Driving CMV without a CDL

I could be wrong on this but this is how I had the laws explained on HD pickups and big trailers. GVWR of combination is everything, not necessarily what you weigh. If under 26000 lbs you need a medical card but don't need a CDL. If over 26001 you need a CDL. The company I was at had 2 large trailers. One with 2 axles rated at 14k and another with 3 axles rated for 18k. Pickups usually are 11200 to 13000lbs. I usually drove the 2 axle trailer but since it was a long trip they sent me with the triple axle trailer. I only weighed 24000 and change actual but my combo was rated for 33000lbs at that time and that's what I got nailed for. I had a medical card. I think contractors have issues with this all the time.

 

Did you live in Virginia at the time? Strange, here a misdemeanor doesn't drop off of your criminal history. Also that would not have been a reckless driving. Here that charge states that you knowingly and intentionally put others in danger. I do think it's crazy a 15 over ticket is reckless driving and a misdemeanor,

 

Theoretically you shouldn't ever need a CDL to pull a trailer with a 1 ton, otherwise they'd be pulling grandpas in left and right for doing it with some of the larger 5th wheel camping trailers. 3500 Ram only has a GVWR of 14,000 which is well below the threshold for needing a Class B license.

But if it's for business related purposes that's where they nail you I guess. Kind of some grey area there. If you're driving a combination like that as a for-hire common carrier with a USDOT number on the door and are subject to DOT and HOS compliance, then yes you should have one. If you're an employee driving a company's privately owned equipment hauling it's own material you could make the argument that that's no different than grandpa pulling his 5th wheel. (May not stop them from writing the ticket anyway but that's what they're paid to do of course...)

 

Exactly when used for business. I'm not sure it's ever a good idea to argue a point with a DOT officer though. Yes sir no sir and take it to court if you know your right. I was once pulled over in a little farm town in southern Mn. for a random check and he did the normal license, registration, lights, brakes and breakaway, then pulled out the creeper and spent over 10 minutes under the trailer. I was very polite and cooperative the whole time. Ended up with a license plate light out warning.

 

DAC's criminal history had multiple entries for the same offense. I used to get them and the same items would appear three or four times after the local, county and state enter it into their own databases. Made them hard to read do to all the repetition. Wouldn't be all that hard for one of those agencies to miss-classify the nature of the offense into a database that doesn't go away.

Plus DAC has to be somewhat screwed up and be using that as an excuse when old stuff pops up.

 

No you don't. In some states the state makes this requirement but in most states and on the federal level you are good with any sized trailer as long as the combined GVWR's are under 26k. We have a dot number, our authority, etc and we have a 10k rated pickup and a 14k trailer and a non CDL guys drives it all the time going through scales, roadside inspections etc and never has been a problem.

 

The 10,000 lb GVWR trailer thing is the threshold between a Class B and Class A combination if you're already driving a Class B straight job. In other words if you're driving a class B, once you put a trailer on with a GVWR of 10,000+ it turns into a Class A combination. This generally doesn't apply to 1 tons since a class B is not required for them in the first place.

 

You may need a medical card though. In Mn. its that way. I think that covers the 10k-26k class combination. There was a road mechanic that drove around in a 1 ton truck with a service box and he needs a medical card for that. Can't remember exactly maybe 12k I think it's rated at. A guy I work with now used to drive big tow truck for a few years and swears it's over a 10k trailer rating you need to have a CDL but I'm 98% sure he's mistaken.

 

As the saying goes different states have different rules. I know in Illinois and Massachusetts reckless driving/endangerment is 21 m.p.h. and up and it's a misdemeanor and a jailing offense (along with a court summons/mandatory court appearance).

 

The FMCSA itself under 'hot topics' doesn't mention a CDL being required until the GCWR reaches 26,001 lbs here

How that particular state words it, you'd have to ask them... the FMCSA's definition for Class C CDL is as follows:

Class A and B are the only parts where trailer GVW is listed here, and that's as the defining point between where a Class A is required and a Class B is acceptable.

As for how that particular state words it, I've sent an email inquiring, so we'll have to wait and see what their response is. A Class C CDL is for vehicles under 26,001 GVWR which haul hazmat or passengers, and there might be a state law prohibiting such vehicles (hazmat haulers and passenger haulers under 26k) from towing trailers over 10k GVW. I'm interested in seeing what their response is.