GN Trailer: 3- 7k or 2-10k axels

[Farmwithjunk]

Federal law as interpreted by STATE ENFORCEMENT officers. In Kentucky, 25,999 and down, so long as they aren't used in a commercial capacity are exempt from commercial drivers license requirements.

Best to get IN WRITING from state officers, their interpretation of the laws. I asked for and recieved a letter from Kentucky State Vehicle Enforcment head, which explains current laws and there enforcement. It stays in the cab of the truck. It EXCLUDES my truck trailer from requiring CDL and associated B S. (Even though I HAVE a CDL) Soon, we don't even have to have commercial type tags. UNWEIGHTED "pick-up truck" tags will do, regardless of weight. No tags are currently required in Kentucky on trailers, EXCEPT commercial trailers which will operate out of state.

Laws are vague, interpreted differently by everyone, and getting more complicated by the day. That's why I want IN WRITING, the law AS ENFORCED, and not as written in code book.

 

[Builder]

I have my class A CDL w/ airbrake endorsement and I can tell you it is legal to tow a trailer over 10,000lbs as long as the combo doesn't exceed 26,000lbs.

Take for example my 15,000lb GVWR 26,000lb GCWR F-450 dump. It can tow an 11,000 lb trailer without a CDL. Reason is because 15,000 lb GVWR truck + 11,000 lb GVWR trailer has a GCWR of 26,000lbs. That falls under the cutoff of 26,001.
Also noteworthy: you can tow up to 10,000 lbs behind a truck that weighs up to 26,000 lbs GVWR without any type of CDL.

The trailer weight is the most important factor because once the trailer goes over 10K, then weight of the truck determines CDL requirement.

Here's how the law reads:

A class C license is issued for operating any single vehicle or combination of vehicles not in excess of 26,000 lbs.

A class B CDL license allows you to drive any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any bus or school bus, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000lbs.

A class A CDL license allows you any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more, providing the GVWR of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 lbs. Where required, appropriate endorsements must be obtained (airbrakes, hazmat, etc.)

Let's take another example: Say you buy a F-350 Towboss pickup with a GVWR of 12,000lbs and a GCWR of 26,000lbs. You can legally tow a trailer up to 14,000lbs without a CDL since 12,000 (truck) + 14,000 (trailer) is 26,000lbs. You can tow even more if the towing vehicle's GVWR isn't maxed-out. Let's say the Tow Boss weighs 10,000lbs empty and the GCWR is 26,000 lbs. Then you'd be able to tow a 16,000lb RV trailer with no CDL. Just don't go over 26,000lbs and make sure you've bought enough registration to cover you and you're OK.

 

[john_bud]

L39 and Farm,

Hey, thanks for the replys! I was informed differently and based on the push from your input, I did a search of the Wisconsin (home state) DOT and downloaded the booklet for commercial drivers license. It has a chart that spells it out plain enough that I think I can understand it!

from the doc Vehicle Examples License Requirements; (I sniped out the parts about hazmat and school bus)

Tractor or Truck, Trailer, CMV?, Need CDL?, What Class?, Endorsement?
1 18,000# 12,000# Yes Yes A H
2 8,000# 20,000# Yes Yes A
3 26,500# Yes Yes B
4 27,000# 10,000# Yes Yes B
11 16,000# 10,000# No No D
12 26,000# 8,000# No No D
13 20,000# 8,000# No No D
15 6,000# 20,000# No No D

# 15 seems to spell it out plain enough. Thanks, otherwise, I would be planning on getting a CDL class A as I was told that was needed! I think I will be getting this booklet and putting it in my truck! (Good idea, Farm)

Edited to add link to where you can download this information in the WI CDL manual. WI CDL (Get Vol 1)

jb


But, just to be "safe", I think I'll talk to a DOT officer too and check!

 

[john_bud]

I went back and re-read the WI posted classes to see why I was confused. Here is the WI information (It has too many or's in it)

Wisconsin has a classified licensing system. The classes are:

Class A:

For operation of a commercial motor vehicle. Any combination of vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), actual weight, or registered weight over 26,000 pounds provided the GVWR, actual weight, or registered weight of the towed vehicle(s) is more than 10,000 pounds.

Class B:

For operation of a commercial motor vehicle. Any single vehicle with a GVWR , actual weight, or registered weight over 26,000 pounds, or such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR, actual weight, or registered weight of 10,000 pounds or less.

