Pickups and Legal Trailer Weight Limits

[RayH]

Dave,
Nice find from California.
You got me. It looks like in California the laws for CDLs is federally regulated so they are the same as everywhere else. BUT, the state regulates its non commercial licenses. For a class "C" noncommercial license (your basic motor vehicle license) you can only tow a trailer up to 15000lbs before needing CDL A, (unless you are a farmer, then you can go up to the 26000lbs limit before needing a CDL).
So in theory, In CA, for commercial use, if you had a pickup with a GVWR of 9000lbs and pulled a trailer with a GVWR of 16000lbs, you would need a CDL "A" and only be at 25000lbs combined. web page

 

[RayH]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( In my opinion this whole issue is very hard to understand, and I'm also a so-called Professional Driver. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

I would really like to know how many of these (hot shots), duallys with trailers and such, stop at scales???
RedDog )</font>

I to drive a truck. Personally, Im glad they dont stop, imagine how long it would take to get through them if they all stopped. I dont have to deal with any scales or logs right now. All I do is shuttle trailers around town and spot. I dont work for a trucking company, I work for a manufacturing company so the people I work for couldnt care less about the legalities of driving, the drivers are on their own to stay legal so its good for me to brush up on this stuff every so often.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( California the laws for CDLs is federally regulated so they are the same as everywhere else. BUT, the state regulates its non commercial licenses )</font>

Yep, and so does Texas. In addition to the different classes of CDL, we have Class A, B, C & M non-commercial. No way I'd even try to explain them all, but if anyone is really interested, you can go to TXDPS and click on "Driver License" right under "Driver Handbooks" and pull up a 104 page .pdf file and read all about it. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I think it starts on page 7.

 

[RayH]

I thought you had me from Texas. Their handbook differs from the state statutes. This is from their statutes and codes. concerning non commercial licenses.

§ 521.081. CLASS A LICENSE. A Class A driver's license
authorizes the holder of the license to operate:
(1) a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of
26,001 pounds or more; or
(2) a combination of vehicles that has a gross
combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, if the gross
vehicle weight rating of any vehicle or vehicles in tow is more than
10,000 pounds.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.


§ 521.082. CLASS B LICENSE. (a) A Class B driver's
license authorizes the holder of the license to operate:
(1) a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating that
is more than 26,000 pounds;
(2) a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of
26,000 pounds or more towing:
(A) a vehicle, other than a farm trailer, with a
gross vehicle weight rating that is not more than 10,000 pounds; or
(B) a farm trailer with a gross vehicle weight
rating that is not more than 20,000 pounds; and
(3) a bus with a seating capacity of 24 passengers or
more.
(b) For the purposes of Subsection (a)(3), seating capacity
is computed in accordance with Section 502.162, except that the
operator's seat is included in the computation.

Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 165, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.


§ 521.083. CLASS C LICENSE. A Class C driver's license
authorizes the holder of the license to operate:
(1) a vehicle or combination of vehicles not described
by Section 521.081 or 521.082; and
(2) a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of
less than 26,001 pounds towing a farm trailer with a gross vehicle
weight rating that is not more than 20,000 pounds."

When you get down to class C you will read that you may operate any vehicles "not described from class A and B". What specifically is left out of Class A and B is any vehicle or combination less than 26000lbs. Its says nothing about towing a trailer over 10000lbs. In the license manual, it does state no trailer over 10000lbs. So do you believe the state statutes and codes or do you believe the drivers handbook.

 

[Dk45_Jeff]

I see now my question was too simplistic. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I ignored the fact many states have multiple classes of non-commerical drivers licenses. Among the 7 states mentioned (CA, MD, NY, PA, TX, VA, WV), 26,000 combined GCWR seems to be the upper limit on the "common" driver license.

 

[Chuck_Lind]

HELP!!!!!!!!! Is there a lawyer in the house???

 

[Dirthog]

the pa dot code is very clear any trailer having a weight rating in excess of 10,000 lbs and you must have a valid CDL and a medical card. it does not matter if it is for your own use or not. If you have it for hire you must also have DOT number clearly posted on truck.

 

[Bird]

Ah, yes, Jeff, it used to be so simple. When I was 16, I got an "Operators License" which was also all you needed for a motorcycle (no separate test of any kind required). When I was 17, I got my "Commercial Operators License" because I sometimes drove some tractor trailer rigs (had to take another written test, but no other driving test); good for anything on the road except hauling passengers for hire. Then when I was 20 or 21, I got my "Chauffeurs License"; good for anything you could legally put on the road, and I had a moonlighting job of driving a school bus and later a moonlighting job of driving a taxicab part time. When I was 28 or 29, they came up with the "motorcycle" endorsement, so I had to take both the written and driving test. So I kept up my license for anything until they came up with the CDL business. I wouldn't mind taking the tests, but the license is too expensive when I don't need it anymore. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I even dropped the motorcycle endorsement the last time I renewed my license because it cost $5 extra and I don't have a motorcycle anymore. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Sometimes I think the whole world's gettin too complicated. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[MikeIA]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( If you interpret the laws above to mean that you needs a CDL to pull a 10000lbs+ trailer then you would need the same license to drive a 3/4 pickup pulling a heavy duty car trailer or dump trailer as you would to drive a tractor/trailer.
)</font>

In Iowa, part of the form you sign to get or renew a CDL asks you to confirm that the vehicle you drove for your driving test "is representative of the largest vehicle you will be operating"

Iowa has the flowchart in it's CDL pamphlet, also:
Iowa CDL Information

 

[RayH]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( the pa dot code is very clear any trailer having a weight rating in excess of 10,000 lbs and you must have a valid CDL and a medical card. it does not matter if it is for your own use or not. If you have it for hire you must also have DOT number clearly posted on truck. )</font>

Please show me.
Theres plenty of info on the internet. Search Penndot.