Finally Got That CDL (1 Viewer)

[rocketman]

After months and months, I finally got my CDL so I can go back to towing my trailer around. Even though this has put me out of service during the late fall and winter months, it's a difficult feeling to have to rely on others with a CDL to move your car around. I wrote a story on what I had to go through to get it and what the law says in case anyone is curious. To read about my ordeal go to Rich Bailey Cap Racing Home Page

 

[I was NITRO BREATH]

these are the things that try our patience and our pocket books.

 

[****er]

Rich I realize it's way too late but I just want to know why the hell you didn't have the commerical plates ?????????????????????????????????

Of all the ways to save a buck ----that was a dumb move. IMO

 

[rocketman]

Nobody around the pits up here had commercial plates or had any problems with law enforcement so I really had no idea. But after reading a thread here on CDL's I called and asked someone at motor carrier a couple of years ago if this was an area I needed to be concerned with and was told that as long as I was under 26,000 I didn't need a CDL so I weighed it and was at 20,000 so I never worried about it again. And the plates were not mentioned in the conversation. They are just now holding truck enforcement seminars at local police stations around the area and that's how the cop knew to pull me over.

And it's just not me or racers. A friend went to the rodeo where there were plenty of duallys and gooseneck trailers and he told me very few if any had truck plates. And like many of them this had nothing to do with saving money.

On my website I laid it all out so racers won't have to go through what I did if they start getting prepared now before they get pulled over.

 

[bing]

Does anyone know what is involved to get a CDL if you hold the equivilent license in another country? Long haul driving is on the list of occupations that Australians can get a visa to work in the U.S and I am looking at doing this for 2014 and possibly beyond, I have a national license here, is it the same there? You hold a heavy license in any state and its valid anywhere?

I need a sponsor for my visa application so if anyone's got a trucking company that is looking for drivers or know of a company that would sponsor my application please get in touch.

Even better, if you are on the tour and need a driver/crew person for the 2014 season.

 

[****er]

Rich, did you weigh 20,000 with a full tank of fuel, everything including race car ??? What length is the trailer ? That sure seems light ? Is the trailer an all aluminum structure ?

 

[JL]

Rich, that is great information on your site...

 

[rocketman]

Correct. I reweighed it recently and was at 21,600 with the car in the trailer. Thanks for the kind words justin regarding the story hope it helped.

 

[z28]

Rich, did you weigh 20,000 with a full tank of fuel, everything including race car ??? What length is the trailer ? That sure seems light ? Is the trailer an all aluminum structure ?

actual weight makes no difference. It's vehicle gvw.

 

[rocketman]

Actually there are two separate things going on here:

1. The licensing and this is where the physical weight of the trailer comes into play. In oregon if the trailer you are towing physically weighs over 8000 Lbs you must have truck plates.

2. The cdl. If the truck and trailer physically weigh together over 26000 lbs you need a cdl. Or if the truck and trailer weight rating is over 26000 lbs you need a cdl. For Example, I physically weigh under 26000 but the manufacturers rating of both the truck and trailer when added together is over 26000 so I need a cdl.

 

[rocketman]

Rich do you have to buy an IFTA sticker and file and and pay fuel tax, and do you have to fill out and keep a record of a log book?

I think I need a usdot number for going out of state but I'm not 100 percent sure on that. I do need a log book and as far as the fuel road tax goes as long as we are physically under 26000 lbs we just pay at the pump like everyone else. But we now have to stop at weigh stations in some states.

 

[Huge]

I was unaware that you needed a CDL to drive a MotorCoach over 40' until Chad Head called me this morning and asked me to drive a 42' Monaco Coach that Jim Head Racing has rented out here in Southern Ca for the March Meet next week.

 

[none]

Three miles from home and the cop that pulled you was not going to let you drive it the rest of the way? Talk about hard nosed.

 

[.]

If the truck and trailer physically weigh together over 26000 lbs you need a cdl. Or if the truck and trailer weight rating is over 26000 lbs you need a cdl.

If a vehicle (or combination) is rated for over 26001 pounds then the driver needs a CDL regardless of actual weight. If the vehicle is rated for less than 26000, but weighs more than that, it's illegally overweight anyway, CDL or not. lol

The cut off is 26001 pounds (twenty six thousand and ONE pound) not 26000. The manufacturers rate, and sell medium duty trucks specifically rated for 26000 (one pound under the legal cutoff) for customers who don't want to deal with CDL's. (rental trucks for example)

I have been in the towing business (on and off) for over 20 years. I have always worked for companies who have part of the Minnesota State Patrol towing contract. I have been on countless traffic stops and accident scenes involving commercial vehicles and I have never once witnessed a CVI, (commercial vehicle inspector) Trooper, Sheriff, or local Police officer weigh a vehicle specifically to see if a CDL is required to drive a specific vehicle. Sure, they weigh vehicles all the time. Our Minnesota State CVI's carry portable scales in their SUV's as do some of the local Police officers..... but they only weigh to see if a vehicle is overweight, not to see if the driver is licensed properly. CDL requirements always go by the GVWR from the manufacturer, never what the vehicle actually weighs.

Maybe Oregon is different, but I was under the impression this was a Federal thing?

 

[rocketman]

Yeah he was very hard nosed. I told the officer "I live three miles from here, let me take it home and I'll get this stuff taken care of". And he said "Oh no! This truck is not moving another foot!" I said "why?" He said "because of liability!" I said "what are you going to do then?" he said "I'm going to Tow it!" I finally had enough and said "lets have some common sense here!" He then got mad and walked back to his car and then came back and "said OK there is a parking lot right there pull it in there and then have one of your BUDDIES with a CDL drive it home."

 

[rocketman]

When you are talking 26,000 pounds you are splitting hairs here. 26,000 or 26,001 what's the diff? But you're right you should weight under the rating.

 

[n/a]

Does anyone know what is involved to get a CDL if you hold the equivilent license in another country? Long haul driving is on the list of occupations that Australians can get a visa to work in the U.S and I am looking at doing this for 2014 and possibly beyond, I have a national license here, is it the same there? You hold a heavy license in any state and its valid anywhere?

I need a sponsor for my visa application so if anyone's got a trucking company that is looking for drivers or know of a company that would sponsor my application please get in touch.

Even better, if you are on the tour and need a driver/crew person for the 2014 season.

Darren,
I own a trucking company that is ALWAYS looking for qualified drivers.We provide new trucks,good income,and treat our drivers with respect.Get back to me on the requirements to become a sponsor and i will look ito it more.

Thanks
Milt

 

[Spike]

If the trailer weight is over 10,000 lbs you also need to have a CDL also if your total weight of truck and trailer is over 10,000 lbs you only need a medical card.

 

[.]

When you are talking 26,000 pounds you are splitting hairs here. 26,000 or 26,001 what's the diff?

It's the legal difference between needing a CDL, or not needing one.

 

[****er]

I was unaware that you needed a CDL to drive a MotorCoach over 40' until Chad Head called me this morning and asked me to drive a 42' Monaco Coach that Jim Head Racing has rented out here in Southern Ca for the March Meet next week.

Has this always been a requirement or because it's a rental instead of privately owned ?

I have known plenty of people who have owned those size that don't havea CDL ---------------------- ??

The biggest pain of a CDL is the hour limit per day I would say --