Class C:

For operation of a commercial motor vehicle. Any single vehicle with a GVWR , actual weight, or registered weight of 26,000 pounds or less, (or such vehicle towing a vehicle less than 10,000 pounds) transporting hazardous materials requiring placarding or designed to carry 16 or more persons including the driver.

Class D:

For operation of automobiles; light trucks and mopeds.

 

[Bird]

Eddie, they've made the CDL laws so complicated now that I'm not sure anyone understands them all anymore; gonna get to be like the income tax laws if they keep changin'em. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif But I know my brother took his F350 crew cab dually and 38' three axle fifth-wheel travel trailer to the license office and took a written and driving test and got one of the classes of CDL to be sure he was legal. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[bdog]

You don't want a CDL unless you absolutely have to have it. By having a CDL you open yourself up to a lot of other things. For example I think there are different laws rearding alcohol(not that drinking and driving is good, but any measurable trace with a CDL and you are in trouble), also I think you are no longer eligble to take defensive driving for tickets, and you are subject to a different point system as far as gettin you license suspended,etc.

 

[wushaw]

Bdog, L39Builder and Junk are all correct.
Bird I really don't even see how your BIL was able to get a CDL with a class 3 truck and a recreational trailer not unless he plans on pulling them for hire for some extra cash.
My license is a Class A non-CDL or exempt for doing the same thing he is doing but with a class 7 truck.

Back on topic, Duall tandems are best by far and you can still change a flat without needing a jack, my fifth wheel/house and dump trailer are tripple axle and it is hard on the ft. tires.

You say you've never had a GN trailer...well first thing to do before you even go get it is take your tailgate off and put it in the garage so you won't have to replace it when you forget to put it down...now I'm not saying that this will absolutely happen to you but if you take a poll on how many have done it you will remove it.

 

[Builder]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ( You don't want a CDL unless you absolutely have to have it. By having a CDL you open yourself up to a lot of other things. For example I think there are different laws rearding alcohol(not that drinking and driving is good, but any measurable trace with a CDL and you are in trouble), also I think you are no longer eligble to take defensive driving for tickets, and you are subject to a different point system as far as gettin you license suspended,etc. )")</font>

Yeah, I've heard other rumors-insurance goes up, etc., but most are BS. With a CDL, you are now considered a "professional driver" and are subject to more scrutiny and points for certain infractions as you probably should be. However, most traffic cops are aware of the CDL holder's plight and are a bit more forgiving, too.

John Bud,

Those examples are very useful, my state doesn't cite any examples, it just outlines the laws.

 

[EddieWalker]

A few years ago I used to live in California. If you had a CDL, A or B, the blood alchohal level for being under the influince was .04 compared to a Class C license that is .08

It didn't matter that you were in your personal vehicle or not. Most guys who got DUI's with a CDL do so after work on their own time.

When I got my DUI, I was under a different set of rules for the punishment.

I lost my license for a month, but had five months of restricted driving. To and from work, rehab and while working. I couldnt' legaly drive to buy groceries, go to the doctor or any other reason.

Class C holders who get a DUI lost their licenses for longer, but I forget how long. They do get their license back with full driving privaliges sooner than I did, but again, I forget what their rules were.

One guy in rehab had a Hazardous endorsement and that was revoked for a year. So even after he got his license back, he still couldn't work.

Eddie

 

[Bird]

Wushaw, my apologies for my error. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif The brother with the big fifth-wheel (the younger of my two brothers) didn't get a CDL; he just got a Class A drivers license (the "normal" drivers license is a Class C in Texas). Many years ago, he owned a Kenworth and Peterbilt in Alaska and was driving the big rigs when they were building the Alaska pipeline, but he went back to a "normal" drivers license when he came back to Texas.

The other (older of the two) brother got his CDL about 5 years ago and drove an 18-wheeler reefer coast to coast for one of the national trucking companies for a little over a year. I don't know whether he kept his CDL when he quit driving or not.

Of course I got a drivers license when I was 16, upgraded to what they called a "Commercial" drivers license when I was 17 or 18 because I was driving some 14-wheeler grain trucks to and from servicing them, then upgraded to a "Chauffeurs" license when I was 21, worked nights for the Post Office, but moonlighted driving a taxi-cab and drove a school bus one year. I believe it was '69 when Texas came up with the separate test and license endorsement for motorcycles, so I got that since I was riding my bike to and from work at the Police Department at that time. So I kept up my license to drive anything you could put on the road for many years, but when they came up with the new CDL, I dropped back to a "normal" license just with the motorcycle endorsement, and the last time I renewed my license, I dropped the motorcycle endorsement and saved $5. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif