# Tarping V box



## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

anyone ever receive a ticket for not tarping a vbox? We had a situation over this past storm, where the officer pulled 1 of our trucks over and 1st wanted to get out scales to see if we were overweight, then proceeded to say it was too cold to get them out. Then said that there was no tarp on the vbox and that salt could fly out. (what about the county and city trucks that have mounds of salt over flowing and throw salt directly out of the trucks?) I know that dump trucks require a tarp on their loads, but i don't know what the law says about a VBOX is Michigan. ended up with a "failure to tarp" violation.
I've talked to a couple other officers already and said that this could be questionable.

Also, wanted to ad, that there was a shoot out at another property earlier that night in an apartment complex in detroit, we called 911. 45 minutes later, still no cops show up.


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## mvhauler (Jan 26, 2009)

Never heard of this around here. Agree with the tarp on the dump box. I think he's being picky. You going to challenge it?


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## NW Snow Removal (Oct 12, 2007)

never heard of even tarping a dump unless its a semi.


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

mvhauler;934275 said:


> Never heard of this around here. Agree with the tarp on the dump box. I think he's being picky. You going to challenge it?


definitely. Once he pulled me over, he had to write me for something. They had about 15 cop cars within 2 blocks pulling people over. It was a trap.


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## derekbroerse (Mar 6, 2004)

Cop needs something better to do in a snowstorm. Maybe you should offer to bill them for spreading salt on public roads? Because that's what any leakage would do. None of our city or regional trucks are tarped. I only tarp mine if its still snowing bad or freezing rain.

Definately challenge a ticket like that.


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## CityGuy (Dec 19, 2008)

I cam tell you this in Minnesota when a city, county, or state vehicle is engaged in a plowing/sanding operation all the rules go out the window. They can not be pulled over for being over weight. Not sure about you laws but thats what they can do here.


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## gusdust (Jan 6, 2008)

Here in Lansing it's getting ridiculous. All about revenue in my opinion. City of Lansing, East Lansing, County weighmaster,etc. All cracking down. Setting up sting ops. I wondered when the tarp law would come up. What a crock of crap. DOT numbers, medical cards, vehicle inspections, fire ext., triangles, weight plates. Especially if you haul a trailer around. Wait until the economy turns to total crap, then look for money any where they can. People are getting tickets, not warnings, about laws they didn't even know existed. Helluva way to get educated on the laws. Sorry about my rant. This has been a hot topic of fellow snow removal/ landscapers, and tradespeople lately.


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

I looked on the ticket and the actual # for the michigan statute that he wrote it for is 257.720 .
i googled it and i'm not sure, it's kind of a broad range law. here is the link to it. let me know what you guys think. http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-257-720


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## DugHD (Nov 1, 2005)

The cops a ****** for sure. Sorry to hear about that ticket.


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## 2COR517 (Oct 23, 2008)

Section 1 says highway maintenance vehicles are exempt. You might get a judge to say you fall into that. Also, if the salt was 6 inches below the top, I think Section 6 will protect you.....


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## Cherryco (Dec 3, 2008)

*Lake County, Il*

I was stopped on Rte 173 in Antioch, Il by a Lake County Sheriff and his temp/mobile scale. I was well under weight, but he got me for not tarping my load of salt. This was a $350 ticket, with supervision. This was Jan 2008. I was driving a 1 ton dump with a udertailgate spreader.


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

Cherryco;934875 said:


> I was stopped on Rte 173 in Antioch, Il by a Lake County Sheriff and his temp/mobile scale. I was well under weight, but he got me for not tarping my load of salt. This was a $350 ticket, with supervision. This was Jan 2008. I was driving a 1 ton dump with a udertailgate spreader.


yeah, sorry to hear that. But my vehicle is just a f250 with a VBOX. When i went to a dot seminar at 1 of the shows, all they talked about was that you had to tarp dump trucks basically regardless of materials carried. No-one ever said anything about a pickup with a VBOX.


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## MahonLawnCare (Nov 18, 2007)

sounds like typical jerk off cops


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## concreteguy (Nov 10, 2006)

Should of told him that the whole point is for salt to fly -out of it


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

concreteguy;938454 said:


> Should of told him that the whole point is for salt to fly -out of it


It is stupid but its the law...tarp any and all loads especially for commercial operations.

If you are plowing lots and driveways you are not doing highways thats for sure.


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## gottaluvplows (Dec 20, 2008)

The city trucks put extecions oon thier box's and still have a big @$$ Mound on it! no tarping! I can guarantee they're not gettin' stopped!
Yeah Cops are Crazy here in Michigan My guy got a ticket in my truck for stopping at a stop sign for 5 sec instead of 7. I took it to court it because thats ridiculous! Saved my/his $200


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## 84deisel (Dec 2, 2003)

We had a driver get a no tarp ticket on a 550 hauling top soil (mt prospect) so all loads are tarped.Salt loads they seem to worry more about overwight here.


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

terrapro;938478 said:


> It is stupid but its the law...tarp any and all loads especially for commercial operations.
> 
> If you are plowing lots and driveways you are not doing highways thats for sure.


What about for non-commercial operations? For this specific vehicle, The truck is not in a company name, there is no CDL, no dot numbers, basically nothing commercial about it, other than it has a salt spreader, no proof that it is a commercial vehicle. Does this have any affect

My buddy, talked to a detective from the same department and said that is was a bull **** ticket too and to fight it.


