We hear via the grapevine that authorities, particularly around Golden, are very strictly enforcing GCVW regulations. We’ve been told that anyone who exceeds the rating for his/her tow vehicle is fined heavily and sent back out of BC immediately without any mercy.

Accordingly, I’m wondering if you (or perhaps “B.C.” aka Bob Martin) have heard anything about that. Is there a formula defined in the BC Highway reg’s that is used to determine what the GCVW should be for a given tow-vehicle (since not all manufacturers rate their trucks etc. exactly the same)? For instance, do they use tire size to determine GCVW?

In our case, we have a 28.5' Travelaire 5th wheel trailer which we pull very comfortably with a ’93 GMC 2500 equipped with the 6.5 Turbo Diesel engine. However, when I fill the fresh water tank in our trailer and have the fuel tank in the truck full, and with us in the truck, we’re over GM’s rated GCVW for that truck by almost 1,000 lbs.

If what I’ve heard is correct then I better stay out of BC for a while, or at least use the Yellowhead Route rather than the Trans-Canada route.

Any illumination in this regard that you can provide would be appreciated.

Vic Stobee
Edmonton AB
vastobee@freenet.edmonton.ab.ca