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Hello,

I am so glad there exist a forum for interchange of information related to tow trucks!

Quick introduction.  I live in southern California, and my hobby is collecting and restoring classic European automobiles. My "daytime" profession is an electrical engineering consultant, but my real passion is automobiles....any and all....

Background: I recently purchased a 95 Ford Superduty with a 17 foot Chevron bed roll back tow truck for my exclusive use in my hobby, not for commericial hire.  The dilemma, this vehicle is classified commercial, similar to a pickup truck.  Ok....needs commercial insurance....ok...under 26K pounds-so no commercial licences...ok.  So far so good.  Bought the truck...great deal.

More background info: I live on a corner lot in a working class neighborhood in an unincorporated section of Los Angeles County.  All my cars on the street are registered, insured and moved regularly...however I have had an ongoing fight with neighbors complaining about my cars.  Most of my cars are high end European, and by no means junk. Of course I understand that one man's treasure...is another man's junk..... I try to NEVER park in front of anyone's elses curb, but this is a courteousy, because it is a public street, and I pay for that privilege with outrageous California registration fees(another pet peeve, another time)...

Parking enforcement has posted "72 hour" warnings infrequently over the last couple of years on my cars, but of course without merit.  These were only warnings, and no fines involved....  The warnings have escalated with the parking of my tow truck parked along my side of the curb...  

NOW the problem.  The parking enforcement officer finally found a violation to nail me on...which cost me a 50 dollar ticket.  He wrote me up for "Commercial Vehicle over 10000lbs restricted 15.64.052" .  My truck weights 10480 pounds, and I guess shows up when the license is entered in the computer.  Essentially, I cannot park a "commercial" vehicle over 10000 pounds in a residential neighborhood....  

Okay...I am on a mission to use the law to legitimize my truck.  If I lighten my truck by REMOVING the 2nd car wheel lift permanently, and re-register under the 10000 pound, I should be legal?  I weighed the truck, and found the baseline measurement.  I then removed the equipment, and per the weighing conditions described, i.e., exempted equipment weights(chains, tools, and unnecessay equipment), got the truck under the 10000 pounds!  Namely, 9940 pounds.  I then went back to DMV, and reregister with the new weight.

ISSUE:  Registration says "UNLADEN/G/CGW 15000".  When I first registered the truck, I was given a "Declaration of Gross Vehicle Weight/Combined Gross Vehicle weight" to fill out.  It has weight ranges, with of couse escalating "CVRA fees". I claimed 10,001-15,000, because the truck, and one car should be under the 15000 in almost all instances, and I claimed the A range.  Is this correct? I read a registration manual and it states that the tow truck only use the "gross" weight".....now I am totally confused..

Any California flat bed operators have any insight to this?  Most of the tow trucks don't have the weight labels on the doors.  Do you declare your weight based on the unladen weight, is CRVA even applicable?  Any advice...similar stories?

Sorry if this is confusing....it has taken me 3 weeks, and numerous DMV visits to get this far!

Thanks in advance.

Best Regards

Paul

British, Italian, car collector....AND NOW TOW TRUCK OWNER!  with a parking problem... :help:

PS.  I love this 95 Ford super duty, power stroke turbo diesel roll back truck!!!
Quote (paulv @ Aug. 06 2006, 7:17 pm)
Any California flat bed operators have any insight to this?  Most of the tow trucks don't have the weight labels on the doors.  Do you declare your weight based on the unladen weight, is CRVA even applicable?  Any advice...similar stories?

In our state (I think CA in the same) we do have to declare unladen weight. in fact, we must scale the truck and bring the scale document into licensing. We must then decide how much weight we'll carry and pay appropriately for that weight.

My trucks do not have a weight label of any kind.

In my case, we have carriers that weighs 14,000 unladen, and are licensed for the max at 26,000 lbs.

I hope I understood your question.... And I don't know what CRVA means.  :Oo:
May I suggest renting storage space for your "commercial" truck and various cars....

If I lived in a residential neighborhood, and had a neighbor with a F-Superduty flatbed and several cars all parked on the street, I think that I would complain too. You are essentially running a business out of your house, regardless of what you call it or what your intentions may be.

I do operate out of my home, however the land and all surrounding properties are zoned commercial / industrial. The surrounding properties are full of commercial trucks and equipment, so my use is not in conflict with surrounding uses.

As far as attempting to make the truck "lighter" I believe it is futile. I don't believe you are being cited simply for the heavy truck itself, but for the overall number of vehicles.
Hello,

Thank you for the suggestions....I have already tried to find commercial parking, but all the lots within 10 miles radius are full, and have waiting list.  I tried RV storage lots also, no way...because it is a Tow truck.  I use it perhaps 2 per month to take my cars to shows, still won't rent.

As I am aware, there is no law that limits the number of cars, homes, material possessions, that people can own or acquire in the United States...but perhaps that is changing with the political landscape.....?

I don't want to get into the social/politics of property rights, and individual rights, I want to just park my tow truck...and enjoy my cars...

Thanks
Best Regards

Paul
Most cities have laws regarding motor vehicles to protect their citizens. As you said, you are not storing these vehicles on your property, but on a public roadway. If you had 5 acres and stored your vehicles in a paved area on your property, I seriously doubt that you would have issues.

I have a rollback, a wrecker, 2 vans and a pickup truck on my property. Even in this area, I would be cited if I parked these on or near the street. And of course California has stricter laws than anywhere else.

There just isn't any way around the fact that your activities are seen as being against the public interest in your community.
Maybe you could find a person with a little property that would rent a spot for you to park your truck or a business with some extra room.
Heck, if the truck is only being used occasionally, lease it to a small towing company and have free storage and transport included in the lease.
Ok I don't know about California but in some states you can buy a commercial vehicle such as a roll back and since it's "NOT FOR HIRE" you can have the title/registration converted to a standard one. Then the government sees it as a pick-up instead of a commercial truck. I've even seen a tractor-trailer converted to an RV (still has air brakes) but you could drive it WITHOUT a commercial drivers license. Talk to your DMV and see if you can change it over. The worst they can say is no.
First Pauly I think your being singled out by a few neighbors who most probably are members of some beautification society. While running your tow bizz from your home something I do, and have done for 30 years, your most likely running into zoning problems. Storing cars or vehicles anywhere except a fenced lighted and insured impound or storage yard is what seems to me to be your big problem. Taking weight off your truck is not going to help, its still a rollback carrier and is subject to regulations regarding same, whether for hire or not. If they haven't already, you'll soon get a kind visit from both your local as well as the federal DOT to get a DOT number, as well as city business license among other things.
Welcome to towing :bump: