CDL - how much of an expense and hassle is it?

[cockeyedMFer]

Have been looking doing the math on a new truck, and with my current 12k trailer, a F350 or 3500 will put me right at the CDL limit. This would prevent me from using a larger 15k trailer that I have access to, and kinda puts a damper on my plans.
And since its for business use, I really can't get around it in good conscience. But it looks like a big can of worms.

According to our highway patrol, I'll be a "private carrier" since I'm hauling my own inventory, not hauling for hire.

If I upgrade to CDL, what kind of expense and complications am I looking at? Is insurance higher for a CDL truck vs non CDL? (still a commercial policy either way). I imagine registration for a 30k lb gross truck can't be cheap.

What about weigh stations, log books, etc? I'll be going further than 100 miles from home and interstate...Can I expect greater law enforcement scrutiny?


My other option is to get a truck with a larger GVW - like a box truck, but keep the trailer under 10k GVW which would keep me out of CDL territory. I need to be able to pull a car trailer as well as haul parts in some type of enclosure. I never know what kind of inventory I might be buying from one month to the next, so I need to be flexible.

 

[newbury]

What state are you in? Different states implement the rules in different ways.

For example read my thread on tongue-weight

 

[cockeyedMFer]

That was an interesting thread that shows the exact problems I'm concerned about.

I'm in Ohio, so I have to register with DOT and PUCO.

 

[patchnball]

I believe you would need a class A CDL with your 15K trailer. You would want to join a Health care group for random drug testing...required, Physical every two years by an approved physician....can't just go to any doctor...new reg as of May ,1 2014 I believe. Annual inspection of truck and paper work. Not a fun thing for a small company.........

 

[QRTRHRS]

I believe you would need a class A CDL with your 15K trailer. You would want to join a Health care group for random drug testing...required, Physical every two years by an approved physician....can't just go to any doctor...new reg as of May ,1 2014 I believe. Annual inspection of truck and paper work. Not a fun thing for a small company.........

I just had a physical this month. No physician, the box on the card is checked off "Advanced Practical Nurse" but she was approved. FWIW, the med card is about post card size, 3x5 inches. Kind of large for your average wallet. I was wondering if the card could be laminated and/or folded so I called KY DOT and luckily hooked up with the person that takes care of the filing who told me yes, I could legally do both.

Again, FWIW, if I understand it correctly, if you hold a valid CDL in KY, you must now have a current med card.

I would advise thorough research going interstate with any commercial application regardless of trailer weight.

You may want to look into leasing from Penske or Ryder since the application is for a business. Might be cheaper than going it on your own if doable.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I was reading the MD rules yesterday, and it appears you need medical card but no CDL at 10K, CDL at 26K. correct me if im wrong for MD. The more I read, the more confused I got. Also was checking on my Truck/Trailer weights. My truck is listed 9200 GVWR, but says 7000 on the registration. It is supposed to weigh 5720 empty. My trailor has two 3500 axles, Title says GVW is 7000, weight is 1400. Registration says 3000. I have no idea why the trailer registration is less than the full amount. Been that way since it was new.

 

[3930dave]

Have been looking doing the math on a new truck, and with my current 12k trailer, a F350 or 3500 will put me right at the CDL limit. This would prevent me from using a larger 15k trailer that I have access to, and kinda puts a damper on my plans.
And since its for business use, I really can't get around it in good conscience. But it looks like a big can of worms.

According to our highway patrol, I'll be a "private carrier" since I'm hauling my own inventory, not hauling for hire.

If I upgrade to CDL, what kind of expense and complications am I looking at? Is insurance higher for a CDL truck vs non CDL? (still a commercial policy either way). I imagine registration for a 30k lb gross truck can't be cheap.

What about weigh stations, log books, etc? I'll be going further than 100 miles from home and interstate...Can I expect greater law enforcement scrutiny?


