Do you need

Do you need a permit for an amber light on your truck in New Jersey?

 

tim- the people to ask would be steveair or chuck(our moderator). i know in CT everyone has them, so you don't need a permit. i found a site that had all the laws/regulations,etc. when i find it i'll post the new jersey info on here. i'm 99% sure you don't need one though.



bryan

 

NJ DOT

Hey Tim, Just go to the New Jersey DOT website and they willhave all the regs for the state for trucks, trailers, etc. Amber is not a problem, thats why you se most people running amber strobes on utility trucks. They start having a $hit fit when you break out the red and blue ones. (because they are designated for emergency vehicles) Hope you find the exact info on their site!!

 

Correction, snow, in Connecticut a permit is required. It cost $7.00 per year July 1 thru June 30. You get it only thru the Wethersfield DMV, and it must be signed by the local police chief prior to sending to DMV. Ask for form E215. For more info see http://www.ct-clic.com/detail.asp?code=965

 

Not for me Bill!

If the police here actually enforced it, there would be no one with yellow lights. around here, everyone has them on their vehicles. the police have better things to worry about, than if someone doesn't have a permit for a yellow light. In the winter, everyone puts yellow lights on their vehicles when plowing. do you think the cops in my town care?


bryan

 

Snow writes, " i know in CT everyone has them, so you don't need a permit"

Just because a law isnt enforced in your locale doesnt mean there isnt one on the books.

Yes, the local police ignore them, I have never been stopped and asked for my permit, it will come into play when you are involved in some minor infraction, parking, pushing snow in the street, fender bender with no clear at-fault party, then the lack of permit will be the trump card to get that violation charged to you. Then who will be the scrub???

FYI DMV inspectors will ask for it during one of those roadside inspection lanes they periodically set up. $77 fine.

Tim1075, I checked the NJ website for the question, couldnt find any reference there. Maybe give the local DMV office a buzz?

 

good point bill!

That's a good point. If that $7 permit could save you from a $77 fine, well, the permit would be the way to go. does a contractor need just one permit for lights, or one for each truck?


bryan

 

It is specific for the vehicle. One for each truck. I got mine for my truck at the suggestion of another contractor. Just drop it off at the PD front desk, they mail it back to me a few days later with the signature then I send it to DMV.

The same permit is also good for red, blue, and white lights but the other colors need the ok of the fire chief (I guess for volunteer firemen/ambulance workers)

 

Amber Lights

As far as I know, you do need a permit in NJ to run an amber light. I'm not sure where to get it, though I know the DOT has to issue it. I found this out from a friend who went to annual State motor vehicle inspection. They asked him where his permit was for his permanently mounted light.
I would imagine that it's a cheap fee like the $7 others mentioned.
My amber lights are magnetic mount, and so is my brother's. We only have them on when actively plowing. We NEVER use them when transporting from job to job on roads.
That may be a key here. If the truck is in a lot, plowing, then the police can't issue a summons. That would be like them issuing a summons for plowing with a back hoe, with no liscense plates on it. If it's not on the road, they can't do much. Now if you plan to plow roadways, then you should get the permit. If it was easier to find out how and where to get one in NJ, I'd get one myself. Occassionally I park my truck curbside with the amber lights and hazzard flashers on, when we are clearing sidewalks. This is to alert traffic that we are working there. Then again, I sometimes drop a few cones behind my truck as well. I wonder if I need a permit to use cones on a road?
I do it for safety sake. I also wear a reflective orange vest when doing walks close to the curb.
Amber lights are typically used to alert other drivers of a safety concern. Tow trucks all use them. Maybe you could ask a tow truck owner where and if he has a permit for his amber light? Red and blue lights are for emergency vehicles only. If it's not a municipal vehicle, or volunteer fire fighter's vehicle, you can't run them at all.

~Chuck

 

Chuck where in New Jersey are you?

 

Tim,

Well, I lived in West Orange for 30 years. I lived in Franklin in Sussex county for a year. Now I live in Nutley.
I do all my plowing in West Orange.

~Chuck

 

You are a little south of me i was going to say that this winter if you needed an extra guy to shovel sidewalks in a pinch i would have been glad to help you out but you are a little far away from me

 

Amber Lights - UPDATE

Ok, I mailed NJ DOT and asked:

Is there a permit required to use a roof mounted amber strobe light while
actively plowing snow in the state of NJ? If so, where and how could I get
one? How much would it cost per vehicle?

Thanks!

Charles Smith
===================================
The reply I got was this:

Please call 609-777-1682 for further information concerning the use of amber lights.

