Any downsides to getting a CDL?

[t320pilot]

Whatever you charge per hour for your backhoe just add at least $100 for local delivery or what the delivery driver charges. Keep fuel and tools on your personal truck.
Your customers will be glad to pay as long as you are honest and show up when you say you will and do the work that y'all agreed on.
Remember you are in business to make a "profit" and not to just break even.

 

[Jcoon]

The question was:




Does that mean it is legal for me to tow an EMPTY trailer that has a rating of 12K but only weighs 2,000 lbs EMPTY ?

Lmao

and the answer is, your trailer cannot weigh over 7,000 pounds, period!

As far as being over your tow weight rating.

This stuff isn稚 that difficult, everything is rated, truck GVWR, axleweight ratings , tire weight ratings, hitch weight rating, receiver weight rating, ball weight rating, trailer GVWR, trailer and tire axle weight ratings, and GCVWR.

Simply do not exceed any of that and you are good to go,

Oh and do not exceed your license weight ratings.,

 

[LD1]

Actually LD1 you are completely wrong!

It goes by gross weight rating, register weight rating, or actual weight over the scales! Whatever is the highest.

Here in NY, if you are in an RV your exempt with the RV exemption from a CDL, NOT ONE OF US agree with this law, we all think they should be held to the same standards due to the weight!

And even if it痴 personal use, all licensing laws apply to you.

4570man, I do not understand your statement about people pushing 1 tons to the max to avoid CDL laws???

Once your truck weighs over 26,001 pounds, you need a class B, once your combination is over 26,001 pounds and the trailer weighs over 10,001 pounds, you need a class A. Only way around this is with a RV.

As far as your second stupid part, like we tell everyone that says this line to us at least once a week, did your mom ever tell you life was fair?

Explain to me how anything I said was wrong?

 

[LD1]

From my readings the guy was breaking the law in the first place. There have been several threads on here about that it is illegal to tow an EMPTY 14K trailer behind a truck with a 11,200 gvwr.

Havent seen them threads.

Why would that be illegal?

CDL-A if a trailer is over 10k AND the GCWR is over 26,001.

11,200 + 14k is only 25,200 under the 26k mark for CDL-A

Upgrade that 2004-05 truck to a modern version of the exact same make and model....with 14k GVWR

14k+14k = OVER 26k.

The laws are stupid. The whole thing is a money making racket and they could care less about public safety. Why does it require a CDL-B to drive a F-750 flatbed??? Because its over 26k right? And you need to have extra training to be safe right?? WRONG....just simply have the MFG put a different number on the door sticker under 26k....now all of the sudden the exact same truck is safe to drive without further training.

Same with trailers. How many people out there are downsizing trailers to a 10k or 12k when a 14k would be a much better (safer) choice just to dodge a CDL?

 

[LD1]

I disagree with this big time. Around here the DOT stops every pickup and gooseneck they can because it is like shooting fish in barrel as the vast majority of them are running illegal. I made a trip from Texas to Missouri and back. On the trip I saw 5 separate DOT with people pulled over on the side of the road inspecting them. 4 of 5 were pickups with goosenecks.

There is no doubt that all the hot-shot truckers and the popularity of it in the past decade has probably got alot more eyes looking at dually pickups. But I haven't seen it around here yet. Dually with a GN and a tractor on the back goes mostly unnoticed.

 

[LD1]

I agree completely... As well with your earlier comment æ–—ife not fair regarding all the æ¾±lue hair men and women driving those 30,000lb diesel land-yachts across North America! Political BS.

I have a small, hay and vegetable farm in Alaska. I致e made the round-trip to the lower 48 states probably a dozen times in the past 15 years hauling farm supplies and equipment. Have never hauled for money, trade, expenses, etc. Or for anyone else besides our farm. No CDL.

I sell hay. The Canadian Border police (Montana officer agreed) decreed that I知 a Commercial Operator. I disagreed... he said take it up with the judge. (I致e used that line before when issuing citations, too.). 3,000 miles from home and 2 weeks from a court date (likely longer).

Background - New 3500 SRW and new 30 gooseneck. GCVWR - 24.5K Truck -GVWR-11.6K Trailer -GVWR-25K

Scale weight - just over 22K.

I bought the tandem dual axle trailer for the extra margin of safety; better brakes and handling stability. I could have saved myself a lot of time and aggravation with a 26 - 14K gooseneck.

The round baler would have fit just fine along with the 80 bushel manure spreader. But, that baler was TALL and would give those 7K axles a reason to sway.

My point is this - the personal use - BS is just that... BS. The cops have the latitude to call it as they choose. Go get a hotel for a couple weeks and take your chances with the judge.

Using the combined GVWRç—´ as the determining basis for requiring a CDL is also bunk! The tow vehicleç—´ GVCWR is a more relevant indicator of safety. Thatç—´ what the manufacturer has determined to be a safe operational towing weight given the tires, brakes, suspension and engine power.

