Just ordered my 4th trailer.

[allen in texas]

I have a 20 Big Tex 7000 pound car hauler that I would not have bought if I had got to use if a few times but I did buy and so far it's done, for the most part, what I need it to do. It is too light. There are a couple of other things I do not like but was my mistake, not Big Tex.

I have a 16 foot Maxey Gooseneck 14000 pound hydraulic dump trailer that I love but it doesn't serve "all" purposes.

I have a 10 x 5 2500 pound no name trailer that I haul my lawn equipment in and it does fine.

I just ordered a Load Trail GC21. It's a 32 foot long by 102 inches wide, 21000 pound gooseneck with fold down ramps, tool box and receiver hitch.

Maybe now I can haul all my stuff.

 

[terryknight]

I have a 20 Big Tex 7000 pound car hauler that I would not have bought if I had got to use if a few times but I did buy and so far it's done, for the most part, what I need it to do. It is too light. There are a couple of other things I do not like but was my mistake, not Big Tex.

I have a 16 foot Maxey Gooseneck 14000 pound hydraulic dump trailer that I love but it doesn't serve "all" purposes.

I have a 10 x 5 2500 pound no name trailer that I haul my lawn equipment in and it does fine.

I just ordered a Load Trail GC21. It's a 32 foot long by 102 inches wide, 21000 pound gooseneck with fold down ramps, tool box and receiver hitch.

Maybe now I can haul all my stuff.

you'll just get more stuff

 

[Sysop]

you'll just get more stuff

That's generally the case...

 

[bdog]

You have a CDL?

 

[Sysop]

If he is not driving commercially it isn't required. I know lots of folk with BIG trailers for personal uses.

 

[bdog]

If he is not driving commercially it isn't required. I know lots of folk with BIG trailers for personal uses.

Better read the rules. Once you go over 26,000 lb either actual weight or rated weight you can not drive it without a special license except in very limited circumstances. If it is truly not commercial you can get away with a class a license but the DOT man can find a way to construe almost anything into commercial.

The exemptions are farm use and rv's, military and fire fighting vehicles. On the farm use they are very strict. Both the truck and trailer must have farm plates, you can only be with a certain radius of your farm, and you can only haul your farm commodities. Farmers have been popped trying to use their farm exemption to move backhoes or even broke down vehicles on their exempt trailers.

 

[brain55]

Here in California if the trailer is rated for over 10,000 lbs you need a Class A regardless of how much weight you are actually carrying, how long it is, or what your tow vehicle weighs. Trust me, my friendly neighborhood CHP schooled me on this, along with F450's not being pickups, the need for proper numbering, and weight stickers. I asked him about commercial vs non-commercial and he told me it didn't matter unless it was truly an RV trailer then you were legal with a Class C to a 14,000 lb rating on the trailer.

Brian

 

[STx]

It varies state to state, Allen in Texas, I think you're going to need the CDL because of either 1 and/or 2.

A Texas CDL is required if you operate any of the following CMV's . . .
1. A vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 26,000 lbs.
2. A vehicle towing a unit with a manufacturer's GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs. when the GCWR exceeds 26,000 lbs.
3. A vehicle used to carry 16 or more passengers (including the driver).
4. A vehicle carrying hazardous materials in amounts requiring placarding.


TxDPS - CVE CDL Classifications (Class A)

 

[Sysop]

Better read the rules. Once you go over 26,000 lb either actual weight or rated weight you can not drive it without a special license except in very limited circumstances. If it is truly not commercial you can get away with a class a license but the DOT man can find a way to construe almost anything into commercial.

The exemptions are farm use and rv's, military and fire fighting vehicles. On the farm use they are very strict. Both the truck and trailer must have farm plates, you can only be with a certain radius of your farm, and you can only haul your farm commodities. Farmers have been popped trying to use their farm exemption to move backhoes or even broke down vehicles on their exempt trailers.

DOT varies by state. No such thing as farm plates here. Farm use here we just paint FARM USE on it and run it without plates. Our regular auto policies cover us when driving such vehicles with no issue. We have no issues pulling whatever we want for personal reasons. Locally, if there are rules they could be slamming us with, they don't.

 

[MtnViewRanch]

That's generally the case...

My brother and I have a 66,000 GVW rig, still to small for some of our stuff. It just is never big enough at one time or another.

 

[bindian]

I pull a 22,000 pound 29 foot gooseneck with farm tags behind my Ram 3500 dually with road tags. I took my CDL in this rig and the DPS officer issuing my driving test said I meant the requirements. This was in 2014. So when did they (Tex DOT) change the requirement on the pulling vehicle requiring farm tags to pull a farm tagged trailer?
hugs, Brandi

 

[bdog]

You don't have to have farm tags on your truck to pull a farm tagged trailer. I have farm tags on my livestock trailer and regular tags on my truck.