My other option is to get a truck with a larger GVW - like a box truck, but keep the trailer under 10k GVW which would keep me out of CDL territory. I need to be able to pull a car trailer as well as haul parts in some type of enclosure. I never know what kind of inventory I might be buying from one month to the next, so I need to be flexible.

I won't pretend to know the Ohio regs, as I'm barely up to speed on my province's regs... and that's after a bit of study.....

I'd say the fastest way to get a real answer is go into a big DOT office, and talk to somebody senior, about the license classes.

I'm may be getting slower (brain wise), but reading regs is a good way to get a headache. What was done here was a Class A (tractor trailer) Restricted was created, for situations similar to yours.

Here, the only way to tow a non-RV greater than 10,000# is with a Class A CDL. The restricted class A was created for the guy who wants to tow a utility trailer over 10,000# with a one ton, etc, but doesn't want to get into air-brakes.

Once you get through the decoder ring session, it sort of makes sense what they did..... well, at least for a Govt operation.....

No idea if the Ohio regs are similar, but I've found the fast way to make sense of the regs is to go to a big DOT office. Here, I found out that I could test for a Class D (CDL straight truck), using Budget's biggest rental truck that you can drive with our general G class...... simpler than I would have thought.

We have a separate endorsement here for Air Brake (Z). I took that course and test over 2 days recently. Doesn't hurt to read up ahead of time, but as long as you pay attention, it's not a hard course.

(Edit - 2 contractors I know said their insurance dropped quite a bit when they went Commercial. Doesn't make sense to me (and, YMMV), but I know both guys well enough to believe them.)

Rgds, D.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I was reading the MD rules yesterday, and it appears you need medical card but no CDL at 10K, CDL at 26K. correct me if im wrong for MD. The more I read, the more confused I got. Also was checking on my Truck/Trailer weights. My truck is listed 9200 GVWR, but says 7000 on the registration. It is supposed to weigh 5720 empty. My trailor has two 3500 axles, Title says GVW is 7000, weight is 1400. Registration says 3000. I have no idea why the trailer registration is less than the full amount. Been that way since it was new.

Well, it's a registration issue. Basically it's going to cost you. Legally you are limited to 7K on the truck and 3K on the trailer. This includes both empty weighs so for example you are only legally allowed 1600# of payload on your trailer.

You will have to get each re registered at the proper weights.

Chris

 

[newbury]

I was reading the MD rules yesterday, and it appears you need medical card but no CDL at 10K, CDL at 26K. correct me if im wrong for MD. The more I read, the more confused I got. Also was checking on my Truck/Trailer weights. My truck is listed 9200 GVWR, but says 7000 on the registration. It is supposed to weigh 5720 empty. My trailor has two 3500 axles, Title says GVW is 7000, weight is 1400. Registration says 3000. I have no idea why the trailer registration is less than the full amount. Been that way since it was new.

You've saved a lot of money. Registration fees for trucks in Md:

E Trucks (3/4 ton or 7,000 lbs. or less) $161.50
E Trucks (10,000 lbs. GVW [1/2 or 3/4 ton]) $214.00

Trailers
G Trailer 3,000 lbs. or less $51.00*
G Trailer 3,001 - 5,000 lbs. $102.00*
G Trailer 5,001 - 10,000 lbs. $160.00*

So by registering them for underweight you've probably been able to save about $150 a year!!

I registered my dually and trailer in Virginia - when I went to register the clerk said I could register for less weight - didn't seem worth it to me.

/edit - if you do decide to re-register please post her the process and the ease or difficulty.
Fees for Registration Plates

 

[breadtrk]

If you have an accident and you are 1 pound over the registered rates, you are wrong. Insurance won't pay out, you will get a ticket, if heaven forbid, someone gets killed, you will be charged with some kind of manslaughter.

Re register everything to the actual weights on the plates on the equipment, not whatever paperwork you have, look at the trailer and truck, they are marked.

Talking about the cost is nonsense when compared to what being illegal can cost you.