Longtime reader here, just got around to joining after about 6 or 7 years of reading, ya'll have been many hours of entertainment. I use to be in the construction and dozing business back in the 90s, but just raise cattle now, still have a track loader, backhoe and dozer. Here's my question, right now I pull all my trailers with a dually pickup, doing all farm use and not for hire, mostly hauling cattle, then a little hay and a piece of equipment now and then. I'm wanting to go to a small single axle truck to relieve some miles on my good trucks. These are all gooseneck's with electric brakes. Here's the problem, I have a class B with air brakes now and I can't get a strait answer on what I need to do to drive a single axle air brake truck with my trailers. Talked to all kinds of people with the Lisense office and highway patrol and get different answers from all of them. The people at the Lisense office said since it's not for hire and farm use and I have a class b with air brakes I'm ok. the CDL testing people said I need a class A, but here's the funny part about what they said, they told me I needed the A, but they told me I couldn't take the class A test in the truck I'm going to use and the trailer I'm going to pull because the trailer doesn't have air brakes, so I'm thinking If the vehicle I want to take the test in that I'm going to be driving won't work to get the Lisense then why do I need the Lisense??? It also makes me wonder if someone driving a little fl50 frieghtliner with a big 5th wheel travel trailer would have to get a class A since that's basically the same thing I'm doing. i know ya'll aren't the DMV, but anything you can add would sure be interesting for me to hear, thank you!
Sorry about the mis spelling " Lisense" license thing, this dang phone spellchecks and then mis spells it somehow.
I have heard they are clamping down on what combinations you can use for the test, and just because it doesn't make sense doesn't mean they are going to stop doing it. See if you can find a rental place nearby with a full class A rig that you can use for the test, then just get a full class A license and be done with it.
I can come up with a trailer to take it with if I have to too, I'm just not really sure if I even need it. That's amazing to me that they can tell you a certain vehicle is requires you to have a class A, but that the same rig won't pass to take it in.
Not sure about Misery, LOL, but here in ND you can drive any vehicle you want as a farm truck. No CDL, no commercial plate, nothing. Just has to have a farm plate and you're doing farm stuff with it. Hell, you can even let your non-CDL employees drive a commercially licensed truck if they are doing farm stuff.
I don't know how the farm thing factors in. Here in Michigan the class of license you need depends on the total weight of truck and trailer. Here by the sound of it you would only need a class b. But if it was me I would get a class a with air brakes then you know you licensed to drive that or anything in the future
Same way in Indiana Shimmy . They do have to carry a medical card .
Over 17k combined-medical card. Over 26k combined-class a. I took my class a cdl in an air brake box truck and an electric brake pintle trailer. It's bs that the trailer needs air brakes for the test. You only need to be able to do the air brake test on the truck. The lines between needing and not needing a cdl have gotten really hairy due to the weights new pickups can pull. If you receive any compensation for the work, i.e. a ribbon or even a trophy at a race it can be seen as "for profit" and needing a commercial license. I run down the road now at 30k lbs with my truck and I would have no worries if I got pulled over.
Welcome to the forums Ozark Cowman!:drinkup RV's and any personal recreational vehicle does not require a CDL per Federal regs. Yep someone that has never driven a large truck can buy a Greyhound bus motor home and hit the road. Check your states rules on farm vehicles, they can vary widely.
What year was that? I think the feds have forced their standards on every state these days. It used to be the case in California that you didn't have to do some of the backing exercises with a pintle trailer but now I think there is a pintle restriction if you do that. I don't know about an air brake truck and electric brake trailer though.
I had same issues as you 4 years ago. I got pulled over by 3 different troopers in a 2 week period. I was pushed to get my CDL on a single axle day cab I had, with a 40' gooseneck. So I did everything I needed to, then got pulled over again and they put me out of commission because they were picking a fine line if what I did was commercial or farm. So I sold it and bought a new 4500. Haven't had issues since then. But I hate how no one has a straight answer and these things are not easily available to find for the general public to read. Now whenever I get pulled over I make them show me where I can find whatever it is theyre trying to stick me with. The last 2 times they couldn't prove anything for me. I'm fed up with the troopers around here, I document, video and voice record every time I get pulled over.
I have a friend who is a retired VA state trooper, I ask him all the time about towing and hauling, he tells me there is no one that will ever give you a straight answer and they know it. I have a small TN farm and never been stopped in TN hauling anything but get stopped almost every time I go into GA. Been told several times in GA state troopers that TN farm exemption to CDL only applies to TN. I live 4 miles from the GA line but try to avoid driving into GA unless I absolutely need to...
Get yourself one of these http://www.amazon.com/Federal-Carrier-Safety-Regulations-Pocketbook/dp/0934674280 Keep a worn copy in plain sight and their (and your) attitude might change. Read it and defend yourself with the knowledge of grey areas. You are guilty until you can prove innocence.
Rules and regulations vary so much depending on the DOT inspector or state trooper. How old he or she is or how young. Most don't care how much shoe is in the drum but how close the indicator on the shoe is to drum edge. Auto slacks are good but because drivers don't have to adjust brakes it makes it easy for DOT to find more problems. Be glad you don't have to run the electronic log. Some of the regs have so much grey area it all depends on the cop from one yard stick to another. Truck Shop
Thanks for all the information so far. I just found where it says that in Missouri you are exempt from the CDL requirements if you are within 250 air miles of home, using it strictly for farm use, don't haul hazmat, you either own or are family with the owner of the truck and the farm, and have at least a class E license.
I have been told if you are employed by farmer that owns the truck.
So when they pulled you over the first 3 times and you suposedly needed a class A that you didn't have they still let you go on down the road?
Well one of them was picking a line that the hay I was hauling wasn't mine. But it technically was because I wrote a check for it and receipt for it. He never mentioned a cdl, the 2nd told me I needed a cdl, even though I was under the farm weight, and owned everything I hauled. So I got a cdl, the 3rd guy told me even though I had the proper cdl he said I couldn't be farm tagged and needed dot numbers etc. So I just called it quits with that rig. I do miss it. I found out recently in Texas it's "burden of proof" state. Which means they have the responsibility of proving whatever they are giving a ticket for etc. In the fall I fought in court for an emmision ticket I got for not having proper emissions equipment on the truck....but in the same law it states further in the paragraph that the truck has to be equipped with same or better emission equipment as shipped from manufacturer. I did have an aftermarket muffler but they couldn't prove that it was worse or better than the stock equipment so they had to dismiss it. Ill say this, if they're trying to nail you with something, look up the code/article number and read the entire subject on it, most times they'll just point out 1 thing but maybe further in the paragraph there's exclusions etc that would actually be in your favor.
With all that said, I drove all over the state before I had those issues. Then I moved to a new area and the troopers around here are the worst I've seen anywhere. My rig and trailer were very nice, well maintained always clean. Pissed me off because I see some extremely sketchy rigs and trailers going down the highway and doesn't seem they ever get pulled over.
That was 2012 or 2013 IIRC. This was in PA so that may be the difference. I do know that the instructor who gave me the test said that the hotshot guys who take it with a p/u and a gn would have a restriction of not being able to pull a fifth wheel and if the truck was an automatic that it would also be a restriction. I have no idea if that went into effect like he said since I don't have any restrictions on my class A from that test and I plan on renewing my license on time!