No CDL...gooseneck anyone cited over 26K?

Don't get why everyone is always trying to avoid getting the CDL? Simple written test then take your dully truck and trailer down and take the test in it. You can get a class A without the air brakes obviously. Don't know much about you hotshot guys but its not difficult.

 

From my understanding, it doesn't matter if you're over 26K or not. If the Gooseneck is rated at 26K +, you can be ticketed. I've watched videos of people being ticketed for no CDL with those setups. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Pursuant to Federal standards, States issue CDLs and CLPs to drivers according to the following license classifications:

Class A: Any combination of vehicles which has 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.

That wording is from the FMCSA website. Your neighbor is correct in that it doesn't matter if you're loaded or not. If the trailer being pulled has a GVWR more than 10k AND the total weight rating of truck and trailer is over 26k, you gotta have a CDL.

You'll notice the wording says "whichever is greater". So, even if you plan to keep your actual and registered weight under 26k but your truck and trailer are rated for 38k, which is a number greater than 26k, you must have a CDL.

 

If your weight rating of the id plate on the truck and the trailer total over 26,000 # you will need a cdl.
It's like driving a full blown class 8 tractor and trailer empty.
Just because the tractor and trailer weighs 26,000# or less empty doesn't mean you can drive it around empty with out a cdl.
The other thing is you are talking about a 4 car trailer and I know you will definetly be in cdl territory with any 4 car.

 

The big thing that hangs most people is the fact that a trailer over 10k GVWR trips you into a class A requirement.

Only exception is the RV exemption.

 

This is the way I understand it as well.

If I took my 8300 pound tahoe and put a nice trailer onto it it wont gross 26K thus no CDL. But if I had a large pickup with dually and 5th wheel and take something capable of grossing over 26K I should have kept my old grandfathered CDL. But that is not my intention. I just posted my example to help you see about gross weights.

In my area there are many hotshots and about once a month someone tries to run it without a CDL for auctions etc and they get to go to the Court house to learn that lesson.

You already said you are getting a CDL so that should be ok in my book. Airbrakes is not really necessary, but you might want to get it on anyhow because newer trucks are being advertise with airride and it's a step from ordinary fluid braking to air brakes in a few years me thinks.

Parraelel parking was taught in trucking school because it is a useful stunt to feed 8 parking meters in a row in some downtown street if you have to stop somewheres with a semi. Ive done that a few times in smaller places like Cape Cod Mass where all the wheels were within a few inches, all the meters fed and everything was no problem. Breakfast time. They came and looked everything over, measured it and found there isnt anything to cite. So long I finish my meal before the meters run dry.

I remember that day well, it was one of my first uses of that skill and it made some people a little stressed to see a 48 foot reefer with a cabover moving into all those spaces like a ordinary car on that tiny street. It was show time.

 

The only number that is important is the Gross Combine Weight Rating. This comes from the weight rating on each of the rating plates of each of the vehicles. Add them together and if they are less then 26,000 no CDL is required. It does not matter what the tag is registered for but the weight the combination of vehicles can carry.

The dually by itself does not require a CDL but a 13,000 pound dually and a 14,000 pound trailer totaling 27,000 pounds requires the CDL.

The 10,000 pound trailer varies from state to state.