Big Enough Truck?

[LBrown59]

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).

The license from the state you are licensed in should be good enough.

 

[Harold_J]

The license from the state you are licensed in should be good enough.

When you say it "should be" good enough do you mean that would be the sensible and reasonable thing, and you wish it were that way?

Or do you mean that is the way reciprocity actually works, GreenWannabe shouldn't have been concerned about Illinois, and our home licenses will be good in any and all of the other 49 states?

 

[Turbys_1700]

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

This is from the NCDOT web site. Notice the second part of the sentence. And I quote: " provided the GVWR...OR... vehicles beign towed is in excess of 10,000#."

License Eligibility / Requirements

There are three classes of vehicles that require a North Carolina Commercial Driver License (CDL):
Commercial Class A - Any combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the GVWR of the vehicle or vehicles being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.

NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles: License Eligibility / Requirements

NC classifies a Commercial Class A as a CDL. Yes, it is confusing. The CDL Class A license still requries you to pass the CDL written test and driving test. You do not need haz mat certification if you are not dealing with that type of material. I'm not sure what type of testing is required for the B & C license.

I've known several individuals that have gotten ticketed for towing 10,000# trailer withiout the appropriate CDL (Class A).

 

[LBrown59]

When you say it "should be" good enough do you mean that would be the sensible and reasonable thing, and you wish it were that way?

Or do you mean that is the way reciprocity actually works, GreenWannabe shouldn't have been concerned about Illinois, and our home licenses will be good in any and all of the other 49 states?

Right

 

[GreenWannabe]

Au contrare, LB, Illinois does not have reciprocity with Florida on the size vehicle I drove. That's what made me nervous about it. Unfortunately, I was in Iowa ready to go back south when I found that out.

 

[LBrown59]

Au contrare, LB, Illinois does not have reciprocity with Florida on the size vehicle I drove. That's what made me nervous about it. Unfortunately, I was in Iowa ready to go back south when I found that out.

I just don't feel it's rite for one state to impose their laws on out of state residents.

 

[Harold_J]

This is from the NCDOT web site. Notice the second part of the sentence. And I quote: " provided the GVWR...OR... vehicles beign towed is in excess of 10,000#."

License Eligibility / Requirements

There are three classes of vehicles that require a North Carolina Commercial Driver License (CDL):
Commercial Class A - Any combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the GVWR of the vehicle or vehicles being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.

NCDOT Division of Motor Vehicles: License Eligibility / Requirements

NC classifies a Commercial Class A as a CDL. Yes, it is confusing. The CDL Class A license still requries you to pass the CDL written test and driving test. You do not need haz mat certification if you are not dealing with that type of material. I'm not sure what type of testing is required for the B & C license.

I've known several individuals that have gotten ticketed for towing 10,000# trailer withiout the appropriate CDL (Class A).

I would suspect the individuals you've known to be ticketed were driving with a Regular Class C license, which apparently NC does not allow when the trailer is over 10K. I think you are mis-interpreting the "OR" clause you cited. I take it to mean "vehicle or vehicles", ie. one or more vehicles in tow.

Read the part about the "Regular" (non-CDL) licenses they also offer. They offer a "Regular" Class A (non-CDL)that would allow you to tow the heavier trailer and would probably not require the drug testing, physical exams, etc, that are imposed with a CDL; probably cheaper too. I looked it up. A Regular Class A is $4/yr a CDL is $15/yr + an application fee.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I just don't feel it's rite for one state to impose their laws on out of state residents.

Thats the craziest thing I have ever hear. If that were the case I could drive my speed limit in your state, carry a gun around with my concealed weapons permit, ect, ect. There would be no end to it. Guys from Nevada would be coming to your home town and setting up brothels and use the excuse that it is legal where they live. Next you would have the Taliban moving in saying all the things they are doing is legal in their land.

You must obey the laws of another land when you are there.

Chris

 

[wkpoor]

Thats the craziest thing I have ever hear. If that were the case I could drive my speed limit in your state, carry a gun around with my concealed weapons permit, ect, ect. There would be no end to it. Guys from Nevada would be coming to your home town and setting up brothels and use the excuse that it is legal where they live. Next you would have the Taliban moving in saying all the things they are doing is legal in their land.

You must obey the laws of another land when you are there.

Actually the HP told me they don't impose Ohio rules on out of state vehicles. Example being tinted windows. Its legal to have a darker tint in Arizona than Ohio and if an AZ car comes into the state they are legal. Register the car in Ohio and you would have to un tint the windows. They said they can't make an owner change a vehicle just because they cross the state line...but you better do the speed limit.So Chris no its not right. Don't confuse federal laws with state traffic laws either.

 

[Diamondpilot]

Actually the HP told me they don't impose Ohio rules on out of state vehicles. Example being tinted windows. Its legal to have a darker tint in Arizona than Ohio and if an AZ car comes into the state they are legal. Register the car in Ohio and you would have to un tint the windows. They said they can't make an owner change a vehicle just because they cross the state line...but you better do the speed limit.So Chris no its not right. Don't confuse federal laws with state traffic laws either.

I think its more of a issue of them picking the battle. They could ticket you for the tint but they chose not to unless you are being a _________ then they will find all the laws you are breaking and hand you a stack of tickets.

That goes with what I have been saying all along. Just be careful, don't be to obvious, and keep a low profile and you will have much less chance of having problem. You go flying through, no lights, no tie downs, junk truck or trailer, you are going to end up stopped and paying.

Chris