Spring is also the time to remind our members of the key things to help you avoid getting a citation when operating fertilizer or agrichemical equipment on a public roadway.  IFCA has an excellent relationship with the Illinois State Police and Illinois DOT and we support all they have done to ensure we maintain reasonable exemptions for transporting implements of husbandry on the highways. But there are things to remember to ensure you are doing things correctly, and they are:

 

1.  Employees of ag retailers need a Class B or C CDL to transport ammonia nurse tanks and a hazmat endorsement.  You do not need a Class A license or doubles/triples endorsement to transport ammonia nurse tanks whether one behind the other or two on a single running gear.  Just rememer your vehicle combination is limited to three vehicles and nurse tanks also do not need brakes or lights in Illinois.  Persons who do not have a CDL can get a restricted CDL to work for an ag retailer for either 90 or 180 days to transport nurse tanks, and they do not need a hazmat endorsement with a restricted CDL, only a Class B license and they must complete the restricted CDL application with IDOT to obtain the license.  Anhydrous ammonia nurse tanks must be licensed in Illinois.  A two year license costs $13 dollars and can be obtained from your Sec of State office.  For assitance please contact IFCA.  

 

2.  When driving floaters or pesticide sprayers on a public road, the vehicle must stay below 36,000 lbs and be less than 12 feet wide, and you must drive less than 30 mph and operate within a 50 air mile radius of the point of loading.  You do not need a CDL to drive a floater or sprayer BUT if you fail to adhere to any of the parameters listed here, then the vehicle can be considered "commercial" and all the motor carrier safety regs apply.  Trust us you don't want to go there.  Our best advice:  Don't speed and you probably won't get stopped in the first place.  Be safe and courteous when operating these implements on a public roadway and your day won't be ruined by a traffic stop!  Also important:  floaters and sprayers do not need to be licensed so long as they are not out on the highway laden with fertilizers or pesticides.  And if you do license them you must burn clear diesel fuel in these vehicles.  It's best to tender them in the field with a licensed nurse truck and avoid the hassle of getting the State of Illinois to refund the tax you pay on the clear fuel and then you also don't have to worry about the IRS visiting your facility to check up on your use of clear or dyed fuel in your fleet.

 

You can find a lot of information on these and other regulations at www.ifca.com, click on "Regulations" and then "DOT"  or call us at 309.827.2774 for assistance.