Question:
I've been driving for two months for a small local that basically handed me a set of keys and directions the first day I was out of CDl school. Sent me into downtown Boston with a 48' van on my third day ! Well, now I'm trying to verify that I have the proper paperwork on board. We run 9 states in the northeast - ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, and PA. The truck has a "Cab Card" that lists all those states except NY, a NY Highway Use Tax permit, an insurance card, a current inspection sticker, and the two IFTA stickers. Am I right in assuming that the Cab Card is the registration? I think I need to also carry a photocopy of the IFTA permit to be legal? And I'm not sure if I need to get NY listed on the Cab Card?
I drove from RI to PA and back one day last week and hit my first open weigh station. The scale wasn't being used and they only asked that I floor it in neutral - I guess they were looking for pollution? The trucks they had pulled over looked like they all belonged in a junk yard ! Anyways I was lucky they didn't ask for my paperwork !
Thanks!
Ron

Answer:
You should have IFTA, MC authority, Single State or cab card with states operating in, Insurance with cargo liability and physical liability, apportioned registration (plates)any permits required for the states you run in.

Answer:

Was that at the Delaware Water Gap? They were looking for red fuel down there all last week.

Answer:

Yep! I80... But, they didn't look in the tanks. Can you tell if the fuel is legal or not just from the exhaust color?

Answer:
No, probably checking emissions. A simple look into the tank will tell if it's taxed or not. I shouldn't say no real fast. Maybe their getting sneaky but it's doubtful.

Answer:
Well they can become more suspicious by the exhaust. Red fuel smokes a little more, so if you cough up a heavy cloud they'll dip your tanks. If it comes out red you're busted. I hear that it is a hefty penalty too.

Answer:
Red is just a dye in the fuel. How does that make more smoke? The green blue is also just a dye how does that produce less smoke? Why would they use very costly equipment to check for non taxed fuel when a simple peek in the tank that only takes a few seconds witl show it? Just doesn't make sense.
Then again the way they spend millions of dollars on super coops nothing is real surprising.

Answer:
If memory serves: The coloring added to various diesel fuels is to denote the type of fuel it is intended for on/off highway use. The "blue" is for highway use and is low sulfar and more "refined" which in turns reduces emissions and smoking
The "red" fuel is only for off highway use and will cause more smoke and pollutants. Since it is not as highly refined it costs less and also there are fewer if any taxes on it.
Some drivers and trucking outfits will run red fuel in their on highway rigs for obvious reasons.
Answer:
Perhaps more smoke. Still doesn't make much sense to have a driver floor it. A few seconds and the twist of a cap and it's done.
But they are not interested in polution. They are interested in taxed veses non-taxed. Or better said how much money they can collect in fines. It's about taxes and nothing else.
Road money, yep
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Answer:
Well the coloring isn't the issue, the sulfur content is; that is what causes the extra smoke. I am using "red fuel" as a generic term. As for why they don't twist the cap and dip every tank, well this is Pennsylvania. It's hard to make sense of how things work here in PA now. There is no sense of organization here, and there is no parity in our motor vehicle laws.
This is a state where they can make up laws concerning motor vehicles as they go. There is a mechanism in place to allow the State Police to usurp the legislature, yet there is no mechanism in place to challenge their rules. The law doesn't matter here to you and I anymore. It's become totally irrelevant over the past few years. If the PA bear wants to ticket you for anything, you'll get a ticket and you will pay it. When they set up a DOT check they are going to write X amount of tickets that day. They pick silly reasons to pull trucks in. Red trucks on some days, blue trucks on another. Trucks that smoke, trucks that have mismatched paint, headlights on one day, and off the next. Of course the next weigh team 15 miles down the road could have different criteria, and they'll be more than happy to stop you again.

Answer:
High sulphur content can be detected with optical devices. Some states, like California, can test emmissions by setting up on freeway onramps and 'shooting' cars as well as trucks; it is better than dipping, which requires a chemical test. If you race the engine, the exhaust can be more easily 'shot' for optical evidence of excessive sulphur and other pollutants than going through the hassle of dipping every tank.

Answer:
Here in ontario, all trucks have to pass a emission test every 2 years i think it is. They have a special tool they stick in the exhaust, and then rev engine wide open and idle, then do it couple more times. If it don't pass you can't renew licence plates. If you test it enough times, and go easy on the throttle, most trucks will still pass, even if they smoke bad.
They will also do roadside test, but i have never seen one yet.

Answer:
The dye is to determan if highway use taxes have been paid.
Off Road and on both use the same Fuel.