Confused about Truck Class when titling, PA

[Tdavid]

2019 F450 in Pennsylvania
Recreational use
14,000 GVW
16,850 GVW 5th wheel towed a couple times per year, otherwise just general hauling in bed of truck

Dealer is asking me how I want to title the truck, Class 4a 9,001-10,000lbs, Class 4b 10,0001-11,000lbs, or Class 5 11,001-14,000lbs.

Registration fee per year is $110 more for Class 5 vs the 4a/b.

Also, how do I make sense of Classes for turnpike tolls? Turnpike toll calculator shows Class 4 is 19,001-30,000lbs and Class 5 is 30,001-45,000lbs.

My insurance is on my business, and they classify my truck as medium duty, regardless of what I register it as. Light duty would be under 10k GVW.

PS. I already know about Non-Com Class A licensing I have to get.

Thanks!

[Bob_E_]

Ralph Cramden wrote:
The weight/scale technology is not implemented at every toll plaza, only at a little more than half at this time. One day after they complete the money wasting overall rebuilding project all the plazas will have it. By then though you wont be able to afford it. By the TPCs own estimates and press releases the tolls are going to increase 9% yearly through 2030 to finance the project. Do the math on that. Ohio line to Delaware bridge....$308 for a class 1.

Actually, they are moving away from scales. PA Turnpike cash tolls are all based on weight. So if there is a cash toll booth, there is a scale. But they are moving towards cashless tolling which will be transponder based (like EZPass) or license plate based (cameras). EZPass is based on your vehicle that is registered to the transponder...although the rates are still based on weight classes. Similarly, license plate based, where they take a photo of your plates as you drive by, obviously your vehicle info is attached to your plate. So they will know what your vehicle weighs. So when passing through a cashless toll, you likely won't drive over a scale.

As for cost, according to the 2018 EZPass Rate Schedule, it will cost a Class 1 passenger car about $45 to go from OH line to the NJ Line. At 9% increase per year over the next 12 years, I'm only coming up with about $127. Still not cheap, but not $308 either.

[Tdavid]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

Tdavid wrote:
Ok, so I guess I am the one still confused.

If truck class is not based on its GVWR plus the GVWR of the trailer (GCWR), then what exactly am I changing when I go in to tag agency to change the truck’s weight class?

Truck is currently titled as a Class 5. 5th wheel is 16,850 GVWR.

You're overthinking it and buying into RVnet geezer worrywartitis. Im shocked that someone has not told you if you title it at the lower class you're putting your and their families at risk lol.

Have the dealer title it as a 4a or b and go camping. If it was illegal to do so do you honestly think the dealer would offer to title it as 4a or b? Save the $110 and spend it on beer. Your not going to get pulled over, weighed, and cited pulling a 5th wheel RV for the weight class of the truck.

Now get a big gooseneck drop trailer, load it with drill pipe, and put a magnetic sign on the truck saying "Joes Hotshot Service", then you can worry about possible citations for weight class.

I’m not so worried about being pulled over as I am about the unforeseen happening (accident). Without proper classification I can’t get my non-com Class A license. Without that license, I’m quite exposed should an accident happen. Since this truck is in my company name, my company is quite exposed, too.

[Vanished]

I'll still stick to the fact that IF your trailer is over 10k you need a combination registration to cover both - if the trailer is under you don't... Obviously we don't all agree but this is what my research led me to several years ago.

[Ralph_Cramden]

Tdavid wrote:
Ok, so I guess I am the one still confused.

If truck class is not based on its GVWR plus the GVWR of the trailer (GCWR), then what exactly am I changing when I go in to tag agency to change the truck’s weight class?

Truck is currently titled as a Class 5. 5th wheel is 16,850 GVWR.

You're overthinking it and buying into RVnet geezer worrywartitis. Im shocked that someone has not told you if you title it at the lower class you're putting your and their families at risk lol.

Have the dealer title it as a 4a or b and go camping. If it was illegal to do so do you honestly think the dealer would offer to title it as 4a or b? Save the $110 and spend it on beer. Your not going to get pulled over, weighed, and cited pulling a 5th wheel RV for the weight class of the truck.

