Commercial vehicle


A commercial vehicle is any type of motor vehicle used for transporting goods or paying passengers. The European Union defines a "commercial motor vehicle" as any motorized road vehicle, that by its type of construction and equipment is designed for, and capable of transporting, whether for payment or not: more than nine persons, including the driver; goods and "standard fuel tanks". This means the tanks permanently fixed by the manufacturer to all motor vehicles of the same type as the vehicle in question and whose permanent fitting lets fuel be used directly, both for propulsion and, where appropriate, to power a refrigeration system. Gas tanks fitted to motor vehicles for the direct use of diesel as a fuel are considered standard fuel tanks.

Classification

In the United States a vehicle is designated "commercial" when it is titled or registered to a company. This is a broad definition, as commercial vehicles may be fleet vehicles, company cars, or other vehicles used for business. Vehicles that are designed to carry more than 15 passengers are considered a commercial vehicle. Variations may exist from state-to-state on which "commercial vehicles" are prohibited on certain routes and lanes and between homeowner associations, which may employ broader definitions than their municipalities with regard to their own parking restrictions.
Broadly defined, a vehicle may be considered a commercial vehicle if it:
A vehicle can be used for a business, if not exclusively, and remain privately licensed, depending on the amount of time used for business.

Commercial truck classification

Commercial trucks are classified according to the gross vehicle weight rating. The United States Department of Transportation classifies commercial trucks with eight classes:
Old commercial vehicles, like vintage cars, are popular items for preservation. News about preservation can be found in magazines, such as Heritage Commercials.

Legal issues

Commercial vehicle accidents and injuries are often more complex than regular car accidents, often involving additional concerns, background checks on operator driving records, and corporate maintenance records.