What I was saying is I think if you are heavy (over 26k) and you don't have a CDL and are going to claim the farm exemption you must have farm tags on the truck and trailer.

 

[allen in texas]

Still wrangling the license issue. I've had a CDL before but not sure if I want to go that route. All but one of my trailers are tagged farm and I may go that route. Only problem is that I won't always be using the trailer for farm use. I can also register the trailer at 14000 which will put me under the weight requirement but if I ever get stopped and weighed and I am over the 14K gross or actually 24999 then I will get a ticket. Still up in the air. Yes, I thought of all this when I ordered the trailer. Most likely, I'll go CDL.

 

[bdog]

The limit is 26000 not 24999 or 25000.

You can be 26000 and not need a CDL but 26001 you do. I have a international truck that has a GVWR of 26000 and no CDL is needed.

You can't simply change the registered weight and get around it. They go by the manufacturer rated weight or actual weight whichever is greater.

As you know if you used to have a CDL there is a lot more to it than just the license. You need a DOT number, commercial insurance, medical card, DOT inspections on your truck and trailer, drug testing, etc. In the eyes of the law once you are over 26000 you really are no different than an 18 wheeler and must follow all the same rules.

 

[STx]

Like bdog, I think it's based on the mfg tag on the trailer, not the registration.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

This is ridiculous and I am tired of it. You do not have to have a CDL for private use no matter what. You guys keep quoting commercial requirements which mean nothing to personnel use. If your worried just put "not for hire "on the rig.
Please learn to understand the requirements , not just quote them.
Now if you do anything for hire or in a business manner none of This Applies. You would be operating commercially , the reason they call it a CDL ,commercial drivers license.
So haul all your own stuff all you want and have a fun safe time .

 

[bcp]

Washington doesn't say anything about being CDL exempt if you are a private, non-farm user.

WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Who needs a CDL?

Who needs a CDL?
Types of vehicles that require a CDL

You must have a commercial driver license (CDL) to drive any of the following vehicles:

All single vehicles with a manufacturer's weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more.
All trailers with a manufacturer's weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, and a combined vehicles gross weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more.
All vehicles designed to transport 16 or more persons (including the driver). This includes private and church buses.
All school buses, regardless of size.
All vehicles used to transport any material that requires hazardous material placarding or any quantity of a material listed as a select agent or toxin in 42 CFR 73.

Who doesn't:
WA State Licensing (DOL) Official Site: Who doesn

Who doesn't need a CDL?

By law, the following types of drivers don't need a commercial driver license (CDL):

Farmers transporting farm equipment, supplies, or products* to or from a farm in a farm vehicle are exempt if the vehicle is:
Operated by the farmer or a farm employee.
Not used in the operation of a common or contract motor carrier.
Used within 150 miles of the farm (in an air-mile radius).
...

and others mentioned in previous posts.

Bruce

 

[bindian]

I went ahead and got my CDL in case I get stopped by an officer using fuzzy math in figuring weights .vs farm tags. I am even considering getting annual trailer inspections to keep the really fuzzy officers on the straight and narrow.

 

[bdog]

This is ridiculous and I am tired of it. You do not have to have a CDL for private use no matter what. You guys keep quoting commercial requirements which mean nothing to personnel use. If your worried just put "not for hire "on the rig.
Please learn to understand the requirements , not just quote them.
Now if you do anything for hire or in a business manner none of This Applies. You would be operating commercially , the reason they call it a CDL ,commercial drivers license.
So haul all your own stuff all you want and have a fun safe time .

I agree that is the way it should be but it is not the way it is. Unless you meet the ag or the RV exemptions the Feds say if you are over 26k you need a CDL or at a minimum a class A non commercial license which some states offer if you are not commercial. You can't drive a vehicle over 26k with a regular drivers license in most states unless you meet their exemptions. Once you exceed 26k you are for all intents and purposes the same as a 18 wheeler. Do you think you can get in an 18 wheeler with your own personal stuff not for hire and cruise around with a regular drivers license? Some states do not require a CDL but they require a non commercial class a license.

It is a confusing topic but at least in Texas the bottom line is you need either a CDL or a class a non commercial license to go over 26 if you are non commercial. One way or another you can't do it with a regular license.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

Yes actually I do think I can get in an 18 wheeler with my own personnel stuff " not for hire" and go any place I want. Not that I have a reason or enough stuff for it to make sense but I can if I want.