Special drivers license to tow your Redwood?

[Dave&Ginny]

I personally think the states should focus their attention on motor homes. I've seen more reckless drivers in motor homes than I ever see pulling 5th wheels. I'm always careful passing the rented motor homes.

[Buddy]

I worked with State Police at the Governor's Mansion and State Capitol and they said you don't need any special license for recreational vehicles unless you Hot Shot for someone. We can even pull three combinations here. My nephew has a Dodge 2500 with a Cougar 5th wheel and pulls his 19' bass boat with a 200hp Pro behind it. The State Parks are full of these combo's. It's our lively hood. "The Fisherman's Paradise".

[COLJDM]

I have no issues with driving as my wife "Sam" does all the driving as she flatly states my driving sucks. The Army gave me a driver, and I married one. Life is good as I relax with a book or my IPAD going down the road!!!!! Besides, it sure cures the "backseat" driving issue!!

[Dave&Ginny]

Originally Posted by Buddy

I worked with State Police at the Governor's Mansion and State Capitol and they said you don't need any special license for recreational vehicles unless you Hot Shot for someone. We can even pull three combinations here. My nephew has a Dodge 2500 with a Cougar 5th wheel and pulls his 19' bass boat with a 200hp Pro behind it. The State Parks are full of these combo's. It's our lively hood. "The Fisherman's Paradise".

We can pull 2 trailer in Illinois too but the problem is that the entire rig size is limited to 60 ft here. I'm at 55ft now without adding a 2nd trailer. Most of the state cops I've talked to said that I probably wouldn't get a ticket if I was over 60 ft unless I was in an wreck or if I found an over zealous cop.

[Buddy]

My F450 is 25' long from bumper to bumper and the Redwood 36FB is right at 40' long. I have a minus 3' to 4' when hooked up under the Redwood. I do get at least a 65' camp site or a 45' double width when making reservations.

[johnboytoo]

I know of what buddy speaks - some of those Cajuns would cuss the troopers out in French if they kept them from their favorite spot

Yes, as evidenced by the responses, each state is different ...
think Texas is 65' total so with say Buddy's rig...
25 + 40 = 65 but take off double the overhang of 6 to 8 feet and he's right at 57 to 59 long - so you could have a bass boat in texas of 6 foot

my question to Rolls is that weight RATINGS or weight in Texas ?

i.e. say your gvwr is 14k truck and 16k rv - that's 30k, but in reality it only weighs in at 9k and 14k that's only 23k --- would you need that special endorsement ?

gotta call the TxDOT office - sure I will get a different answer at each one !

[RollsRoyce]

Brad, My actual weight has always been around 25,500 but GCWR would nail me without the licence...Glad it is done for 6 nore years

[RollsRoyce]

johnboytoo John. The law covering this is the one pertaining to Combination vehicles. TV and Trailer. Your rig is based on GVWR of truck and GVWR trailer (ratings) not what they actually weigh when traveling.
Yes if your total rating is over 26.001 you need the NON-CDL-2 with Class A rating...After reading several sights and working with DPS in Austin and Cleburne where I took my driving test. and if you are a VETERAN take your DD -214 to be added to your licence. I probably saved a minimum of $1200 last year in discounts I was given for showing my DD - 214 and now I don't have to carry the paperwork : just show my DL with verteran status. If you already have a Class B CDL you just add an endorcement of Class A (restriction P and explanation on your licence). If you already have a Class B CDL you have to take the driving test but no written because you have already taken all of them to get Your B
.

[atom ant]

Originally Posted by RollsRoyce

Brad, My actual weight has always been around 25,500 but GCWR would nail me without the licence...Glad it is done for 6 nore years

I'm assuming that would only matter if I was a residence, and my CO Class C has reciprocity as I travel through Texas?Edited by: atom ant

[Buddy]

I notice earlier on my tag by my level controller that my unit was 13,192 out of the factory, I carry no water and only enough cloths for the trips. I probable haven't added 500lbs if that.

[Dave]

I haven't read all of your responses about this issue your discussing. A CDL is a National thing. It's no longer a state license like it was back in the 70's and earlier. A class C license ends at 25,999 GVWR tow vehicle. This is whatever the tow vehicle is. I can have a 25,999 GVWR tow vehicle and a 9,999 GVWR trailer and drive on a class C in anyone of the 50 states.

With a class B I can drive any GVWR tow vehicle without a trailer. If I have a trailer I cannot have a trailer larger than 9,999 GVWR on the back of it. If the trailer is 10,000 GVWR or more then I have to have a Class A. Endorsements follow.

The individual State restrictions are usually overall weights and overall lengths, such as; cannot exceed 80,000 lbs on bridges or Interstates. Or, overall length cannot exceed 75 feet (just examples).