Now get a big gooseneck drop trailer, load it with drill pipe, and put a magnetic sign on the truck saying "Joes Hotshot Service", then you can worry about possible citations for weight class.

[mich800]

Tdavid wrote:
Ok, so I guess I am the one still confused.

If truck class is not based on its GVWR plus the GVWR of the trailer (GCWR), then what exactly am I changing when I go in to tag agency to change the truck’s weight class?

Truck is currently titled as a Class 5. 5th wheel is 16,850 GVWR.

At a pin weight between 3-4k plus the weight of the truck around 8-9k you are right in the wheelhouse of the class 5 registration.

[Tdavid]

Ok, so I guess I am the one still confused.

If truck class is not based on its GVWR plus the GVWR of the trailer (GCWR), then what exactly am I changing when I go in to tag agency to change the truck’s weight class?

Truck is currently titled as a Class 5. 5th wheel is 16,850 GVWR.

[Ralph_Cramden]

Grit dog wrote:
Wow, so in PA, if you have say an 8klb truck and 12klb trailer you'd have to register your truck like a commercial vehicle? For the total combined weight of 20klbs?

That stinks. Tax tax tax.....

No....it's typical forum misinformation.
In PA the truck registration is seperate from the trailer registration.

Trailer registrations only have 3 classifications by weight.
3000 or less, 3001 to 10000, 10001 and over.

You do not register based on GCW.

Now if hauling commercially its an entire different ballgame, but even then the tractor and trailer are registered separately but there are other hoops to jump through.

[blt2ski]

Grit Dog,
In a nutshell, what you just described, is what you should be doing here in Washington ST also! But most do not, nor will you run into issues here at least.

[Grit_dog]

Wow, so in PA, if you have say an 8klb truck and 12klb trailer you'd have to register your truck like a commercial vehicle? For the total combined weight of 20klbs?

That stinks. Tax tax tax.....

[Ralph_Cramden]

Bob E. wrote:
PA Turnpike goes by actual vehicle weight. When you go through the toll booth, you drive across a set of scales, and they aren't that accurate. My truck must be really close to the line because depending on which plaza I go through and how much fuel I have in the tank, I'll get charged for either class 1 or class 2 for my Ram 2500.

On the other hand, when towing my camper, the EZPass never seems to register it. So I never get charged (at least so far) for the extra axles.

The weight/scale technology is not implemented at every toll plaza, only at a little more than half at this time. One day after they complete the money wasting overall rebuilding project all the plazas will have it. By then though you wont be able to afford it. By the TPCs own estimates and press releases the tolls are going to increase 9% yearly through 2030 to finance the project. Do the math on that. Ohio line to Delaware bridge....$308 for a class 1.

[4x4ord]

Tdavid wrote:

4x4ord wrote:

Tdavid wrote:
A) the only F250 that is rated for my 5er GVW is a 4x2 standard cab or a 4x2 supercab with short bed, way too many comprimises for me.

B) you seem to be as confused as I was. Topic of thread is about registration class. A 250 with my 5er is basically same class as a 450.

Non of it is confusing really. Select your truck based on what it is to be used for and register it so it can be used for its intended purpose.

You’re missing the point. Titling properly in PA is at GCVW. Not the GVW of the truck alone. There’s no real registration fee savings using an F250 vs an F450 with a 16,850 GVW 5er (and the F250 is too light of a truck anyway for a 5er that heavy).

Sorry I was confused.

[Gary_O]

Yes she checked it.Road test took almost 1 hour,plus pre trip inspection of truck and Cedar Creek,also had to have fire extinguisher and emergency road side triangle kit.When you get truck properly title for weight you can change weight class when ever you want at any tag service

[Tdavid]

Thanks again, Gary. So when you took then Class A test, the test officer actually checked all the licensing, or maybe you haven’t taken the test yet?

[Gary_O]

When I bought truck dealer titled it for 14000 {class 5}.When I found out that I needed a combination weight sticker I went Thru Tri Valley Tag Service.I had to get a new title for combination weight and proper weight class,they were really up to date on this, Pa DMV had no idea about this or what the test for a Class A non CDL consisted of.I was also told if in accident and not properly licensed {your self and or truck}your insurance might not cover you.