Off the wall question.. or maybe not..

Hypothetical question.

If a person has their Class A CDL. Could they buy a semi and just bobtail it around like a regular person would their private 4 wheeler? I.e not pulling anything or using it for work. Just driving it around almost like a daily driver. But not as frequently. For just practice reasons? Or if it’s an older one they’ve restored and drive it to a car show? Would they still have to have a DOT number and other requirements? Even if it’s not a business.

 

I recall about 25 years ago a celebrity drove a conventional cab to some awards show. They showed it as he was pulling up to the red carpet. As for the CDL, dont know my friend.

 

We’ve got a Guy in town who bobtails around in a surplus Army Day Cab.

 

That sounds pretty cool. As crazy as it sounds, I’ve always wanted to restore an old cab over or conventional and show it. Whether or not that will happen... Who knows..

I already have a Class A CDL. So that’s not the issue. The problem is. When I obtained my license, it was through a municipality I was working for at the time and I had to test in an automatic dump truck. So I’ve got restrictions. But if I had my own private semi.
Not for hire or work purposes. Just for personal bobtail use and as long as it road legal, etc..
I wonder if I could retake the test in it to get the restrictions removed?

I know this all sounds silly. But we all need some entertainment at times. With maybe a touch of seriousness thrown in too. Lol

 

Depends on the state.
For example in PA that heavy of a vehicle can be either 5CMV or an RV. And to be an RV it must have RV components in it like stove, toilet, sink, etc. In other states you can register it like a car.

As for a show truck, well as long as it stays just for show you are fine. If you ever compete for money / prizes, even if you don't win, that turns into a CMV.

 

I'm pretty sure you could drive it around with a class B as long as you weren't pulling a trailer. You should be golden with a class A and without DOT# as it's not for commercial/business.

 

You would have to check your State's requirements but if you had insurance and a plate on it you should be able to use it however you want as long as you don't earn money with it.

Some states may require you to have a CDL but as long as you're not doing anything commercial with the truck meaning making money you're exempt from drug testing and all those other rules of CDL life.

Heck you could put a flatbed
On it and whenever you need two x fours or anything from Home Depot roll on over there.

You would have to check with your DMV but I don't see why you could not take a truck like that for the test to remove your restriction.

 

If you re-test in a bobtail truck you’d end up with a class B. So borrow a trailer.

 

If you own it and you NEVER do anything remotely 'commercial' then you don't need any stinkin' CDL

 

Depends on the state.