You know, a Tandem axle 45' motorhome has the same 52,000 GVWR as most dump trucks. Then they tow a trailer that they haul a car in. That trailer is usually a 12,000 - 14,000 GVWR. If you had a dump truck and that same trailer connected you need a Class A. Motor homes and all RV's are exempt from national licensing in all states. Remember this does not stop a police officer from interpreting the laws in his own opinion. This means that you can get ticketed upon his interpretation of national licensing laws. You would have to fight it in the courts of that state

Dave from Maine

[RollsRoyce]

Buddy....What is the GVWR on your TV and your GVWR on your Trailer ? Check your state's combination weights (GCWR) .Whatever your state requires is good in any of the 50 states...But if you grt pulled over you might want to carry a copy of your states Driver Licensing rules and highlight the ones that apply to you...However your DL should have that information on it via endorsements and restrictions.

[rcflame]

Dave, I beg to differ with you on a few issues. I have a SD state issued Class B CDL that is good in any state as long as long as I am not hauling interstate commerce. If I fall under ICC regulations with what I am hauling, than I have to follow federal regulations. If I had a police officer that was stupid enough to ticket me under ICC regulations while towing my personnel RV, I would have him disciplined or suspended. Some states, and I think Texas is one of them, have a special license similar to a CDL for those registered in that state and drive or tow RV's. The biggest thing that states restrict concerning rv's is overall length and double towing. As far as I've heard and people I've talked to is Ca. is the biggest stickler on length especially motor home length. More states restrict the double towing by people with 5th wheels that tow a car behind them. I've talked to numerous people that have been stopped and had to disconnect the second tow. Usually, they don't get ticketed if it is legal in their home state. I know a guy from Phoenix who has a Freightliner Renegade which he uses to pull his 40 ft. Teton with a jeep hooked on behind it. All together he is 90 ft. long which I think is illegal in every state. He has been all over the country with this set up, I've seen him in N.C., and he claims he's never been ticketed.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by rcflame

Dave, I beg to differ with you on a few issues. I have a SD state issued Class B CDL that is good in any state as long as long as I am not hauling interstate commerce. If I fall under ICC regulations with what I am hauling, than I have to follow federal regulations. If I had a police officer that was stupid enough to ticket me under ICC regulations while towing my personnel RV, I would have him disciplined or suspended. Some states, and I think Texas is one of them, have a special license similar to a CDL for those registered in that state and drive or tow RV's. The biggest thing that states restrict concerning rv's is overall length and double towing. As far as I've heard and people I've talked to is Ca. is the biggest stickler on length especially motor home length. More states restrict the double towing by people with 5th wheels that tow a car behind them. I've talked to numerous people that have been stopped and had to disconnect the second tow. Usually, they don't get ticketed if it is legal in their home state. I know a guy from Phoenix who has a Freightliner Renegade which he uses to pull his 40 ft. Teton with a jeep hooked on behind it. All together he is 90 ft. long which I think is illegal in every state. He has been all over the country with this set up, I've seen him in N.C., and he claims he's never been ticketed.

My bottom line here was that owners of RV's don't need to worry about traveling through states, especially weight related, length only. Each individual owner, of an RV, usually knows their own rules in their state that they registered in. I wasn't trying to discuss the in's and out's of a Federal CDL, either. Thank you for your interest.

[Elliott & Vicky]

Because of the base weight of my tow vehicle, I must regester it as a commercial vehicle in Maineif I want to carry anything in it thing in it that would bring it's weight above 7000lbs (I think that is the weight). As it will have commercial plates, it was suggested I put magnetic signs on it while towing that say "not for hire." Has anyone else heard this?

[rcflame]

I don't know how Maine is, but I use to tow with a medium duty Freightliner, FL 60 registered in SD.It was registered just like a regular vehicle, except I had to have tonnage sticker because of the weight which just added a few dollars to the cost of the plates. Because I had seen similar vehicles that had the "not for hire" on them I checked with the state. They said I could put it on if I wanted to, but didn't need to. Do you have to insure it as a commercial vehicle than. That was the biggest problem with the FL., finding an insurance company that would insure it without paying the commercial rate, that was a lot higher. After a little research, found companies that would.

[RollsRoyce]

There is no National CDLonly State CDL's which are monitored to the specifications as set forth by the FMCSA

[Dave]

Originally Posted by RollsRoyce

There is no National CDLonly State CDL's which are monitored to the specifications as set forth by the FMCSA

I apologize for using the word National instead of Federal and confusing you. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Federal is across the Nation, isn't it?

The CDL's have to be administered through each state. It wouldn't make much sense if everyone had to go to Washington DC to get their Federal CDL........would it?

Dave from Maine

[Dave&Ginny]

I drove big trucks from the 70's through the mid 90's and when i got started, we'd get DL in different states. This ment we might be have 3 or 4 Lic. so we would drive with the lic. with the least tickets.That all changed with the CDL in the late 80's. Now all the states are uniformed on the trucks in most cases.

It would be great if this could happen with the RVs too. On my dually, I have to have "f" plates since my GVW is 13,300. This costs me 3 times the cost of regular truck plates. In most states, since the RV is not for hire, even though they have the weight of the larger trucks, they don't have to follow the same rules of the "for hire" trucks. For that reason, I converted my CDL to a "Non-hire" CDL and now I don't need a medical card. My rig loaded weighs 26,500 going down the road.

[RollsRoyce]

There is no Federal CDL only state monotoring by FMCSA to insure states meet minimum requirements'