Dave
The weight calculations varry per state, but federally its 12k steers, then 17k per tandem, up north you see a lot of trucks with multiple axle trailers, most i have seen was on a steel ore / salt trailer at 12 with his tag axle on his truck 16 total axle, there is also a difference for the weight based on the tires if it is a tag axle that is hydrolic/phneumatic, or if its a set of dual tandems. Then there are differences in states such as OK or LA that the state highway systems are authorized at heavier axle weights. Then california has a different weight calculation for spread axle depending on haul type or trailer type, on their dual bias tire trailers can haul up to 105k if permitted within the state.
In Oklahoma, you can operate a class B vaccum truck with 6 axle, but you might as well have class A certification.
shaun
as for the new health regulations, the 2 that has the industry going out of its mind is BMI, body mass index, and blood sugar, there is also a 3rd test that has not been highlighted much as a failure point is blood in urine. Hearing test has always been accepted as you can hear a forced whisper. I watched 3 drivers fail the blood in urine test a few days ago at the yard, after having set over 20 hours in a bus and not rehydrating it can happen.
Also the new points system is a failure in my opinion, and is hyper critical, everything including if you have a tail light out now goes both against the individual driver rating and the company rating. Including accidents, even if you are not at fault, eg. someone rear ends you, or backs into your CMV it will count as points against you as the driver, and points against your company.