Sincerely,
Correspondence Center
=====================================

So I just called that number, which was a Division Of Motor Vehicles number. The woman I spoke to told me that unless I have a Government Contract, that an amber light CAN NOT BE USED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHILE PLOWING SNOW. I asked if it was OK to use one in a parking lot while plowing, and the answer was still NO. She said that the amber lights must be removed from my vehicles. She reiterated, and said that only those who hold Goverment contracts, qualify to use an amber light in the State of NJ, period.

Now I find this hard to believe, as Snow (Bryan) pointed out, EVERYONE uses amber lights while plowing. I know for sure that MAYBE 2% of those using the lights have Government contracts in NJ. This is truly absurd, due to the fact that while plowing snow you want to be as visible as possible to other motorists and pedestrians. We all know how limited our visibility is while plowing snow, and anything to help other motorists and pedestrians see and hear us(back up alarms) is a BIG plus in my book!

So there you have it. You can be issued a summons if you use a light without a permit. It's a good thing the Police don't know this, or don't enforce it, because they could make a fortune writing summonses every time it snows!
I can't honestly say I don't see any trucks around here without an amber light on while plowing.

Furthermore, I think it's time to start writing to NJ MVS, and maybe even petition them to ammend this law. The public's safety is at stake here.

For those of you who plow in NJ, here's the number. You can call yourself. If you do plow Government contracts, they will issue you a permit, and you are required to have one. She didn't say how much the permit was or what info you would need to supply to get said permit.

I have a feeling if I told her my truck was used as a Service Station "rescue" truck, I could get one. Or if it was a tow truck.

NJ MVS - Amber Light Info
(609) 777-1682

A VERY TICKED OFF
~Chuck

Oh, and don't forget, we have a great governor (NOT!!!) in NJ. Her name is Christine Todd Whitman. Believe me, the laws she has made regarding trucks in this state, and motor vehicles in general, has MANY people VERY MAD.

When she runs for Vice President, or any other office, you couldn't get me to vote for her for "all the tea in China!!"

 

hey that really sucks but thanks for doing all that research.

 

Thanks for the info Chuck! I wouldn't trust one person's opinion in any NJ state office. I won't believe her until I see it in writing. I've heard of laws that specify that if you are doing work on or near any road that you have to have amber lights, specific signage, specific cones etc. and you may be doing that contract for someone other than the government. (Example: building a shopping mall) I believe she is misinformed, and I've experienced that problem with other NJ workers at other NJ departments. I've seen the spec.'s for NJ plow contracts and they state that you have amber lights very specifically mounted in certain ways. Those spec.'s did not say you need a permit for the light. I have the magnetic lights for all of the trucks and I turn them on even when we're traveling down the road between sites. This is because of all of the idiotic things I've watched drivers do during snow. The more visibility, the better chance that my trucks aren't going to get hit, I hope. I have a friend who is a local cop, & who plows, and I'll see if he knows or can find out anything about it. I'll be happy to get a permit if we can get to the bottom of it.

 

Chuck and BRL,

I have see the law and application in writing. Last year, I had the state of NJ send me info on the amber light. They sent me the application and it said that if you are working for the town, county, or state you can have one but must have proof of contract, police approval, and must be removed when contract ends. Does that make sense?

 

Maine Law on Warning Lights:

Any light and or combination of lights may be used under these regulations.

Lights are orange in color

They can be used when plowing on private property, or on public proberty with a town or state contract.

Warning Lights may not be used when traveling down a public road, with the exception if the blade extends over the center line.

No rear mounted strobe/flashers lights may be used when transporting over public roads. This is for private contractors as well as state and town. Only the town trucks do not follow this rule. When activly plowing the rear mounted strobes/ flashers can be used.

Most of my guys run their warning lights mounted on the roof of the truck or headboard of the dump body when trasporting. Only they do turn them off in dense commercial strips, with the exception of the trucks with 10' blades.

Geoff

 

Well Chuck, I guess that lady was right. Wonders never cease!
Aspen, Does it make sense? No way! I feel they are a significant safety feature, especially during snow events. Any construction that you see going on for private businesses, where they have to be near or on any roads, always have vehicles with amber lights running. I can't understand that one. A lot of the guys around here use them for plowing and I've never heard of any trouble with them. Oh well.

 

This thread has me wondering, I think I'll write VT DOT and see just what the regs are up here. No permit needed for amber that I know of, but that might turn out to be because they can't be used at all, the way the govt. thinks. Everybody runs some sort of amber flasher, but that might be just because the cops haven't figured out that it might be a good cash cow to bust people over.

 

SAFETY Fi..........LAST???

Thats the gov't for you!! Of course they want you to use one when plowing for the city.......to prevent accidents and lawsuits to COVeR THEIR ASS'S!!!!! They don't care about what happens to you when your plowing Joe Schmoes Driveway!! I think thats something that can get changed easily with a solid petition. Good Luck Guys!!