Who has their Class A CDL?

JJZ 109 · Dec 16, 2015

I've had a CDL since before they were called that. In New York state a tractor trailer license used to be Class 1. I was lucky in that I had the Class 1 permit when a road construction outfit hired me at around age 20. They let me practice on company time and provided the truck for the road test. Also had tank and haz mat endorsements back then as I would occasionally haul tanks with about 6,000 gallons of hot tar in them. I've since let the haz mat endorsement go. I didn't use the license much for many years due having a career that didn't require it, but I kept the license. Now that I'm retired from that career, I drive part time for a US Mail contractor hauling from a hub office to outlying local offices. Moral of the story - after you get your license, keep paying whatever extra it costs at renewal time and hang onto it. You never know when it'll come in handy in the future.

Looking4new · Dec 16, 2015

JJZ 109 said:
but I kept the license. Now that I'm retired from that career, I drive part time for a US Mail contractor hauling from a hub office to outlying local offices. Moral of the story - after you get your license, keep paying whatever extra it costs at renewal time and hang onto it. You never know when it'll come in handy in the future.

And whatever you do in life do Not do anything that will jeopardize your license.

Copperhead · Dec 16, 2015

The one downside to having a CDL is how violations are handled. A typical auto license, and one can get a couple of serious (15 mph over for instance) type of violations and just rack up points and maybe have to attend a class. If one gets the same thing, and they have a CDL, the CDL license is suspended for 6 months if one gets two serious violations in a year. One would have to go thru the process of having the CDL reinstated after the 6 months. And there are other little goodies that the powers that be can get folks on with a CDL, even when only driving their own personal vehicle. There are always little strings attached to anything that government has control over.

bdog · Dec 16, 2015

Copperhead said:
The one downside to having a CDL is how violations are handled. A typical auto license, and one can get a couple of serious (15 mph over for instance) type of violations and just rack up points and maybe have to attend a class. If one gets the same thing, and they have a CDL, the CDL license is suspended for 6 months if one gets two serious violations in a year. One would have to go thru the process of having the CDL reinstated after the 6 months. And there are other little goodies that the powers that be can get folks on with a CDL, even when only driving their own personal vehicle. There are always little strings attached to anything that government has control over.

This is true. Another big thing is you can no longer take defensive driving to get rid of a ticket. I have received several speeding tickets over the years prior to getting my CDL and none of them are on my record because I have always taken defensive driving. Like I said earlier though I don't think it is that bad and has made me be a safer driver overall. Yes I drive a little slower now but that is probably safer and gets me better fuel mileage to boot.

Diamondpilot · Dec 17, 2015

bdog said:
This is true. Another big thing is you can no longer take defensive driving to get rid of a ticket. I have received several speeding tickets over the years prior to getting my CDL and none of them are on my record because I have always taken defensive driving. Like I said earlier though I don't think it is that bad and has made me be a safer driver overall. Yes I drive a little slower now but that is probably safer and gets me better fuel mileage to boot.

Or carry alcohol in your vehicle.

Chris

bdog · Dec 17, 2015

Diamondpilot said:
Or carry alcohol in your vehicle.

Chris

You can not carry alcoholic beverages in a commercial vehicle even if unopened, locked away, etc does not matter. The only way you can carry alcohol in a commercial vehicle is if it is part of your manifest like you are driving the budweiser truck. However just having a CDL does not not prohibit you from carrying unopened alcohol in a private vehicle.

tcartwri · Dec 17, 2015

I've had my D since I was 20, and then got my A ten years ago on what is now considered a restricted combination. Basically an F series ford with a gooseneck. The law changed shortly after I got the A and I was grandfathered as a full class A. I still have not driven a full 53 footer, but I have the license for it....

And for you southern folks, in Canada any trailer over 10,000 lbs requires an A except for RV's and boat trailers. We do not have drug testing either thank god.

Diamondpilot · Dec 17, 2015

bdog said:
You can not carry alcoholic beverages in a commercial vehicle even if unopened, locked away, etc does not matter. The only way you can carry alcohol in a commercial vehicle is if it is part of your manifest like you are driving the budweiser truck. However just having a CDL does not not prohibit you from carrying unopened alcohol in a private vehicle.

Correct, but many people on this site are looking to do so with their 3/4 or 1 Ton Truck. It then gets into DOT inspection, ect.

Just something to think about.

Chris

FredH · Dec 17, 2015

Pretty Much like Copperhead . Run my Own truck , Live in Southern Oregon and go to L.A. to start week , then back to tacoma area on wednesday or thursday morning and back home thursday night or early friday morning . Dropped Hazmat a few years back , not so much the $$$ , Just the B.S. on fingerprinting since there is or was ?? only 3 places to get it done in the entire state .

Not sure who wrote it before above some were , but also quit going to Canada not because of Their border people , But the F'in U.S. people coming back . Flippin' jerks can pound sand as far as I am concerned . It is a Livin' , I treat it as a Business , not a joy ride . No fancy flippin chrome or other B.S. . Was taught by my Dad , who drove for 45 years but had to go through the B.S. of a school back in the '90's since I dorked around and let it lapse .

