Carrying passengers

[Joint Venture II]

I was considering having my pet dog kenneled up in the trailer when we travel. While doing some "surfin" on the net I came across some interesting facts about states that permit passengers to ride in fifth wheel trailers. That really surprised me that this is permitted in any state let alone 23 states. Has anyone actually hauled passengers in there FW?

[rohrmann]

I have not. It is not safe, no seat belts, no air bags, everything inside is a missile, and anyone inside would likely be killed in an accident. Regardless of any of the states that might permit passengers, even Keystone does not condone any passengers inside any trailer, TT or 5th wheel.

[dieselguy]

Get inside your Montana and have someone pull you about a mile. It'll give you recollections of the first time you went into a haunted house at Halloween when you were way younger.

[jsb5717]

It worked for Ricky and Lucy. But I wouldn’t do it for some good reasons already listed. I think that even if you could secure a kennel that just the bouncing, jolting, and even the noise could be a little traumatic for the dog. JMHO

[Andy Smith]

I've heard people pull up into campgrounds with a dog obviously running around in side their fifth wheel. It sounds atrocious. Kenneling it would be necessary. Ours rides in our truck with us, but our cats do stay in a kennel in the bedroom over the kingpin. We've got a wireless battery powered camera and watch them, monitor temps and stop for breaks. We've been doing it going on three years so far and they have made no complaints or done anything out of the ordinary after a drive. Livestock trailers and pet stores transport animals in trailers all the time, properly secured and monitored.

[1retired06]

Even putting our dog in the rig is a non-starter although on one trip I was tempted to stick the kids back there for some piece and quiet. But I did not.

[Joint Venture II]

Well it looks like Sophie will ride with us in the truck. I was looking at placing the kennel in the bedroom where the washer would have gone.

[steiny93]

I have a different perspective,
I'm from the horse community, they ride in the trailers, no issues.
If you have temp control, zero issues with pets in the trailer from my perspective.

Accidents suck, if you have a wreck and Fluffy is sitting on the front seat of the pickup, Fluffy is now part of the dash. If Fluffy is in a kennel secured within the 5th wheel Fluffy is probably in a more survivable situation (less acceleration before impact).

[mlh]

I have rode in my camper. It’s a great place to take a break while someone else drives and take a nap after a long day at the wheel. Some states it’s illegal but how are they going to enforce that, stop all the campers and see if someone is sleeping in them, not likely. I guess it could be dangerous but having a 12,000 pound camper running over your truck doesn’t sound like fun either.
Lynwood

[DQDick]

We wouldn't do it even with our cats. They ride crated in the truck.

[432bartman]

In California, to legally have someone ride in a trailer, it has to be hardwired with communication with the cab. With that being said, if it's hot outside you'd need to have your A/C on to keep anything living from overheating. Personally I would never do it.

[skippydoo]

Nope, not smart.

We have 2 GS, use to have a Newfie too. Never in a million years would we have our dogs ride in our 5th Wheel.
Everyone is in the cabin of our Truck.


BTW, we are not fur baby this, or fur baby that people.

[DutchmenSport]

Common sense prevails here. But if the law permits it, and you do it, there's nothing wrong with that. But again, common sense prevails!

It is not illegal to ride in the back of an open pick-up truck in Indiana either. But again? Common sense has to prevail.

I think these laws in Indiana go back to the agricultural climate, where farm hands rode in the trailers and the beds of pick-up trucks coming and going to the fields.

[Camp CA]

Would never have a person or dog travel in the trailer while towing.

[laverdur]

Oregon is one of those 23 states but two-way radio communication is required between the TV and the 5er. All 5ers are different but with my floor plan, the only place one could be with the slides retracted is on the bed or in one of the dining table chairs. Not my idea of a fun way to spend a day in a rolling earthquake. And what do yo do when it is 90 degrees outside and the 5er turns into a sauna? Not recommended.

[team bradfield]

GS and BMD sleep in the truck while traveling, I wouldn't let them or anyone ride in the Fiver

[jeririgged223]

As a retired state trooper who owns a 5er and has cleaned up a lot of these in accidents if you saw how they come apart in an accident you'd never even think of letting someone ride in there. They disintegrate.

[Mark7]

Many years ago when my kids were younger we did this all the time. At the time I had a Starcraft Wanderstar 35’ fifth wheel and it actually had an intercom built-in to be hardwired to the tow vehicle, but I did not have the part that went in the tow vehicle so we just used GMRS radios. I pulled it with a club cab Dodge pick up and it was not very comfortable for the kids in the back seat sitting sideways.

I actually rode in the 5’er once want on a long trip across the country while my wife drove. I could not believe all the rattles and noises in that camper while underway.

I had a rule that the kids were to keep the blinds polled and not to interact with any other vehicles on the road. Once while traveling on I 29 in South Dakota, I was pulled over by a state trooper. He came up to my window and told me he saw my girls in the camper and asked if I had communication to talk to them. I answered that I did and picked up the radio and called them. They would not answer me because they were afraid they were in trouble because I got pulled over. Turns out they had opened the blinds and we’re waving at everybody that passed us , including the trooper! I told them… “ If you girls don’t answer me right away this nice man is going to take your dad to jail!” They finally answered and the trooper told me we were all good and he went on his way.

The girls always sat in the dinette booth and played games while we were underway. They rode thousands of miles back there without incident. That being said, when I was a kid I rode hundreds of miles in the back end of an open pickup! Would not see that anymore these days would we?

In my opinion there is not a lot different between riding in a fifth wheel trailer versus riding in a motorhome, unless couches and recliners have seatbelts that I am not aware of. I would not make the same argument for travel trailers, but fifth wheels are much more stable on the road.

[mlh]

Motor homes do have seatbelts for the couch and the dinette. Or at least mine does.
Lynwood

[Mikendebbie]

Originally Posted by jeririgged223

As a retired state trooper who owns a 5er and has cleaned up a lot of these in accidents if you saw how they come apart in an accident you'd never even think of letting someone ride in there. They disintegrate.

Jeririgged223’s comment says it all…and I appreciate your service on the Texas highways!