Judge Rules Jumbo RV Is a Big Rig

Angelo “Chuck” Emanuele’s dream of carefree highway motoring in his jumbo RV hit a bump in the road Tuesday when a judge sided with the DMV and ruled his 57-foot rig is, in fact, a commercial vehicle.

Superior Court Judge David A. Thompson’s ruling means that Emanuele -- along with his wife and two children -- must pull in at weigh stations along with big-rig drivers and cross-country haulers.

The Orange resident must also carry a commercial driver’s license, keep an updated log and carry a medical release. Emanuele was disappointed but has not decided whether to appeal the ruling.

The media attention he has received resulted in support from “dozens and dozens” of people with similar large, fifth-wheel RV rigs who are fighting the DMV over the classification of their vehicles. He said several sympathizers have urged him to file a class-action lawsuit against the agency.

“I feel very strongly about this,” Emanuele said. “We know there are a lot of people in similar situations, people who have large, similar vehicles and who have been forced recently by the DMV to register their RVs as commercial vehicles.”

Emanuele said while an appeal would allow him to present evidence, including witnesses, to argue the case on its merits, he hasn’t decided on a course of action.

Emanuele’s rig is a large truck-tractor that tows a 40-foot recreational trailer. He bought it from a recreational vehicle manufacturer that had altered its weight, suspension and hitch before appointing it with bed, toilet, shower, refrigerator and air conditioning.

The DMV argued the alterations “were incidental” and didn’t change the vehicle’s primary design to tow trailers. Additional rules regarding commercial vehicles must be applied for such a large vehicle because of public safety, the DMV said.

Armando Botello, a DMV spokesman, said the agency’s attorneys have not reviewed the decision, but that “we feel that the judge is correct in his interpretation of the law.”