Ontario residents: know your truck weight!

[Loneoak]

A friend of ours bought a used 1 ton truck last year, and when he went to the license bureau to register the vehicle and buy a plate, he was directed to the nearest scale to have it weighed. It turns out that the license fee pretty well doubles if the truck weighs over 3,000 kg.

When we renew our license, it is quite expensive, so I checked the weight records. In the door it says it weighs 2,041 kg. The ownership states 4,375 kg. When we weighed it two years ago it was 2780 kg. Yet we are charged the renewal fee for over 3,000.

Since a vehicle under 3,000 cost $98 to renew, and ours was twice that, we are not talking small potatoes over several years! Our initial registration was done by the dealership where we bought the vehicle, so that is where the error originated. I am in the process of trying to get it rectified.

So bottom line is - know the weight of your truck in Ontario before you register it, and if the dealer does it, get involved. This could cost lots of money over the course of several years. Just a heads up. I wish we had known this a lot sooner!

[Russb]

Had a similar experience when registering my RV in Texas. Motor vehicle accepted a certified weight slip from a CAT scale.

[Lloyd]

Do they figure in what you are going to be hauling/towing for that final weight?
Or is it, just the weight of the tv?

[Russb]

In Texas it was just the weight of the rv. They didn't question whether it was loaded or empty. The rates doubled over 10000 lbs. The info DOT had in their system from CR was well over that, around 13000 lbs, actual weight as I recall was around 8000 lbs.

[Loneoak]

In Ontario, it is the actual weight of the truck by itself that determines the cost of the license sticker. This is where our issue lies. The weight was given to the DOT wrong initially by the dealer and we did not know about the reason for the higher fee. We just thought it was because it was a truck.

Now that we know the higher fee is because the weight of the truck was given as higher than it is, we are unhappy over having spent all that extra money over the years. The truck is a 2006. That is 10 years of higher fees we have paid.

[Coopers_dad]

Cost me around $220 last year with my 350. Cost of doing business I guess.

[loogie17]

A suggestion for most ststes: Take everything that is not built in to truck out(all tool boxes, car seats , etc inside), take off your spare & if you have drw go to one on each side. Go to a Cat scale & get a scale ticket to take to DMV certifying the lower weight. It could possibly save you $$$, especially over life of the truck.
Have done this with various work/farm trucks and it pays off, atleast in Fl.

[Lloyd]

If you are ever required to put your rig on the scale so they can check what it weighs, and you don't have plates big enough to cover the weight, I think you might get a ticket.
I know that is the way it works with all commercial rigs.

[loogie17]

True & maybe I've been lucky here in the Southeast but have pulled tt Fl to Mt, Wy,Id,Co,etc & all ib between w/o being pulled in to a scale.
You are correct that they will cite you in a commercial vehicle. The only thing SE states have ever checked me for in a diesel(and this has only been in last 5 yrs or so) is to check to see if I'm using red fuel(off road-farm).
Like I said maybe I should buy a lotto ticket!

[Coopers_dad]

Originally Posted by Lloyd

If you are ever required to put your rig on the scale so they can check what it weighs, and you don't have plates big enough to cover the weight, I think you might get a ticket.
I know that is the way it works with all commercial rigs.

Thats how it works for us as well. MTO ( Ministry of Transport ) has been doing aggressive roadside checks for weight as well as emissions equipment the past two years. I've been pulled twice, on with a pallet in the back of the truck and once towing the trailer with the family.

[Loneoak]

Originally Posted by Coopers_dad

Thats how it works for us as well. MTO ( Ministry of Transport ) has been doing aggressive roadside checks for weight as well as emissions equipment the past two years. I've been pulled twice, on with a pallet in the back of the truck and once towing the trailer with the family.

We have never been pulled over. What did they check? Were they concerned about your truck's ability to tow the trailer, or the amount of weight the trailer was carrying?

My purpose of this thread, in case it got missed, was that they MTO charges for your license sticker based on the weight of the truck. If they have the wrong weight, like what happened with us, you get charged too much.

[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by Loneoak

We have never been pulled over. What did they check? Were they concerned about your truck's ability to tow the trailer, or the amount of weight the trailer was carrying?

My purpose of this thread, in case it got missed, was that they MTO charges for your license sticker based on the weight of the truck. If they have the wrong weight, like what happened with us, you get charged too much.

If they ever do pull you over, and want to put the setup on the scale, they will count what your truck weighs with it hooked up to your camper.
Then the cost of that ticket might go a long ways towards paying against the bigger plates you are concerned about.
That's the point we are trying to get across.

[Loneoak]

I guess I don't understand. The truck weighs a certain amount. The trailer weighs a certain amount. Are they concerned that the truck weighs too much for the license sticker, or are they concerned that the truck is not rated to pull the trailer?

[Lloyd]

Originally Posted by Loneoak

I guess I don't understand. The truck weighs a certain amount. The trailer weighs a certain amount. Are they concerned that the truck weighs too much for the license sticker, or are they concerned that the truck is not rated to pull the trailer?

When your trailer is hooked to your truck, it adds weight to your truck.
How much does your truck weigh when it's all hooked together?
That is what they will go by.
If your plates aren't big enough to cover the added weight-----------

[loogie17]

Lloyd you are correct about "commercial vehicles" at the time I retired 2 yrs ago. The tow vehicle or tractor was licenced or permitted for a gross weight, ex tractor & trailer for 55,000 lbs gross. Aslong as you were 55k or below u were ok. However if u grossed 56k u were subject to a fine. I also know that some US states (All of my prev statements were about US also) do consider some vehicles over a specified weight, ex 8k or 10k, classed as commercial vehicles. An ex could be class a, b possibly some c's & heavier 5ers.
As for our Canadian friends I wouldn't dare guess about their laws.
Also my op started "as a suggestion" & I would check all applicable state laws as well as DOT rules in my home state. Same as pulling "doubles or triples".
Thanks

[Loneoak]

Originally Posted by Lloyd

When your trailer is hooked to your truck, it adds weight to your truck.
How much does your truck weigh when it's all hooked together?
That is what they will go by.
If your plates aren't big enough to cover the added weight-----------

What confuses me is the fact that my friend showed up at the license office to transfer the ownership and buy plates and they sent him off to the local scales to get the truck weighed. The truck was empty. Why would they want to know the weight of an empty truck?

Coopers Dad - what were they looking for when you got pulled over?

[Livewire]

In Ontario you will have to licence your truck for the weight of it and add the weight of the pin and what you carry in the truck to be safe.

[Loneoak]

Originally Posted by Livewire

In Ontario you will have to licence your truck for the weight of it and add the weight of the pin and what you carry in the truck to be safe.

I tried to find the rules online but was not successful.

[Coopers_dad]

Originally Posted by Loneoak

We have never been pulled over. What did they check? Were they concerned about your truck's ability to tow the trailer, or the amount of weight the trailer was carrying?

They checked both times for emission compliance. The looked to make sure that all the factory emission equipment was in place and functioning. They checked my sticker to make sure it was current and then sent me on my way.

When I got stopped with the pallet in the back they did complain about the way I had it strapped down but nothing else.

[Loneoak]

Were they concerned about the weight of the trailer and the truck's rating to pull it?