Non CDL F250 towing 12K trailer across state lines ?

[Hay Dude]

I don’t haul interstate, well I kind of do a little, but it’s agriculture and most cops really don’t care.
Now I DO have an interesting situation where I’m be hauling chunks of junk wood out of DE for about 1-2 miles, then jump into my state of PA (live on PA/DE border) so I could be cited for Interstate if someone really wanted to hate on me.

 

[RandyT]

The FMCSA regs only cover CDLs, state law will govern non-CDL licenses. Where people get into trouble in Texas is the definition of what a Class C license allows you to operate - a single vehicle less than 26,001# GVWR pulling a trailer not to exceed 10,000# GVWR or 20,000# GVWR if it is a farm trailer. The below 26,000# GCVR does not come into play. Pull more than a 10,000# GVWR non-farm trailer in a non-commercial use with any pickup or SUV and you need a different class of license according to the statute. That seems to be a common statute in many states from the stories I have read. But where I live, you see lots of 2500 and 3500 pickups pulling dual 7,000# axle trailers and not get stopped. Most officers don't mess with it unless you are obviously loaded past the 26,000# GCWR limit - YMMV where you live.

The reason that they may not bother the guys with 2500 or 3500 guys with the 14K trailers is because they don't meet the 26001 requirements for A or B but exceed the written law of C. So they are basically stuck in no-mans land.

 

[sandman2234]

I love discussions like this, where everyone thinks they are right because they are going by what they have heard, what is available online , what is allowed in their state, and what they have gotten away with.
In my 4.5 million miles of commercial work, and several hundred thousand miles of personal hauling, there is one thing that you can count on, and that is whatever loophole you have found, someone has enacted a law to cover it.
A former boss had a requirement of us, NEVER argue with the DOT! If you argued, it only made it worse! You can't tell him how to do his job, you can't know how many more tickets he has to write before he reaches his quota for the current timeframe.
Hay Dude, in order to get that clean DOT Inspection, I would be willing to bet that you were polite, answered the questions the officer asked, provided the paperwork he asked for and gave the impression that you knew what you were doing and how you were supposed to do it! Most of the time they are just doing a job, like you are, and aren't looking for a fight. Give them one and you won't be the winner! Right?
I can tell stories about what DOT officers have done that will make most people cringe, and most of the time when it happens to me, I just accept it and figure I got by with enough things that getting cited for whatever they are nailing me for was way less than I deserved. As a driver, you have to be on your toes and know what they are looking for, and have the answers already figured out before they ask the question!
David from jax

 

[westcliffe01]

The way I understand it, whatever is legal in your home state, you are allowed to do through any state that you transit on your way to your destination. The flowchart I cited from our Michigan CDL training manual seems easy to understand. They are not interested in my trailer so long as the combined weight ratings are under 26k, and personal use of course. The trucks and trailers seem designed to keep you below the limit of 26k anyway (allowable tow rating for my 3/4 ton truck). Hopefully the law doesnt change in the next year, after that it will no longer matter to me personally. I will be royally peeved if I spent nearly 30k to do something legally in 2010 and now its no longer legal anymore.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

The way I understand it, whatever is legal in your home state, you are allowed to do through any state that you transit on your way to your destination. The flowchart I cited from our Michigan CDL training manual seems easy to understand. They are not interested in my trailer so long as the combined weight ratings are under 26k, and personal use of course. The trucks and trailers seem designed to keep you below the limit of 26k anyway (allowable tow rating for my 3/4 ton truck). Hopefully the law doesnt change in the next year, after that it will no longer matter to me personally. I will be royally peeved if I spent nearly 30k to do something legally in 2010 and now its no longer legal anymore.

Yes, you follow the rules of your licensing (driver license) state. Which makes it easy on hotshotters from free states heading into overbearing states.

 

[Hersheyfarm]

I love discussions like this, where everyone thinks they are right because they are going by what they have heard, what is available online , what is allowed in their state, and what they have gotten away with.
In my 4.5 million miles of commercial work, and several hundred thousand miles of personal hauling, there is one thing that you can count on, and that is whatever loophole you have found, someone has enacted a law to cover it.
A former boss had a requirement of us, NEVER argue with the DOT! If you argued, it only made it worse! You can't tell him how to do his job, you can't know how many more tickets he has to write before he reaches his quota for the current timeframe.
Hay Dude, in order to get that clean DOT Inspection, I would be willing to bet that you were polite, answered the questions the officer asked, provided the paperwork he asked for and gave the impression that you knew what you were doing and how you were supposed to do it! Most of the time they are just doing a job, like you are, and aren't looking for a fight. Give them one and you won't be the winner! Right?
I can tell stories about what DOT officers have done that will make most people cringe, and most of the time when it happens to me, I just accept it and figure I got by with enough things that getting cited for whatever they are nailing me for was way less than I deserved. As a driver, you have to be on your toes and know what they are looking for, and have the answers already figured out before they ask the question!
David from jax

Kowtow…it’s the American way.

 

[Peter 315]

I would just chain it down and go..

 

[EddieWalker]

I had a Class A non-CDL for driving fire apparatus. I let it go to a Class C after I retired but in hindsight I should have kept it for pulling my own trucks and trailers. Fortunately, Texas law allows for me to use my new GMC 3500HD at 14,000# GVWR to pull my Sundowner 15,900# GVWR horse trailer and my two Big Tex 15,900# GVWR trailers, all with farm tags, with my Class C license.

I think I understand this for a truck and a trailer with Farm Tags. All my trailers have Farm Tags on them, but my current truck doesn't. I'm not worried about weight for anything I have now, my F150 doesn't have enough power to haul anything heavy.

