CDL required or not.....Confused

If the setup was not for profit you would still be driving a commercial class truck.

Some places allow the owner to declare the registered weight which was always used for several reasons; cost savings is one.

Sounds like the 2nd company figured it was personal use and possibly registered it light and wrote personal insurnace coverage. Probably has an exclusion clause to not cover towing, especially larger trailers.

NJ had limits onthe 'registered weight' on vehicles using the Garden State Parkway, a one ton [f350] registered light would be allowed in the truck free zone and every tradesman living 'down the shore' did so to legally reach the area where they did most of their work. Pa is the same way; you save money if you register an F150 at the weight class of a ranger...

Now that you know better; get legal and work with an insurance broker. Since it is part time commercial use, you may be able to work our part time coverage; won't know till you ask...That's where you need a broker who can dig out the coverage you really need.

Just be glad you were not left holding the bag after an accident last fall....

 

I was speaking to someone before my last heart attack about something much like this. What he did was just accept getting a CDL was for the best and went to a school here in Hampton Roads to get his class A CDL. He also has his Operating Authority.

 

1. The only thing you need to worry about is if you drive the setup to get tested in. A valid CDL holder will have to at least be in the passenger seat.
2. You can test in that, and both trailers will have the same restrictions so whichever one is easier to pull. And go 100% empty. CDL doesn't care, nor really want to deal with, a loaded trailer. The restrictions will be
2.1 Automatic Only.
2.2 No air brakes
2.3 No 5th wheel
If those restrictions are fine with you, that rig will be fine to test in. Personally I'd look at local CDL schools and see what they charge to rent a rig to test in so you have no restrictions. Just opens your possibilities up for later.

 

If they do "I used it for personal use." Or "I used it on my farm." Depending on your situation and if your state has ag exemptions.
Basically if they ask it's none of their business what was in the past. I'd be surprised if they ask though.

 

Usually the people involved in CDL testing are insulated from the registration issuing part of DMV.

Also trailer registrations are often way cheaper than any other vehicle and often in multi year duration, sota the 'forgotten' part of things.

You bought the trailer in anticpation of using and things changed [COVID set back would be a good excuse] and maintained the registration as it was inexpensive and you still planned on using it, eventually.

IF ASKED!

I would use your truck and the gooseneck rig. You sound like you have an occupation and would/could use your equipment for your own purposes and don't need to be able to climb up into an 18 wheeler.

Make sure it is clean and in good shape and take your time doing the pre-trip. Here in NJ they the do it in 3 segments, Pre-trip, on the auto course to alley dock, and then a short trip out on the road.

You need to pass each step to continue to the end so the truck and trailer need to be perfect and your pre-trip has to look and feel almost everything. The person conducting the test will be quite anal about everything!

 

just because you owned it in the past, doesn’t mean you drove it, if you get my drift? You’re getting the license so you don’t have to hire a driver this year, right?

don’t forget to check if you need other paperwork in the office that go with the CDL: driver qualification files, drug testing, pre-employment driving test, for example.

Don’t know if you’ll need annual vehicle inspections or maintenance plans, maybe someone can chime in?