Squabbles Kill Big 5th Wheels, But T Trailers Go 25% Bigger

Last March we reported on an RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association) 'trial balloon' that would have allowed fifth wheel manufacturers to build units bigger than 400 square feet. At the time there was considerable opposition from the Recreational Park Trailer Association--an industry group of the park trailer builders. Apparently the park trailer folks felt their turf threatened. It appears the latter have come off successful--at least as far as inflating the size of fifth wheels goes.

In an interview with RV Business magazine, RVIA honcho Matt Wald says, “I don't anticipate the fifth-wheel initiative to go anywhere any time soon, (RPTIA Executive Director) Bill Garpow did an excellent job of scuttling anything we tried to do.”

But the RVIA isn't ready to roll over and play dead on 'Mac-sizing' all RVs. The RVIA recently gave its member-builders permission to upscale the size of travel trailers to 400 square feet, beginning January 1. The current maximum floor area allowed in a travel trailer is 320 square feet, so a 25% boost in size could do some amazing things for fulltime RVers and others.