I had to buy a bigger vehicle to fit all of my kids in comfortably. When I was looking for a new vehicle, I knew that I had to get something that sits higher off the ground than a van, but knew that it would be difficult for myself and my younger children to get up into. I narrowed my list of potential vehicles down to three and started looking for accessories that I could use to make it possible for all of us to get in easily. Visit my blog to find out what we have done to our new SUV to make it more accessible and comfortable for the entire family.
making an SUV accessible to small people
Four Scenarios Where You May Need An Oversized Vehicle Permit
Ellen Sakala
Oversized vehicle permits serve very specific purposes. If you are told that you need such a permit, it means that your commercial vehicle cannot operate on the roadways without it. If you or your drivers are caught without such a permit, the fines are quite astronomical. Here are some scenarios where you may need the permit:
The Load You Are Hauling Exceeds D.O.T. Weight Restrictions
Every state's Department of Transportation sets its own weight restrictions for commercial trucking and large vehicles. If your vehicle exceeds that weight restriction, you have to have a permit that allows you to continue driving that truck in the state wherein it exceeds the weight limit. With the number of weigh stations along every highway, you may have to prove at several stops/stations that you are legally able to drive the excess weight.
The Width of the Load Exceeds Regulations
Those "wide load" vehicles all should be carrying an oversized vehicle permit because the load is too wide for standard roadways. If you are hauling a "wide load" and need escorts to boot, be prepared to show your oversized vehicle permit whenever you are stopped. Your "wide load" is also subject to a weight check. However, in some states, you only have to show your permit and the pre-calculated weight of the load.
The Load Is Two Times or More Higher Than a Standard Shipping Truck
Automotive carriers have at least two levels of new or used vehicles that they are transporting to a dealership. Each level is carrying at least five tons of automobile, and additional tonnage comes with larger vehicles. In most states, eighteen thousand tons is the standard weight limit, although that varies from state to state. If your auto carrier is full to the brim with cars and is more than two levels high, you definitely need an oversized vehicle permit just to get on the road.
You Have to Drive Extremely Slow to Transport the Load
If you are required to drive far below the speed limit in order to ensure road safety and the safe delivery of your cargo, that also requires the oversized permit. You are backing up traffic behind you and the cargo, which attracts police attention. In the event that you do attract the attention of the police, they will want to see your oversized permit in order to allow you to continue traveling so slowly down the road.
Share