Big Enough Truck?

   / Big Enough Truck? #71  
Classes ofLicense:
The Federal standard requires States to issue a CDL to drivers according to the following license
classifications:
Class A -- Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
***You will note that there is not one "jot or tittle" about commercial, for hire, etc. Just weight. This is a change put out by the Clinton administration to appease the Teamsters as it means more people will either have to get a CDL or hire out the work to a (hopefully) union hauler.
***In other word it's all about politics /Not safety.
 
   / Big Enough Truck? #72  
***In other word it's all about politics /Not safety.

Actually I think it's more about poor writing on the Web.
I think whoever wrote that web page did not read the Act.

You'll note that the Act was done well before most people had computers at home other than peeps like me. The requirement for the CDL was written in 1992, before most peeps surfed anything other than water. The Act lays out the terms commerce. The licensing says there are 3 basic classes of licenses.
The requirement for the CDL is a requirement more aimed at defining standards so the states can issue licenses uniformly. So you don't get someone like me driving a loaded 40' semi across country delivering molasses in drums, with NO training other than having driven a 4 cyl. Toyota pickup. I could of easily turned it over if I wasn't careful.

I think I saw some states in my search that exempted farm vehicles and recreational vehicles in their description, but not trailers hauling personal property.
 
   / Big Enough Truck? #73  
[SIZE=-1]www.fmcsa.dot.gov/documents/training/gen_req.ppt[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]

Has information in it. The Vague parts are what makes it "commercial".




[/SIZE]
 
   / Big Enough Truck? #74  
I'm thinking of buying a 25ft trailer with 10K tandem axles. If I have that trailer fully loaded (nearly 20K lbs.) will my F-250 with 7.3 Power-Stroke diesel be enough truck?

SouthernX,

You probably haven't found the answer you was looking for in your thread, because it has turned into a "HOT-SHOT-TRUCKING thread.

You have one guy saying that in OHIO, you can haul all the weight you want on a pickup and its legal.

Then it went to hauling a boat, camper and tractor trailers.

Builder gave you the right information, some others did also.

It would be best to stay under your (GVWR) anything over 26000lbs.
and you would need a CDL.

You said if you had the trailer fully loaded at 20klbs. would your truck
handle it, i had the same truck and i never had that much on it.

I believe it would be too much, but if you do haul that much weight i
would make sure you had good trailer brakes.

Every time a thread starts some will argue about something else, and
not try to help someone.
_____________________________
 
   / Big Enough Truck? #75  
"Every time a thread starts some will argue about something else, and
not try to help someone."

Agreed, looks like this thread is well past the point of being usefull.

If anyone has a question about their specific state and situation you might get some answers here:



Field Office Phone List - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

"The field organizations deliver program services to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) partners and customers. This organization consists of Field Operations, Service center and State-level motor carrier division offices.

These offices are here to answer your questions and to provide you with guidance concerning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations."


Be safe out there!
 
   / Big Enough Truck? #76  
"Every time a thread starts some will argue about something else, and
not try to help someone."

Agreed, looks like this thread is well past the point of being usefull.

If anyone has a question about their specific state and situation you might get some answers here:



Field Office Phone List - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

"The field organizations deliver program services to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) partners and customers. This organization consists of Field Operations, Service center and State-level motor carrier division offices.

These offices are here to answer your questions and to provide you with guidance concerning the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations."

Be safe out there!


Exactly what I was trying to say with less words. Don't do dumb things with small trucks. Don't overload or overtow with them. Get the right truck & the right training & licensing. '

Do it for the safety of my children & yours.
 
   / Big Enough Truck? #77  
In North Carolina to be legal you must have CDL's for any trailer over 10K in weight. That's the law....
If that is the way NC enforces things, and I have reason to doubt you, that's a very strict code that goes beyond the federal guidlines.

Even in NY which can be a pita at times, your trailer can be over 10,000# with no CDL, as long as the total package is not >26,000. And if you keep the trailer under 10,000 you can go as high as 36,000 on the combination so long as the truck doing the pulling is not >26,000 MGVW. I believe you will find that most states operate this way since it is the federal statute; a few like CA and NC may be different.
 
