Class A vs Class B trailer and GCVWR clarification

Hello everyone,

I'm not a trucker (yet). I'm currently studying to obtain a CDL with the goal of becoming an independent transporter using a pickup truck and a trailer. I'm trying to wrap my head around the CDL class A and B stipulations with regards to pulling a trailer. I live in PA, and according to the PA CDL manual it states for class B: "A single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds" - no mention of a trailer.

Yet, NYS DMV writes: "GVWR of more than 26,000 lbs. OR tractor portion of the tractor/trailer combination. Class B may tow vehicles with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. or less, or may tow a vehicle of more than 10,000 lbs. providing the GCWR is not more than 26,000 lbs."

I'd like to know if the DMV stipulations also apply to PA? My CDL will be issued in PA and am wondering if I can legally (for example) use a Ram 3500 dually with a GVWR of 11,000lbs to haul an enclosed cargo trailer with a GVWR of only 20,000 lbs? To me it seems that the combined gross vehicle weight rating of the truck and trailer is 31,000 lbs and I would need a class A license. OTOH, if I'm driving the same RAM but now have a trailer with a GVWR of only 15,000 lbs making for a GCVWR of 26,000 lbs, I'm legal to operate with a class B? Am I understanding this correctly or am I fudging the numbers somewhere?

Many thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

Thank you all for your comments. That's what I thought. The reason I asked in the first place was the following in bold from the NYS CDL handbook threw me for a loop. Based on the way it's written, it seems I could pull a trailer over 10k lbs as long as GCVWR was 26k lbs or less. I guess I'll go for the class A.

Again from NYS CDL book: "GVWR of more than 26,000 lbs. OR tractor portion of the tractor/trailer combination. Class B may tow vehicles with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs. or less, or may tow a vehicle of more than 10,000 lbs. providing the GCWR is not more than 26,000 lbs."

P.S. I do enjoy Shipping Wars as a show, but this is something I've been contemplating doing for some time even before I discovered the show. I'm tired of my office job.