Non CDL F250 towing 12K trailer across state lines ?

[sandman2234]

Add air brakes to your list. Perhaps a couple of other things. Although some people above mentioned, "commercial" is a major determination.

Quite a few hot shot truckers I've seen have a DOT number/sticker on their vehicles. I don't know if that includes a CDL or not.

A few years ago I was told to never ever stop at a weigh station. If the weighmaster wants to talk to you, they'll come and get you. I don't know if that was savvy advice, but it seemed to work. My experience is that they don't really want every pickup crossing the scales.

For a lot of things they seem to go by the vehicle registration laws for where your vehicle is registered. I can't say if that is universal, but if you meet the laws in the state where you are licensed, you likely will be OK.

I've got a little 4x8 flatbed cargo trailer that I've had coast to coast, and in probably half of the states. In Oregon a license and title isn't required, although other states may require them. So far no legal issues.

A friend just purchased a very nice motor coach with air brakes. I questioned him about having air brake endorsement, and he did a LOT of research. He also talked to DOT in most of the states he plans to visit and came to the conclusion that he did not need air brakes endorsement. He coach is in excess of 26000 pounds so it also doesn't apply.
As far as going by the state that you live in governing the rules in another state, their are definitely exceptions. Pull a fifth wheel trailer into Florida with your boat trailer behind it and you get a ticket when you get stopped. Just for the record, it isn't a cheap ticket. Yet people seem to do it and some actually get away with it. Some states allow it, but not Florida. I was talking to a Commercial Enforcement Officer at a rest area when one went by and I asked since I have doubles and triples on my CDL, can I do that. He said nope, that it has to be fifth wheel hookups on both trailers (on a dolly) and only in commercial use.
Florida has some very lenient rules when it comes to axle weights, but step over the line into GA and expect a ticket!
My point, take a serious look at the rules of the states your going to be traveling thru and adjust to meet all of them, and you won't have near the grief!
David from jax

 

[Hersheyfarm]

Generally the laws regarding cdl is what is enforced by your licensing state. Towing triple is a private or recreational thing rv’ers do. It is legal here, but i dont want none of that.

 

[EddieWalker]

A friend just purchased a very nice motor coach with air brakes. I questioned him about having air brake endorsement, and he did a LOT of research. He also talked to DOT in most of the states he plans to visit and came to the conclusion that he did not need air brakes endorsement. He coach is in excess of 26000 pounds so it also doesn't apply.
...

My parents have been RV'ers since the early 70's. Their last motorhome was 42 feet long, weighed 40,000 pounds and it had air brakes. My dad never had any training on driving it, he bought it when he retired at 65 and drove it for a just over a decade before selling it. Side note, it's a lot harder selling an RV that's over ten years old because nobody wants to loan the money, then one that's under 10 years old.

Anyway, Dad was all over the road with his RV. All of his friends with RV's where senior citizens that where half blind, deaf, barely able to walk, but all of them experts in their own minds at driving 40,000 pound vehicles with a Class C license.

Some of them towed enclosed trailers with an SUV in them. Others like my dad towed an SUV on it's own wheels behind them that was impossible to back up. I have no idea what their total weights where!!! If they had to back up, they had to unhook their SUV first. It's really amazing how the worse drivers physically, are allowed to drive the biggest, heaviest vehicles on the roads with just a Class C license and not training or testing.

 

[sandman2234]

Keep in mind that if you are allowed to double tow in one state, that does not mean you can double tow in a neighboring state. Be prepared to be told to drop your trailer where you are at and have to come back for it before it gets impounded.
Also, you cannot appeal to the federal government for relief as the FDOT has left RV towing regulation up to the states. If you see a commercial truck pulling two trailers that is not permission for you to do so as well. Different entities have different rules to follow.

My parents have been RV'ers since the early 70's. Their last motorhome was 42 feet long, weighed 40,000 pounds and it had air brakes. My dad never had any training on driving it, he bought it when he retired at 65 and drove it for a just over a decade before selling it. Side note, it's a lot harder selling an RV that's over ten years old because nobody wants to loan the money, then one that's under 10 years old.

Anyway, Dad was all over the road with his RV. All of his friends with RV's where senior citizens that where half blind, deaf, barely able to walk, but all of them experts in their own minds at driving 40,000 pound vehicles with a Class C license.

