Travels on 94

[Roadmedic]

Seems that North Dakota is focusing on the RV's now.

Went by there yesterday and they had 3 in line for level 1's. Trucks got the bypass since they closed it after they nabbed them.

On a different note.

Minneapolis will be a pain with all the construction on 694 and 94 east of MN in Wisconsin.

Been looking for another way around. My way, the bridge closes Monday for work.

[ColoradoRVHauler]

Can run up 380 in iowa to 90 thru S Dakota. to Billings, Mt. if going that way. Im all ears if you have to go thru portal.

I already got my yellow sticker. Fargo got me a few weeks back.

ND DOT has been working rest areas hard too.

Going over to vancouver island tonight, and del in the morn. Still on this run, so if you can figure it out let us know medic.

Carey

[short stack]

wish i could help you guys out. i've been up in the oil fields for the last 6 weeks, so i'm in a situation that i don't even have to log. sure feels good!! dot have been all over it seems, even on the gravel. good luck.
mark

[Roadmedic]

Ran it on the computer and the following is a good route with no scale in MN.

94 to 90 to Rochester MN. Then 52 up to 494 and loop.

It is less than 30 miles longer.

This trip left Elkhart in the am and crossed scale around 2 in afternoon. They were not working it hard then. Backup on 694 and so went directly through on 94. No problems.

I have had enough inspections in the last year. Even got the slow scale on the Indy scale until the saw the sticker.

Wonder why they do not spend more effort and time on those without signs.

ND scale there at Fargo, he comes to work around 945 am. I am an early riser.

[h2oskibumz]

I got my pretty yellow stickers on truck and trailer on 4/14. Yesterday at Sneads, FL I got the long stare down on the scale and was directed to "make contact with the DOT officer in the squad car..." upon which I got ANOTHER Level 1, in spite of the damn stickers.

I didn't realize (totally forgot) until after I drove off that I ALREADY HAD stickers and in theory should not have been bothered! I must have been the first poor bastard to come along in a pickup for that guys final Level 1 of the day!

[ColoradoRVHauler]

Stickers only help the situation. They can still give you another dot inspection if theyd like. Maybe I will try that route going back medic. Just crossed the us border inbound. Think I will take 2 to 90 instead of dealing with the seattle rush.

Looking like there is gonna be lots of construction this summer everywhere.

Carey

[tdsuperd]

Just got back to New Mexico after a very long first month out. I got Red lighted at a scale house in Iowa the other day. Got my first level 1 and a nice ticket for window Tint to the tune of 93 bucks.....it was a good day until then. No tint what so ever on the driver and passenger side window in Iowa. It was cold and raining...should just rolled them down anyway.

T

[Roadmedic]

I got my pretty yellow stickers on truck and trailer on 4/14. Yesterday at Sneads, FL I got the long stare down on the scale and was directed to "make contact with the DOT officer in the squad car..." upon which I got ANOTHER Level 1, in spite of the damn stickers.

I didn't realize (totally forgot) until after I drove off that I ALREADY HAD stickers and in theory should not have been bothered! I must have been the first poor bastard to come along in a pickup for that guys final Level 1 of the day!

Don't understand what you are complaining about.

Got one inspection in October on Tuesday am. Same week on Friday, Indy on 94 got me. Told the officer I had just got one on Tuesday. She said it would just make it easier if I had the paperwork.

[Brisco]

Just got back to New Mexico after a very long first month out. I got Red lighted at a scale house in Iowa the other day. Got my first level 1 and a nice ticket for window Tint to the tune of 93 bucks.....it was a good day until then. No tint what so ever on the driver and passenger side window in Iowa. It was cold and raining...should just rolled them down anyway.

T

If your truck is registered in another state other than Iowa that allows Window Tint on the drivers and passengers windows, then Iowa "DOT" has no authority to issue fines for window tint on that truck unless it exceeds FMSCA's regulations on Tint.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?chunkKey=090163348002392b&keyword=tint


(c)(1) Coloring or tinting which meets the requirements of paragraph (d) of this section;

(d) Coloring or tinting of windshields and windows. Coloring or tinting of windshields and the windows to the immediate right and left of the driver is allowed, provided the parallel luminous transmittance through the colored or tinted glazing is not less than 70 percent of the light at normal incidence in those portions of the windshield or windows which are marked as having a parallel luminous transmittance of not less than 70 percent. The transmittance restriction does not apply to other windows on the commercial motor vehicle.


According to FMSCA R&R's, if your window tint is 30-35% and allowed in your state and your truck is DOT inspected by a certified inspector, Iowa needs to issue you a refund for that $93 illegal fine they issued.

If it ever happens again, whip out that little green book and show the regulations to whichever buffoon is trying to issue an illegal fine.

Now, big question is, are your windows illegally tinted (20% - 5% Limo???) and you deserved the ticket?? :p

[ColoradoRVHauler]

The bafoons in iowa will still write the ticket. Youd have to go to court to get it rectified and then they still may make you pay the 93 bucks.

Pretty much if you are in a commercial vehicle dont run window tint. If you have any sort of accident just having the tint could throw things to your fault. That goes for any state. Window tint on any window that you do your work thru is best to stay the way the factory made em.

Carey

[h2oskibumz]

Factory tinted windows allow somewhere around 75% transmittance.

Essentially ANY ad on films are going to take the total below the FMCSA legal limit of 70%.

