If you will be driving an empty bus that weighs >26k lbs, do you still need the P endorsement?Drivin

You’d think that you wouldn’t, but I once got a ticket for driving an empty school bus without the school bus endorsement (back when that was still a thing in Maryland, not sure if it is anymore).

 

Let's look at what Part 383 says.

Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle is a—

(1) Combination Vehicle (Group A)—having a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more), whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds), whichever is greater; or

(2) Heavy Straight Vehicle (Group B)—having a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of 11,794 or more kilograms (26,001 pounds or more), whichever is greater; or

(3) Small Vehicle (Group C) that does not meet Group A or B requirements but that either—

(i) Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or

(ii) Is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials as defined in this section.



It does seem counterintuitive, but what defines a CDL-required CMV is not how it is loaded, but what it is designed to carry howbeit that load be weight or passengers.

 

What kind of bus, and what are you doing?

these are the two most important questions.

weight has nothing to do with it.

 

Weight doesn’t factor with busses

I always thought it was the passengers seating .

Seating for more than 15 passengers triggers the P endorsement is the way I understand it

the passenger endorsement is easy to get

pass the written test and the parking lot pre trip test and then pass the driving test .

I helped lots of people get the P license for my church .
Most of em had issues passing the pre trip exam in the parking lot

don’t think I ever had anyone fail it more than once though

 

There is another factor, transporting a school bus without passengers requires a P but not an S endorsement.

 

Oh yeah

I forgot about the S

 

The actual weight & passenger count isn't the deciding factor. The maximum weight/passenger capability decided by the factory is what counts.