The "real" capacity of a 26000 lbs. GVW moving truck

[WM75Guy]

When driving a truck for personal reasons as you are, a CDL is not required. This is my understanding of DOT regulation. This is true regardless of GVRW.

Not in Texas. A GVWR of 26,001 requires a Class B non-CDL. The class requirements are the same for CDL and non-CDL. You do not need the DOT physical for the non-CDL. The non-CDL are for the exemptions allowed such as fire apparatus, farm equipment and personal use. Drive one of the big motor homes and you need a Class B non-CDL. A pickup truck towing a horse trailer over 10,000 pounds and a combined weight over 26,000 pounds requires a Class A non-CDL.

 

[Bubbanewf]

The magic CDL limit of 26,000 lbs is for whatever you are moving down the road. If the truck is loaded to 25,500 the max you can add is 500 lbs, which might be a Harbor Freight trailer and a toy car.



I would call the state police and ask them about the GCWR for a rental truck and light trailer with a car.
The reason being, that people tow cars behind Motorhomes all the time and I know they are pretty darn heavy.
The old timers cant all have CDL's either. I believe they are legal with class D licenses so check with the Highway patrol for a definate answer.

 

[bdog]

If the truck has air brakes you need Air Brake Endorsement!

No you don't. Actually there is no such thing as an air brake endorsement. There is an air brake restriction on a CDL to where you can't operate a commercial vehicle with air brakes.

With a regular drivers license you can operate vehicles with air brakes as long as they are not over 26k. I have one and do it all the time.

 

[downslope]

No you don't. Actually there is no such thing as an air brake endorsement. There is an air brake restriction on a CDL to where you can't operate a commercial vehicle with air brakes.

With a regular drivers license you can operate vehicles with air brakes as long as they are not over 26k. I have one and do it all the time.

We had an old truck like that, under 26K but had air brakes. Everyone with a regular license was driving it. But then we had one guy who had a CDL but he had the air brake restriction on it. Was never sure if was OK for him to operate that same truck or not.

 

[joe t]

Too many rules

 

[Duffster]

We had an old truck like that, under 26K but had air brakes. Everyone with a regular license was driving it. But then we had one guy who had a CDL but he had the air brake restriction on it. Was never sure if was OK for him to operate that same truck or not.

He'd been fine.

Air brake restriction restricts you from driving a CMV with air.

 

[medic0648]

The kicker no one is taking into account is crossing a state line. I can drive a lot of vehicles within the state weighing under 26,000lb, but the gcwr over 26,000 and not need a cdl and logs. I cross the state line and I get stuck under interstate commerce and have to use my cdl and keep a log. Doesn't matter if the truck and trailer are under farm tags. If your rental is rated at 26,000lb the trailer takes it over and you can be required to pull into a weigh station just with the truck. They ask you to come inside and the officer wants the tickets they can give them to you for being over your license rating and you're stuck there. I had to go help my uncle when he was moving because of this issue since I do have a cdl and saved him a lot of money on tickets. He just had to sit in NM for a 1.5 days waiting for me to get there.

 

[Turbys_1700]

(1) Combination vehicle (Group A)輸ny combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds).
(2) Heavy Straight Vehicle (Group B)輸ny single vehicle with a GVWR of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more), or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) GVWR.
(3) Small Vehicle (Group C)輸ny single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that meets neither the definition of Group A nor that of Group B as contained in this section, but that either is designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, or is used in the transportation of materials found to be hazardous for the purposes of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and which require the motor vehicle to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR part 172, subpart F).

Commercial motor vehicle groups. - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

These are the regulations that are in enforcement here in NC...
I had to get my C endorsement for driving our newly acquired church bus due to the 25 seat passenger size...
I do not have air brake endorsement or the P endorsement required here in NC for a school bus license...

 

[tcartwri]

Preface: I'm not planning on overloading the truck, I'm just curious.

I'm getting ready to move soon, so I'm looking at renting a moving truck, trucks like these that have stated GVW's at or just 26,000 lbs.:

22 ft. - 26 ft. Diesel Non-CDL Cargo Vans - Penske Truck Rental
https://www.budgettruck.com/moving-trucks.aspx

As I understand it, driving a truck with a GWV over 26000 lbs. requires a CDL, but as an engineer I know that things don't often come out to nice round numbers like 26,000. So is the GVW on these trucks understated so that they can be driven without a CDL?

That is, are these the same as a nearly-identical truck that requires a CDL and has a higher GVW?

I'll answer your question directly, as I have been ticketed for this exact thing. All of these rental companies Register their five tons well under the 26,000 lb spec. It is the Registered Gross Weight that you have to abide by, and it can be pretty low. You need to ask the rental company directly for the allowable gross weight on their trucks. Looking at the axle ratings will get you in trouble if you have to roll across a scale.

To answer your other question, yes they will take the abuse of a substantial overload. But any DOT officer rolling up beside you will know in an instant that your over gross just by looking at the sidewalls on the tires.

 

[clemsonfor]

i dont think you can ever load one to their capacity unless you loading logs or metal or a bunch of books in there. House hold stuff just does not weigh that much for the volume it occupies.