that had no trailer plate..i made a phone call, to the company (trucking company, not DHL) i was told to "make up a copy" which i did, and ran with it from PA, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA.....(and back),no problems. when i ran for a Virgina company, loaded to the walls with cigarettes, i had a paper (cardboard)plate, no problems from VA all the way back to New England...
I know what i have been through, but as we agreed upon, not all states let this happen. and the o/p is from MI, not IN.... -
park the truck in the yard and don't drive it until you get a new plate, or get IN WRITING that you have been ordered to operate the truck without the plate and whose name will take full legal responsibility. And I know they will not do this, but that is the method you have to use to keep from being coerced into doing something illegal.
Farmerbob1 and beastr123 Thank this. -
bzinger Thanks this.
-
Thanks guys. Yes it is SNI but just when I thought it was a holiday weekend deal with swing shift i got ahold of my DBL who was in today and he said the same thing. Lady in permits said she had been in that office for 4 years and she knows what she is talking about. Whatever. I had a really bad experience with my last company and once upon a time I thought SNI would be different. I really want to give 100% effort into being 100% legal and darnit, I aint no dumb rookie no more! As far as the politeness to the police is concerned I have a 2 year history on the local fire dept so I have always shown professional courtesy. So anyways based on what I am hearing here the printed out qc message offers little protection but its not a driver ticket? Im still a little lost. Im sitting on a high value right now 10 miles from consignee and they will wig if I refuse to deliver. Can anyone site some specific state laws that will give me something to stand behind?
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
Page 1 of 7