   / Big Enough Truck? #78  
Different states have different rules for licensing, even for RVs. I had a 40 foot diesel RV wit air brakes, 35K pounds GVRW. In Florida, I only had to have an E class, normal drivers license. Most states had reciprocity with Florida, but some did not - like Illinois. I was always very nervous driving through Illinois, made no unnecessary stops, stuck to the Interstates, and put the cruise control on the speed limit - 55 for RVs.

Florida did have a class D license which would allow non-commercial drivers to drive rigs over 26000 GVW, IIRC - but only for personal purposes. It is possible that North Carolina has such a class as well. A check of the state's driver licensing web site should have the classes and requirements; otherwise, there should be a printed guide that does (besides the regular dirvers licenseing guide).
 
   / Big Enough Truck? #79  
Different states have different rules for licensing, even for RVs. I had a 40 foot diesel RV wit air brakes, 35K pounds GVRW. In Florida, I only had to have an E class, normal drivers license. Most states had reciprocity with Florida, but some did not - like Illinois. I was always very nervous driving through Illinois, made no unnecessary stops, stuck to the Interstates, and put the cruise control on the speed limit - 55 for RVs.

Florida did have a class D license which would allow non-commercial drivers to drive rigs over 26000 GVW, IIRC - but only for personal purposes. It is possible that North Carolina has such a class as well. A check of the state's driver licensing web site should have the classes and requirements; otherwise, there should be a printed guide that does (besides the regular dirvers licenseing guide).
I took a look at the NC DMV website and it appears you do NOT need a CDL to operate trailers over 10K pounds. However they do have something called a CLASS A Regular License, which you would need to tow such a trailer. It's kind of confusing, but here is the link. I don't live in NC but might want to drive thru with a 16K trailer behind a pickup. GreenWannabe, how did you find about about the different states reciprocities?

NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles: Driver Handbook: Chapter 1

NC DOT/DMV Drivers Handbook said:
Types of Regular Licenses:

If you are 18 years of age or older you may apply for an original North Carolina driver license. Under North Carolina's classified license system most drivers need only a Class C license to operate personal automobiles and small trucks.

Class A: Required to operate any combination of vehicles exempt from commercial driver license (CDL) requirements with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is greater than 10,000 pounds. Also required for operating any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds, if the vehicle being towed has a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds.
Class B: Required to operate any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more that is exempt from CDL requirements, and any such vehicle while towing another vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less.
Class C: Required to operate any vehicle with a GVWR of less than 26,001 pounds that is exempt from CDL requirements and is not towing a vehicle with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds. Most drivers need only a Regular C license to operate personal automobiles and small trucks.

Types of Commercial Licenses (CDLs):

A CDL is required for drivers, paid or volunteer, who drive the following types of vehicles that are designed or used to transport passengers or property.

Class A: Required to operate a vehicle that has a combined gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of at least 26,001 lbs and includes as part of the combination a towed unit that has a GVWR of at least 10,001 lbs.
Class B: Required to operate:
A single motor vehicle that has a GVWR of at least 26,001 lbs.
A combination of motor vehicles that includes as part of the combination a towing unit that has a GVWR of at least 26,001 lbs and a towed unit that has a GVWR of less than 10,001 lbs.

Class C: A single or combination of motor vehicles not included in Class A or B but meets any of the following descriptions:
is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver.
is transporting hazardous materials and is required to be placarded.
You do not need a CDL to drive recreational vehicles, military equipment, fire and/ or emergency equipment or certain farm vehicles. However, a regular license of the appropriate class is always required.
A special CDL endorsement is required to haul hazardous materials, transport passengers, pull double trailers, drive tank vehicles or drive school buses or school activity buses. Additional information about the CDL is in the North Carolina Commercial Driver License Handbook.
 
   / Big Enough Truck? #80  
GreenWannabe, how did you find about about the different states reciprocities?

Family Motor Coach magazine, published by Family Motor Coaching Association (FMCA, web site FMCA motorcoach, motorhome and rv owners) usually publishes an annual article detailing weight, length, towing, and DL requirements for all 50 states and the Canadian provinces in tabular form. It at least gives you a sense of what each state requires, so you don't have to find out for yourself from each state. I think Trailer Life and MotorHome magazines publish something similar, as major trucking magazines do sometimes as well.
 

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