Why have a scale weight and a GCVWR if all your concerned about is the combined GVWR? The overarching concern is 都afety and anyone driving an empty, 1-ton pulling an empty, 21-25K gooseneck can be pulled over and cited?? BS!

And those æ¾±lue-hairs jumping the curb at Walmartç—´ are safe....? BS!

Livestock haulers and farmers (like me...) have some real issues with the new regs being promulgated. My $0.02.

I agree, and same thing I said earlier. Going by the weight rating is stupid. It should be actual weight.

If I want to an 7-8k load on a 14k trailer because I like the safety margin it offers over a 10k or 12k trailer of the EXACT SAME physical dimensions...its stupid to push that to a CDL just because of some arbitrary rating (that is just a sticker and can be changed at time of MFG if you want)

Same deal in your case...wanting a dual tandem instead of a single tandem for extra safety on long hauls. Even though you were several thousand pounds under 26k...they dont care. The arbitrary rating is over so pay up....which is all they want anyway....money.

 

[LD1]

From my readings the guy was breaking the law in the first place. There have been several threads on here about that it is illegal to tow an EMPTY 14K trailer behind a truck with a 11,200 gvwr.



So if I've a truck with a tow rating GVWR of 7,000 lbs is it illegal to tow an empty trailer weighing only 2,000 but it has a GVWR of 10,000?

Lmao

and the answer is, your trailer cannot weigh over 7,000 pounds, period!

As far as being over your tow weight rating.

This stuff isn稚 that difficult, everything is rated, truck GVWR, axleweight ratings , tire weight ratings, hitch weight rating, receiver weight rating, ball weight rating, trailer GVWR, trailer and tire axle weight ratings, and GCVWR.

Simply do not exceed any of that and you are good to go,

Oh and do not exceed your license weight ratings.,

Oh if only it were that simple.

Simple should be I have my truck and 25' trailer. No hitch, axle, or tire is overloaded. combined weight is 22k. I should be good to go.

But no.....its a 24k trailer ....and since its "rated" for far more (Making me alot safer than towing the load on a 12k trailer).....now all of the sudden one needs a CDL to tow commercially.

I dont understand how taking two tires off each axle....building the trailer to lighter duty standards, putting smaller brakes on it, and giving it a sticker with a different number makes it so much safer as to not require one to obtain a CDL to haul the EXACT SAME LOAD

 

[newbury]

The question was:

Does that mean it is legal for me to tow an EMPTY trailer that has a rating of 12K but only weighs 2,000 lbs EMPTY ?

Lmao

and the answer is, your trailer cannot weigh over 7,000 pounds, period!

I FULLY understand that.
A simple yes or no would do

BUT

As far as being over your tow weight rating.

This stuff isn稚 that difficult, everything is rated, truck GVWR, axleweight ratings , tire weight ratings, hitch weight rating, receiver weight rating, ball weight rating, trailer GVWR, trailer and tire axle weight ratings, and GCVWR.

Simply do not exceed any of that and you are good to go,

Oh and do not exceed your license weight ratings.,

If my truck GCVWR is rated at 14,000 lbs, the truck and it's payload without trailer weighs 7,000 lbs (including tongue weight of the trailer) can I tow an EMPTY trailer with a 14,000 lb GVWR that weighs 3,000 lbs?

Truck AND EMPTY trailer total actual weight 9,000 lbs
Truck GCVWR 14,000
Truck GVWR (7,000 lbs) and trailer GVWR (14,000lbs) equals 21,000 lbs. So the TOTAL RATINGS are far exceed the limits. Is that legal?

To get it down in smaller numbers I'm getting a Ford Transit Connect. It has a Weight-Carrying Max. Trailer capacity of 2,000 lbs. Can I legally tow my EMPTY Hudson HSE DELUXE 5 TON trailer which has a GVWR of 12,000 lbs? It's weight is 2,000 lbs.

 

[LD1]

I have never seen GCVWR other than mfgs suggestions.

As long as you don't exceed the GVWR of the Ford Transit, due to tongue weight, and don't go over 26k gcwr you should be good.

What is the gvwr of the transit? NOT the gvw because as long as you aren't over the gvwr, or the rating of any of the tow/hitch components...the actual weight don't matter.

 

[LD1]

Newbury, I just looked up some specs of a 2018 transit van long wheel base.

Estimated curb weight of 3618#
GVWR of 5270#
And a listed max payload of 1610# and listed max towing of 2000#.

BOTH of those last two are MFG suggestions ONLY.

Actual payload number may differ. Key is to NOT exceed the GVWR of 5270#

26001 is CDL territory
Meaning that you CANNOT tow a trailer with a GVWR over 20,731....regardless of what it weighs empty.

How much you push the 2000 MFG suggested tow rating is up to you.