Some of them towed enclosed trailers with an SUV in them. Others like my dad towed an SUV on it's own wheels behind them that was impossible to back up. I have no idea what their total weights where!!! If they had to back up, they had to unhook their SUV first. It's really amazing how the worse drivers physically, are allowed to drive the biggest, heaviest vehicles on the roads with just a Class C license and not training or testing.

I see this quite frequently and more so, see trailers either upside down or in the ditch. Some of it is due to in-ability to drive and re-act to hazards as they approach requiring split second reactions, and other is just not being able to handle the vehicle when it goes astray. Most of us have to come to the realization that our brains still think we are 20 years old and our bodies are arguing that they are 90!
CDL laws, including log books need some serious revamping, but the people that lobby for rule changes usually have never ridden 2 miles in a commercial vehicle or watched what happens when non-cdl people take on more than they can handle.
Loading any vehicle can be a challenge and how the load is located can be a challenge to the driver, no matter their experience...and yet the majority of states only require commercial vehicles to weigh, despite the fact that the guy with the single axle trailer pulled behind his Yugo loaded with everything he owns is more likely to kill himself or somebody else because he is running late for the start of class at the college halfway across the country and he didn't leave until the evening before after packing all day.
Seriously, how many of you actually weigh each and every load that you haul? If you do, do you know how that affects your handling?
David from jax
Dav

 

[Hersheyfarm]

Freedom.

Keep in mind that if you are allowed to double tow in one state, that does not mean you can double tow in a neighboring state. Be prepared to be told to drop your trailer where you are at and have to come back for it before it gets impounded.
Also, you cannot appeal to the federal government for relief as the FDOT has left RV towing regulation up to the states. If you see a commercial truck pulling two trailers that is not permission for you to do so as well. Different entities have different rules to follow.

I see this quite frequently and more so, see trailers either upside down or in the ditch. Some of it is due to in-ability to drive and re-act to hazards as they approach requiring split second reactions, and other is just not being able to handle the vehicle when it goes astray. Most of us have to come to the realization that our brains still think we are 20 years old and our bodies are arguing that they are 90!
CDL laws, including log books need some serious revamping, but the people that lobby for rule changes usually have never ridden 2 miles in a commercial vehicle or watched what happens when non-cdl people take on more than they can handle.
Loading any vehicle can be a challenge and how the load is located can be a challenge to the driver, no matter their experience...and yet the majority of states only require commercial vehicles to weigh, despite the fact that the guy with the single axle trailer pulled behind his Yugo loaded with everything he owns is more likely to kill himself or somebody else because he is running late for the start of class at the college halfway across the country and he didn't leave until the evening before after packing all day.
Seriously, how many of you actually weigh each and every load that you haul? If you do, do you know how that affects your handling?
David from jax
Dav

curious, are you a teamster?

 

[sandman2234]

Freedom.

curious, are you a teamster?

I applied for a job as a feeder driver with UPS 3 years ago, got a call 2 years ago, which i was 3 down from being hired. Then last year I got another call, jumped thru their hoops again, only to find out that the "accelerated" starting pay was no longer available. They wanted me to start at about 23 an hour, and up to the max at the start of year 5. I am already making more than UPS when my wheels are rolling, so why would I want to drop back to their starting pay? Plus... I don't currently plan on working 5 more years, but was willing to go 5 to get the pension, though it wouldn't have been much.
Short answer, nope.
David from jax

 

[zzvyb6]

I'd worry more about the truck. What motor is in it ? Turbo diesel ? Ah oh... Friend with a GN horse trailer had the worst experience of her life.

 

[sandman2234]

I'd worry more about the truck. What motor is in it ? Turbo diesel ? Ah oh... Friend with a GN horse trailer had the worst experience of her life.

Your going to have to expand on that a little, as worse case case scenario for someone else could be anything!
David from jax

 

[CliffordK]

My grandfather had previously had a CDL and asked about towing a camper + boat trailer. NOPE here in Oregon. I don't think he had towed triples in the 30 or 40 years before he passed if ever. They tried a motorhome + boat trailer, but didn't like it. So, they towed a camper with the pickup and my grandmother towed the boat with the S10 Blazer.
I don't think I've ever seen anybody trying to tow a triple with a pickup.

 

[Joel/ak]

See triples ( or doubles, not including main vehicle) in MI alot. Goes by length before a cdl is needed. Buddy pulls his 5th wheel camper with his sxs on a 14ft trailer behind it with his 2019 f250 superduty. He's barely under the length but legal