Georgia "Truck" Laws

Coming home last night from Tally to Buford (metro Atlanta) I was on I-20 in Douglas county driving my Sprinter van (4 wheels) pulling my 24ft trailer with tandem axles (4 wheels). Driving in the fast lane because traffic was heavy going 65 in a 70 zone. I was pulled over by a Douglas County Sheriff's cruiser and told I was guilty of a "fast lane infraction".

Naturally I replied "say what?" He then informed me under current Georgia traffic law any vehicle or combination of vehicles with more than 6 wheels is considered a "truck". Trucks may not travel in the passing lane as noted in the handout below. My rig had 8 wheels so I was guilty of the infraction. When I asked if this would apply if I was towing my trailer with a car he said yes. I told him I had never heard of this and he let me go without a ticket but I thought I would make all of you aware of this since most of you travel in Georgia and this would apply to a lot of your race rigs.

 

I think most places consider any combination over 6 wheels a "truck." I guess Truck is an easier term than saying "Any vehicle-trailer combination over 6 wheels no left lane" At least that's how i've always considered it using "my" common sense.

 

Wow, getting more like commufornia.

 

No, I just understand that "trucks" can't accelerate or fit into spaces like "cars" and spend more time in the far left "passing" lane, therefore, shouldn't be in that lane. I also know that I am not a CMV, therefore I don't need to go through CMT/DOT weigh stations. As you know you can have a private semi and that makes you a truck but doesn't require you follow every other CMV/DOT reg.

 

I managed a good size fleet of 18 wheelers in my companies in Georgia for 30 years and for most of those years I had a Class 4 or 5 license as well as a CDL. Lawyers always told us the definition of a truck was any vehicle that required a CDL to operate. As Mongo said using this new definition would mean anything over 6 wheels would have to go through weigh stations and be subject to all of the additional laws specific to trucks unless specifically excluded. It would also mean you could be pulled over and inspected at any time by what we always referred to as the "truck police" (suvs with blue lights marked as Georgia Public Safety on the exterior).

 

The actual code reads a little differently than the DOT handout:

§ 40-6-52. Trucks using multilane highways


(a) As used in this Code section, the term "truck" means any vehicle equipped with more than six wheels, except buses and motorcoaches.

(b) On roads, streets, or highways with three or more lanes allowing for movement in the same direction, it shall be unlawful for any truck to operate in any lanes other than the two most right-hand lanes, except when the truck is preparing for a left turn or as otherwise provided by subsection (d) of this Code section.

(c) On roads, streets, or highways with two lanes allowing for movement in the same direction, it shall be unlawful for any truck to operate in the left-hand lane, except when the truck is actually overtaking and passing another vehicle, preparing for a left turn, or as otherwise provided by subsection (d) of this Code section.

(d) On interstate highways with four or more lanes allowing for movement in the same direction, the Department of Transportation may designate specific lanes that either prohibit or allow trucks. Where truck usage has been so designated and indicated as such by signs erected by the Department of Transportation, it shall be unlawful for any truck to operate in any lanes other than as designated.



It limits the definition of truck to this code section only, excludes RVs and buses, and makes no mention of "combination of vehicles".

 

That's what happens when the bureaucrats rewrite the law the way they think it should be.

 

Ive been pinched on I-285 in the #2 lane yrs. ago.I was driving dirty 18 wheels,but thought I would get out
there real quick for some passing.Cost me almost $400 bucks if I remember correctly and a few
points on the record.
Never heard of normal truck and trailer people getting that one?
The scale houses,depending on state will ticket regular trucks with trailers,as well as pick on you just for sport.

Florida particularly will.I have been inside the scale house getting overweight ticket,and listened to the dot cop
go after regular moving trucks/Ryder type truck for not entering.He was talking out loud daring the driver not to enter,and he
didn't,so he took off after ..
Just an excuse for a cop to go fishing on you as a driver.

 

I'll put a copy of the the actual code in all my vehicles for the next time.

 

$386 http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/gacode/Default.asp