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

im pretty sure that around here, all loads that are considered loose material has to be tarped no matter what your hauling, or what your hauling it in. IF its not a "loose material" then they can get you with failure to strap down your load.

regaurdless of what the law acctually says, lets face it , everyone is "guilty until proven otherwise" in a cops eyes...its all how the officer enterprits the law and how he feels that day. right or wrong this is the truth..... because taking time off to go to court to fight the ticket, or getting a laywer costs you. and here in IL the court cost is so high....your better to just mail the payment in and be guilty in most cases becasue even if you negoteate for a lesser offense, the court cost is twice the normal ticket...lso right or wrong, your f>>cked either way. 

I got to say after owning a snow ex 8000 a few years ago, the tarp sucks....the one nice thing about that western tornato is that flip cover...i wouldnt mind seeing that on more models or as an aftermarket part


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

silvetouch;938763 said:


> What about for non-commercial operations? For this specific vehicle, The truck is not in a company name, there is no CDL, no dot numbers, basically nothing commercial about it, other than it has a salt spreader, no proof that it is a commercial vehicle. Does this have any affect
> 
> My buddy, talked to a detective from the same department and said that is was a bull **** ticket too and to fight it.


Doesn't matter, they just seem to target businesses like we have more money or something :crying:


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## gottaluvplows (Dec 20, 2008)

This is what the county does:


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## terrapro (Oct 21, 2006)

The county trucks would fall under the "highway ice and snow management" so they don't count.


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## adksnowo (Dec 14, 2005)

Muni./gov. trucks in in New York state are exempt from certain DOT regs. Note none of them have DOT #'s. Still doesn't soften the blow of the questionable ticket.


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## forestfireguy (Oct 7, 2006)

They are pretty strict in Bergen County NJ with the tarped load thing, not so much when snow operations are underway. But I did once get pulled over during a storm because the chute on the V-Box was covering the lic plate of the 550 I was driving. He ignored the fact that I was WAY over weight, full salter, mounded as high as possible, And a full 250 gallon liquid unit on the same truck, YES a skid spray rig in front mounted sideways and an 8 ft salter will fit in a 12 ft grain body, scaled the truck after that and weighed in at like 21800, OOPS. Never ran with the liquid tank full after that. Still could have been over even without the liquid, but the boss would have paid the overweight ticket, I was more concerned with the brakes working OK when I needed them to..........


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## bigmac1276 (Dec 4, 2007)

I would go to the court date and ask the judge what the hell is the difference between me carrying salt and the city or county trucks carrying salt? If they are putting it on the roads than who gives a s*$t if some spills out of my truck. In fact they ought to give you a tax deduction for helping out. Must be a new cop trying to make a name for himself instead making an a$$ of himself.


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## tuney443 (Jun 25, 2006)

This is just one of many of stupid,insane laws that usually just ******* cops try and ticket you for.On one of my many latex glove DOT inspections, a hammer that was laying on the pass. floorboard of my dump truck was written up as a warning because it was not strapped down.Some personal gear,the biggest being a plastic,insulated cooler,the DOT officer told me did not need strapping because that came under ''personal''.The hammer was considered ''business'' related.A missile is a missile,but maybe not when the DOT is concerned.


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## turb0diesel (Dec 13, 2009)

soooo...
if it was too cold to get the scale out
it wasnt too cold to pull you over?


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## silvetouch (Jul 29, 2004)

turb0diesel;939829 said:


> soooo...
> if it was too cold to get the scale out
> it wasnt too cold to pull you over?


apparently not. He's just another wanna be B/A cop. He used to be Swat and he either still is or used to be a weighmaster. He works for Allen Park . Steve Samborski is the name. Just a heads up to anyone that might cross the P.O.S 's path.

Oh and i almost forgot, my ticket says "failure to tarp" but my court appearance date Says "Unsafe Load". WTF???


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## ColumbiaLand (Sep 1, 2008)

Seems like a load of bs to me. Agreed with if it falls on the road during the storm your doing a public service. I still prefer to have all of my salters tarped anyway to keep out precip.


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## nevrnf (Oct 12, 2005)

I see a lot of city,county and states getting smarter in these tough economic times. There are many laws on the books that have not been enforced for years that they have started enforcing. We all have become used to getting away with things since they have not been enforced. Its time to get a copy of your state and local vehicle codes and look it over. I will bet there are things none of us are aware of that could cost us many $$$ that they can enforce.


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## gamberbull13 (Dec 16, 2009)

Here in Maryland they can ticket you for having an unsecured load. State and DOT. Their just trin to make money to prove one department enforces the roads better than another. Its all BS and i think they're just mad when when we dont help the push their cars outta the snow and just keep on plowing, oh and i do enjoy passing them in the slow lane on an interstate in a blizzard when they know they cant catch me .02


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## BillyRgn (Jan 28, 2004)

The law is the law, commercial or not commercial. Any load you carry needs to be covered with a tarp or tied down adequately no matter if the truck or v box is a quarter full, half full, full, or over full. The town, county, state and government trucks are exempt I guess, but I bet they would be just as accountable if not more knowing they have overweight trucks on the road if something were to happen, such as the truck going down the road loses its brakes because it was over weight and totals a car killing a family or the truck that has a mountain of sand or salt overflowing the truck with no tarp hits a bump and a half yard spills over the side and makes a pile and a school bus full of kids hits it and rolls over. My point is just because someone else does it, it does not make it right


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