AZ ranch

[BoFuller]

I was planning on getting the CDL eventually, I was just figuring a way to stay legal until I took the test. I'll start studying and get it over with.

Thanks.

 

[MacLawn]

Wow, Bo, what a project!! I like it! And, as an easterner, I don't understand much of what y'all westerners are talking about with power, water, etc. What I mean is, you won't have access to electricity at all in your location? And water, except for a 5,000' deep well? I cannot imagine that! Sorry for my ignorance of things out west, but I truly do not know.

I love that dump truck, tractor, etc., and your land! Hmmm, go west OLD man (me) go west... I am looking forward to more or your adventures...

 

[BoFuller]

Wow, Bo, what a project!! I like it! And, as an easterner, I don't understand much of what y'all westerners are talking about with power, water, etc. What I mean is, you won't have access to electricity at all in your location? And water, except for a 5,000' deep well? I cannot imagine that! Sorry for my ignorance of things out west, but I truly do not know.

I love that dump truck, tractor, etc., and your land! Hmmm, go west OLD man (me) go west... I am looking forward to more or your adventures...

Thanks, I'm having fun! The well would be at least 500 ft not 5,000. We will probably get around to drilling next year. But no electricity for several miles, and that's okay!

 

[MacLawn]

Thanks, I'm having fun! The well would be at least 500 ft not 5,000. We will probably get around to drilling next year. But no electricity for several miles, and that's okay!

Right, 500'. I understand that - my well in Georgia is 500' deep, and great water! County put in water last year, but at $2,000 to tie in, I opted out, plus, our water is fantastic.

No electricity? Man, that is the west I guess, eh? That means they will not run electricity to your place? I thought by generator, you meant only while you were building, but you must mean permanent, right? At least in Arizona solar should work great. I checked out the link someone posted, and it looks good.

Keep them photos coming!

 

[BoFuller]

Right, 500'. I understand that - my well in Georgia is 500' deep, and great water! County put in water last year, but at $2,000 to tie in, I opted out, plus, our water is fantastic.

No electricity? Man, that is the west I guess, eh? That means they will not run electricity to your place? I thought by generator, you meant only while you were building, but you must mean permanent, right? At least in Arizona solar should work great. I checked out the link someone posted, and it looks good.

Keep them photos coming!

Yeah it took awhile for this whole project to get started. We discussed the idea of living somewhere completely off-grid and it was rather slow to catch on for both of us. I grew up in Ohio, near the Amish country, and my wife grew up close to L. A., so the idea of hauling water was a struggle for awhile. But after spending time out in the area looking around, we got more and more excited and decided to go for it. Now we're looking forward to being "independent".

 

[Duffster]

Anything with airbrakes requires an air brake license/endorsement is what the MVD told me. Big rig, motorhome, farm truck, whatever.

There is no such thing as an air brake endorsement. Not at least that I have seen in the states.

Just a heads up. By registering it lower that is all you did. You didn't actually change the GVWR. To do that you would need to get a new sticker for the door. As long as the door says the GVWR is over 26k it will require a CDL class B minimum unless you fit an exemption.

 

[tommu56]

There is no such thing as an air brake endorsement. Not at least that I have seen in the states.

Just a heads up. By registering it lower that is all you did. You didn't actually change the GVWR. To do that you would need to get a new sticker for the door. As long as the door says the GVWR is over 26k it will require a CDL class B minimum unless you fit an exemption.

from the pa manual

Endorsements/Restrictions

Endorsements The following authorizations are required when operating vehicles of the type listed:

H - Required to drive a vehicle with hazardous materials placards (you must be 21 years of age).
N - Required to drive a tank vehicle.
T - Required to drive double and triple trailers.
P - Required to drive a vehicle designed to carry 16 passengers or more including the driver (buses).
S - Required to drive a school bus. Designed to carry 11 passengers or more, including the driver.
X - Represents a combination of the hazardous materials and tank vehicle endorsements (you must be 21 years of age).

Restrictions The following restrictions prohibit you from operating certain type vehicles:

L - Restricts the driver to vehicles not equipped with air brakes.
B - Passenger endorsement restriction cannot drive Class A buses.
C - Passenger endorsement restriction cannot drive Class A or B buses.

so if you have the L endorsement/ restriction in pa you can't drive air brakes!

 

[BoFuller]

from the pa manual

Endorsements/Restrictions

Endorsements The following authorizations are required when operating vehicles of the type listed:

H - Required to drive a vehicle with hazardous materials placards (you must be 21 years of age).
N - Required to drive a tank vehicle.
T - Required to drive double and triple trailers.
P - Required to drive a vehicle designed to carry 16 passengers or more including the driver (buses).
S - Required to drive a school bus. Designed to carry 11 passengers or more, including the driver.
X - Represents a combination of the hazardous materials and tank vehicle endorsements (you must be 21 years of age).

Restrictions The following restrictions prohibit you from operating certain type vehicles:

L - Restricts the driver to vehicles not equipped with air brakes.
B - Passenger endorsement restriction cannot drive Class A buses.
C - Passenger endorsement restriction cannot drive Class A or B buses.

so if you have the L endorsement/ restriction in pa you can't drive air brakes!

I have called 4 different offices of the MVD and have gotten 4 different answers! One said that with farm plates I don't need anything else. Another said it doesn't make any difference, you need a class B no matter what. One called the main office and called me back and said that it's not really clear, and you could argue either way.
So I will work towards a class B, but meanwhile I'm driving it with farm plates and will take my chances with the highway patrol. The last time I drove the 36 mile round trip to the quarry and back, I saw two vehicles, one going the opposite direction each time. With that small amount of traffic, I'm not too concerned.

 

[Duffster]

so if you have the L endorsement/ restriction in pa you can't drive air brakes!

Correction. If you have an air brake restriction you can't drive a CMV with air brakes.

 

[BoFuller]

We were at the ranch last weekend - finally gave it a name - M & B Ranch, which stands for Merry and Bo - real original, huh?
I made my first trip to the quarry to get some chat for the drive. It looks like it will work out well.
Here's a picture of the truck waiting to be loaded. One of me unloading. And one of the drive that I covered.