MDT Licensing in Ontario

[County RVr]

Hello All,

I am new to this site and I am hoping to learn some things and also share some experiences. Today I am going to shed some light on my wonderful government of Ontario's highway enforcement agency.

You need to understand I drive an MDT International Crew Cab International 4300 with a GVWR of 13000 kg which is licenced within a commercial company of my own and has hydraulic brakes, therefore as long it is not plated for over 11,000 kg you can drive with an everyday G licence. While on vacation to the east coast with my personal 33 ' fifth wheel in tow, i drove over 4000 km with no issues until I arrived at my hometown province of Ontario. While on the highway I passed by a scale with the lights on.....which I was under the opinion that i need not pull in due to an exemption of personal use. Well I was mistaken, so Im told. The officer ran me down and asked me why I did not pull into the scales, I gave him my reasoning and he told me that the truck was not a pickup and regardless of a personal fifth wheel I have to abide by all the same rules as a commercial driver: daily inspection, logbook, Class D if total load over 11,000 kg, and Class A if trailer over 4600 kg. What a PIA. Know if understand the rules....I think, here is what I am going to share:

Commercial or Personal Truck over GVWR of 6000 kg - must keep inspection and log

Exemption for Trucks with GVWR under 6000kg - therefore pull a trailer (RV) no matter of weight

RV'rs beware because newer 3500 model trucks have a GVWR over 6000kg and are subject to these rules and if you get the wrong guy like i did you could be in a mess if they pull what they did on me which was:

- degraded my commercial licence to 4500 kg for 72 hrs
- had to leave my trailer at scales since total weight of combined load was 11,330 kg and wife does not have D licence
- go back and pick up trailer next day (3 hrs each way) but get this, was no problem with me driving another truck I have which is rated at 4500 kg to pick up my trailer, ( tell me that makes sense).

Just imagine being 2-3000 km away from home and this BS happens. Hope some of you can shed some light on this situation , and if there are any ways around this.

Thank you , and thanks for have me!

[grassy]

The LEO wasn't quite correct...I get waved in all the time to the scales because I set off the lights..I wave at them and keep going..I run a Freightliner FL60 SC that weighs in at 14K.

My trailer is under 4500K KGs so I don't need they extra cert for that.

I live in NS but run into Ontario (the DW is from there :>)..thank goodness for hwy 30 in Que

I think your problem is that you have your rig "incensed within a commercial company of my own". Hence, regardless of how you use it, it is a "commercial" vehicle...and you have to abide by the laws of commercial trucks.

Mine is registered as a camper. I have air brakes so I had to get that cert. ZERO commercial regulations apply to my rig. I insure it via my house insurance.

PM me and we can continue this conversation if you would like. Pics of your truck are always appreciated.