Do you drive your truck with Farm tags around town, or on trips that are not farm related? The way I understand it, here in Texas, if your register your truck for Farm Use, and you get Farm Tags for it, you can only use that truck if it's Farm related. No going to Walmart for groceries, or driving it to work, or visiting friends in town. You have to have another vehicle for doing those types of things.

My goal is to buy a diesel dually truck for pulling equipment to the farm in Mabank, and hauling hay back from that farm. It's 62 miles each way, so I'm good with the distance rule, and I'm good with staying under 20,000 pounds for the trailer with what I have, but now I wonder about using the truck for anything else?

 

[RandyT]

What makes things even more confusing sometimes it one part of the state information will say on thing and another thing will say something else. Like the Texas drivers handbook mentions the 10K for Class c license or 20K with farm tags. but the actual dps.texas.gov website doesn't mention the 10K limit for the class C

Classes of Driver Licenses | Department of Public Safety

www.dps.texas.gov

 

[WM75Guy]

My pickups do not have farm tags, just the trailers.

 

[EddieWalker]

My pickups do not have farm tags, just the trailers.

Doesn't that limit you to the 26,001 rule if you truck doesn't have Farm Tags?

 

[westcliffe01]

In Mi farm tags only cover activities within a 150 mile radius of the farm operation and do not cover inter state activities.

 

[FriendwithTractor]

I love discussions like this, where everyone thinks they are right because they are going by what they have heard, what is available online , what is allowed in their state, and what they have gotten away with.
In my 4.5 million miles of commercial work, and several hundred thousand miles of personal hauling, there is one thing that you can count on, and that is whatever loophole you have found, someone has enacted a law to cover it.
A former boss had a requirement of us, NEVER argue with the DOT! If you argued, it only made it worse! You can't tell him how to do his job, you can't know how many more tickets he has to write before he reaches his quota for the current timeframe.
Hay Dude, in order to get that clean DOT Inspection, I would be willing to bet that you were polite, answered the questions the officer asked, provided the paperwork he asked for and gave the impression that you knew what you were doing and how you were supposed to do it! Most of the time they are just doing a job, like you are, and aren't looking for a fight. Give them one and you won't be the winner! Right?
I can tell stories about what DOT officers have done that will make most people cringe, and most of the time when it happens to me, I just accept it and figure I got by with enough things that getting cited for whatever they are nailing me for was way less than I deserved. As a driver, you have to be on your toes and know what they are looking for, and have the answers already figured out before they ask the question!
David from jax

Underrated post. Smile, nod, say "have a nice day." Let the attorney be the bad guy. Of course, I'm fortunate to have three of them as immediate family.

 

[WM75Guy]

Pickups are under 26,001# GVWR with regular tags. The statute does not address the plates on the towing vehicle, just that the farm trailer being towed does not exceed 20,000# GVWR. Here is the actual statute:

 

[EddieWalker]

That changes everything. I've been thinking that I need to have two trucks to be legal, and still be able to haul 20,000 pounds. One truck for farm use, the other for going to work in. I need to do some more thinking on this and what I should buy.

 

[sandman2234]

That changes everything. I've been thinking that I need to have two trucks to be legal, and still be able to haul 20,000 pounds. One truck for farm use, the other for going to work in. I need to do some more thinking on this and what I should buy.

Thankfully, that is a Texas law and doesn't apply here in Florida! Not that my pickup hasn't been to Texas a time or two, but have never been stopped. (which doesn't mean I am legal, just lucky!)
David from jax

 

[Hersheyfarm]

Thankfully, that is a Texas law and doesn't apply here in Florida! Not that my pickup hasn't been to Texas a time or two, but have never been stopped. (which doesn't mean I am legal, just lucky!)
David from jax

You don’t have to conform to tx dot laws, just your home states dot laws, Florida. Only Texans have to deal with that bs.

 

[Hay Dude]

Doesn't that limit you to the 26,001 rule if you truck doesn't have Farm Tags?

No, you can go over 26,001 with Farm Tags.

 

[CliffordK]

There also seems to be the "hotshot" class of operators who are non CDL, I have no idea of the legal basis under which they operate since they appear to be getting paid for what they do...

Add air brakes to your list. Perhaps a couple of other things. Although some people above mentioned, "commercial" is a major determination.

Quite a few hot shot truckers I've seen have a DOT number/sticker on their vehicles. I don't know if that includes a CDL or not.

A few years ago I was told to never ever stop at a weigh station. If the weighmaster wants to talk to you, they'll come and get you. I don't know if that was savvy advice, but it seemed to work. My experience is that they don't really want every pickup crossing the scales.

For a lot of things they seem to go by the vehicle registration laws for where your vehicle is registered. I can't say if that is universal, but if you meet the laws in the state where you are licensed, you likely will be OK.

I've got a little 4x8 flatbed cargo trailer that I've had coast to coast, and in probably half of the states. In Oregon a license and title isn't required, although other states may require them. So far no legal issues.

 

[CliffordK]

Here in Oregon, there are three trailer classifications (plus a few other specialty classifications).
No License/Title - Loaded weight < 1,800 lbs.
U - utility trailers < 8000 lbs.
HP - Heavy Trailer Permanent Tags > 8000 lbs.

The HP trailers Must be towed by a vehicle with T plates (either pickup or truck).

The weight of the tow vehicle, trailer, and load all go into the "T" registration fees.
And the fees go up quite a bit based on the weight.

As far as I can tell, up to 26K, this is independent of the CDL requirements.