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Kokua Line June Watanabe |
Carrier vehicles
have weight rulesQuestion: How should I label the weight of my small fleet of trucks? I understand that the weight posted should be the weight of the vehicle plus its maximum load. This is commonly referred to as Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or GVWR. It is also my understanding that GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) is the weight of the vehicle unloaded. When I look around town, I see city buses and trucks labeled with only GVW instead of GVWR. The confusion is rampant around the state, as I see more vehicles with the GVW than GVWR. Which should it be?
Answer: It can be the GVW, the GVWR or a third number.
Under Hawaii Revised Statutes, Section 286-202.6, your trucks should be marked with "the gross vehicle weight, gross vehicle weight rating OR gross combination weight rating" (emphasis on "or" is ours), among other requirements, said Alex Kaonohi, administrator of the state Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Safety Office.
("Motor carrier vehicle" refers to a vehicle used by a motor carrier to transport passengers or property on the public highways, while a "motor carrier" in this instance means any person who owns a motor vehicle used to transport people or property on the public highways for commercial, industrial or educational purposes.)
Kaonohi's staff conducts random weight inspections throughout the state, including at ports of entry. They have a portable scale at Kalaeloa, a permanent scale at Sand Island and portable hand-held scales that they can take all over the state to check vehicle weights, Kaonohi said.
He also said his inspectors are trained to know when a truck may be overweight. If there is a question, an inspector will immediately check the weight noted on the vehicle template installed by the manufacturer on the inside of the vehicle, he said.
Compared with about 15 years ago when the law regarding vehicle markings was changed, Kaonohi said he finds most motor carrier vehicles are in compliance, not only because of a better awareness of what's required, but also because of stricter enforcement and penalties.
The Department of Transportation works with the Hawaii Transportation Association and the Oahu Fleet Safety Association to make sure everyone knows the law, he said. Fines can range from $125 to $580, doubling or tripling for multiple infractions.
The problem with overweight vehicles is that they not only cause damage to roadways, but also can cause severe accidents, Kaonohi said.
Unattended child legislation
State Rep. Marilyn Lee (D, Mililani-Mililani Mauka), says that as a registered nurse, she is acutely aware of the dangers of leaving a young child unattended in a vehicle ("Kokua Line," July 6).Hawaii has no laws specifically on leaving children alone in vehicles, but Lee says she has introduced a bill in the House the past two years to make it a petty misdemeanor to do so.
Lee plans to reintroduce House Bill 280, part of the Keiki Caucus' legislative package, to prohibit leaving a child under the age of 9 in a car unattended, meaning without anyone else or without anyone 15 years or older.
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