My Dad and His first Truck , Miss The Old Guy Very Much .

Fred H.

QRTRHRS · Dec 17, 2015

Diamondpilot said:
Correct, but many people on this site are looking to do so with their 3/4 or 1 Ton Truck. It then gets into DOT inspection, ect.

Just something to think about.

Chris

Then there is the BAC limit even if in your personal vehilcle.

farmer2009 · Dec 17, 2015

QRTRHRS said:
Then there is the BAC limit even if in your personal vehilcle.

Or boat, atv ect. The reduced BAC follows you everywhere.

bdog · Dec 22, 2015

Diamondpilot said:
Correct, but many people on this site are looking to do so with their 3/4 or 1 Ton Truck. It then gets into DOT inspection, ect.

Just something to think about.

Chris

My pickup has dot numbers and a commercial inspection but it only falls under the regulations when I have a trailer otherwise it is too light to be regulated. I can and do transport unopened alcohol in it when I don't have a trailer because I am not regulated at that time. I am not required to keep a log book or anything else when driving around without a trailer. All those rules only kick in when you meet the definition of a commercial vehicle by reaching a certain weight.

bdog · Dec 22, 2015

Diamondpilot said:
Correct, but many people on this site are looking to do so with their 3/4 or 1 Ton Truck. It then gets into DOT inspection, ect.

Just something to think about.

Chris

My pickup has dot numbers and a commercial inspection but it only falls under the regulations when I have a trailer otherwise it is too light to be regulated. I can and do transport unopened alcohol in it when I don't have a trailer because I am not regulated at that time. I am not required to keep a log book or anything else when driving around without a trailer. All those rules only kick in when you meet the definition of a commercial vehicle by reaching a certain weight.

wcampbell47 · Dec 22, 2015

For us good ol' boys in Texas as long as we keep our gross combination weight under 26001 lbs we can skate on the CDL and DOT stuff. So if your one ton grosses out at 10k and your trailer grosses out at 15680 you are a few hundred pounds under the requirement for both CDL and DOT. I am ok with that as I don't haul heavy loads. Another bit of info I read is that you can cross state lines without DOT registration if your towed vehicle is 10,000 lbs or under. The Feds do not consider you commercial. Again I don't haul heavy loads and so far have not crossed the state line.

dieselcrawler · Dec 22, 2015

Been studying... aced online practice tests... If all goes well, I hope to take the written test/permit test on January 8, 2016.

Lots of feedback here... thanks to all who have contributed.

Diamondpilot · Dec 22, 2015

bdog said:
My pickup has dot numbers and a commercial inspection but it only falls under the regulations when I have a trailer otherwise it is too light to be regulated. I can and do transport unopened alcohol in it when I don't have a trailer because I am not regulated at that time. I am not required to keep a log book or anything else when driving around without a trailer. All those rules only kick in when you meet the definition of a commercial vehicle by reaching a certain weight.

That's not the way they enforce it around here. When my neighbor mowed commercially this was a issue for him.

Chris

bdog · Dec 22, 2015

I have had my dot numbers on my trucks since 2008 or 2009 and never had any issues. If I am running in Texas with no trailer and under 26k I don't meet the definition of a commercial vehicle regardless of what stickers are on the door.

Now when I go out of state and become involved in interstate commerce 10k is the limit to be considered commercial and I have to be a lot more careful.

farmer2009 · Dec 22, 2015

bdog said:
I have had my dot numbers on my trucks since 2008 or 2009 and never had any issues. If I am running in Texas with no trailer and under 26k I don't meet the definition of a commercial vehicle regardless of what stickers are on the door. Now when I go out of state and become involved in interstate commerce 10k is the limit to be considered commercial and I have to be a lot more careful.

Around here guys have their info printed onto magnets. When they hook up and become a commercial vehicle they put the magnets on the doors. When they unhook they take them off and put them in the toolbox or behind the seat. Now it's just a Sunday go to meeting truck.

Copperhead · Dec 23, 2015

bdog said:
My pickup has dot numbers and a commercial inspection but it only falls under the regulations when I have a trailer otherwise it is too light to be regulated. I can and do transport unopened alcohol in it when I don't have a trailer because I am not regulated at that time. I am not required to keep a log book or anything else when driving around without a trailer. All those rules only kick in when you meet the definition of a commercial vehicle by reaching a certain weight.

Depends on state and whether one is doing anything related to commercial activity and crossing state lines if one is regulated. Weight is only one aspect of regulation. There is the 100 air mile radius exemption for logs. For example, one can drive a serious sized motor home, for personal use, without a CDL. If one is driving the motorhome from the factory to a dealer, then one has to have CDL and logbook. Classification is not based on weight alone, but the purpose. The same thing for towing a camper. If for personal use, no CDL required. If towing one commercially, again say from factory to dealer or dealer to dealer, the CDL and log book applies.

I know this my sound quaint, but that is why they call it a "commercial" driver's license.