You see guys in full size trucks with tint all the time, especially in FL or TX, and I guess they never get hassled. I ran 18 months @ 28% transmittance before I got hassled 40 miles from home...

[smr500]

Iowa is the worst for this. They won't even accept the Dr note for sensitive eyes.

[ColoradoRVHauler]

Hell Its a blizzard here in great falls, mt. All the roads are closed eastbound. West of here it was horrible, prolly had 70+ winds. A semi was blown over about 20 miles back. I even had to hang onto my dually. The roads were slick.

Got into town and stepped on the ebrake... Cable breaks, lol I can handle that its only 20 bucks.

I carry wheel chocks so I got er blocked for the night. Deal with all this crap tomorrow. Its time to put the shades up and make my windows blacked out.

Already got another trailer going to Kamloops, BC.

This will let the funny pages catch up for a day off. So I guess thats cool.

Blowin like a some bitch here. Winter is in full force still in Montana.

Carey

[Dorsey]

Iowa got me today. The trailer passed but they got me on the truck. A couple of things I knew I wasn't going to pass on like no battery box covers and I have a small air leak but they also got me on no muffler and no US in front of the DOT. The new guy was going to say something about a strap that was a little frayed but they didn't because you are only required 2 straps per car. I would rather have 4 frayed straps than 2 new straps on a car.

I noticed they would be open and get a few trucks in and close till they did the inspections and then reopen.

[tdsuperd]

My tint is legal here in Nm, but I'm going to get into trouble in other states. So.... I will pay the ticket and pull the tint, just easier. He even told me that he wasn't trying to tell me what to do with my truck and tint and its well in the limits of tint in NM, but in Iowa they were going to write that ticket. I think he was also frustrated after spending a hr on my truck and could find anything else to create some revenue for Iowa.

Still winter in Norther NM. 32 and snowing! I delivered in ABQ on Thurs. with crazy wind. I was heading right into it so the 30ft sail on the back of my truck wasn't pulling me around to much......:D 55 MPH for the last 200 miles at 8.7 miles a gallon was more salt in the open sore.

[Roadmedic]

Hell Its a blizzard here in great falls, mt. All the roads are closed eastbound. West of here it was horrible, prolly had 70+ winds. A semi was blown over about 20 miles back. I even had to hang onto my dually. The roads were slick.

Got into town and stepped on the ebrake... Cable breaks, lol I can handle that its only 20 bucks.

I carry wheel chocks so I got er blocked for the night. Deal with all this crap tomorrow. Its time to put the shades up and make my windows blacked out.

Already got another trailer going to Kamloops, BC.

This will let the funny pages catch up for a day off. So I guess thats cool.

Blowin like a some bitch here. Winter is in full force still in Montana.

Carey

Came out of Canada from Red Deer Wednesday. Had to meet two trailers that could not go into Canada at Shelby. Waited till 3 for the second one to show up. 31 Ft 5th wheels.

Winds blowing 44 mph with gusts over 55 most of the day. It did not get under 35 till about 8. It was lower in Canada and not going to get less in Shelby by much.

160 miles we averaged about 5 mph gallon at 60 mph. The delivery to Leduc 400 miles, used 60 gallons of fuel.

I love to sit and watch the wind blow and you have a hot load.

Just another notice. North Dakota scale at Fargo had two more campers in and the scale closed. Level 1's going on.

[ColoradoRVHauler]

Yeah the roads never did open, so I dropped south on 15 to 287 to 90. Stopped in billings and got the cable fixed. Drove on to mid S Dakota. Decided to flip the bird to the SD scales around rapid. They want you to stop if you weigh 8000 or more. They were open.

Anyway had a tail wind all the way in today. Made it to Peru, Il and got tired. Will make it in tomorrow and get the next.

No big rush, I bet I hit that wind going back west. Those winds lasted 1000 miles.

Seen a shortbox single tire dodge horizon truck towing a 40 foot cyclone in Iowa on 380. The driver look scared, lol The wind was about 30-40..

Got excellent mpgs coming back. Bet I pay for that in the next couple days.

Carey

[ColoradoRVHauler]

Iowa got me today. The trailer passed but they got me on the truck. A couple of things I knew I wasn't going to pass on like no battery box covers and I have a small air leak but they also got me on no muffler and no US in front of the DOT. The new guy was going to say something about a strap that was a little frayed but they didn't because you are only required 2 straps per car. I would rather have 4 frayed straps than 2 new straps on a car.

I noticed they would be open and get a few trucks in and close till they did the inspections and then reopen.

Yeah tiss the effin season.. Seen em playing games with a couple semis on 380 today. Warm weather gets these dot boys all lathered up..

Carey

[ColoradoRVHauler]

Forcast for Great Falls, Mt. Monday, gusts to 65mph. Tuesday, gusts to 55mph.

Boy cant wait for that....

[ColoradoRVHauler]

Just went thru Minneapolis.

Found the trick to getting by the gustopo scales and construction.

Go thru at 1230 to 1 am. Had cruise set at 62 all the way.

The gustopo was sleeping. Past prolly 20 or so rv haulers sleeping in the rest areas in wisconsin. That will give the gustopo somethin to do when they wake up.

Carey

[mark1974]

Interesting reading. I guess I lucked out. I got only one inspection in 2.5 years of driving and that was at the Fargo scale. Everything passed so that was nice! That was the only time my comic book was ever looked at as well.