Understanding Curb Weight, GVWR, Towing and CDL requirements

[Squirrel Tooth Alice]

Ditto for Vermont (since I don't know where VDOT) is...

 

[stumblinhorse]

One of the guys on the same project I'm working on just go pulled and ticketed by vdot with a ram dually and a 14k trailer. Got no cdl ticket, cracked windshield and some various other ones.

Vdot officer made him leave truck and trailer and get cdl driver to pick it up.

Vdot officer also told him he needed a cdl B license. That is not how I understood the regulations but I called a few trucking class places and they all told me a cdl B would work as long as I didn't go over 56k lbs combined weight!

Cdl B is much, much faster to get so that's what I'm going to do.

Once you get the license, you will find out what the VDOT person said isn’t true…. But all the officers might check is that you have “a” CDL, not the right one

 

[Fixastuff]

Once you get the license, you will find out what the VDOT person said isn’t true…. But all the officers might check is that you have “a” CDL, not the right one

The people teaching the class for a B license say you can tow a trailer weighing more than 10k if your tow vehicle weighs less than 26k.

The 10k trailer weight limit only applies if your tow vehicle is 26001lbs or more.

 

[Squirrel Tooth Alice]

The people teaching the class for a B license say you can tow a trailer weighing more than 10k if your tow vehicle weighs less than 26k.

The 10k trailer weight limit only applies if your tow vehicle is 26001lbs or more.

That isn't what the law says.

https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/drivers/cdl_class.html

.

 

[Fixastuff]

That isn't what the law says.

https://www.dmv.virginia.gov/drivers/cdl_class.html

.

I've read that too, but I'm going with what the officer and the people teaching the courses said. The people enforcing it are what matter so if they say a class b works that's what I'm going to do. If I'm wrong at least it looks like I'm trying vs not having one at all. Also the people teaching classes have no reason to lie to me about it, class A costs $4500ish and a class b only $500 so it's in their interest to make me take a class a if needed.

 

[stumblinhorse]

Make sure you can get your money back.

My neighbor got his class B a couple years ago and I asked him to be available if I need someone to come get my rig. He said he would not go anywhere near my rig because of fear of revoking his class B for needing a class A.

 

[shooterdon]

There are people who cannot understand what is written and need help. They get help from people who think they know what the laws are in their state, but do not know if that applies to every state. They also get help from people who think they know the laws, but also cannot comprehend the laws.

I did not research every state. My state has a simple flow chart that lays it all out. If you are one of those people who are still confused after 23 pages of crap, do a search for the CDL flowchart for your state. If you cannot find it, call your Secretary of State office and ask.

It seems some people get their underwear in a knot because the law does not fit their perception of what the law should be.

 

[Fixastuff]

Make sure you can get your money back.

My neighbor got his class B a couple years ago and I asked him to be available if I need someone to come get my rig. He said he would not go anywhere near my rig because of fear of revoking his class B for needing a class A.

There are people who cannot understand what is written and need help. They get help from people who think they know what the laws are in their state, but do not know if that applies to every state. They also get help from people who think they know the laws, but also cannot comprehend the laws.

I did not research every state. My state has a simple flow chart that lays it all out. If you are one of those people who are still confused after 23 pages of crap, do a search for the CDL flowchart for your state. If you cannot find it, call your Secretary of State office and ask.

It seems some people get their underwear in a knot because the law does not fit their perception of what the law should be.

Been calling around trying to get answers. I talked to a state trooper and the people who give the class. The A vs B confusion is because none of the online flow charts have been updated since the rules changed on Feb 7 2022. The two online ones I found for VA are from 2014 and 2005 and the DMV hasn't update the info yet either. For VA and I think federally you can run up to 56k lbs on a class B according the the people running the class and to a VA state trooper in the Motor Carrier Safety Unit(that's who does the weighing and writes the tickets)

This is who I am going to listen to but yall should do what you think is best for yourself.

 

[stumblinhorse]

Been calling around trying to get answers. I talked to a state trooper and the people who give the class. The A vs B confusion is because none of the online flow charts have been updated since the rules changed on Feb 7 2022. The two online ones I found for VA are from 2014 and 2005 and the DMV hasn't update the info yet either. For VA and I think federally you can run up to 56k lbs on a class B according the the people running the class and to a VA state trooper in the Motor Carrier Safety Unit(that's who does the weighing and writes the tickets)

This is who I am going to listen to but yall should do what you think is best for yourself.

I’ll just leave you with this thought…

what would the point of having a class A and class B if there was that overlap? Class B was created for bus drivers. Period. Easy to get and very limited to people looking for that low wage job, but needing more than a regular DL. The trailer limit is < 10k, so bus drivers can pull trailers for athletic equipment for schools.

I fully agree that you can only do what “experts” are telling you. That is the trouble with this garbage, seems like a straight story is hard to get.

 

[DK35vince]

Class A is truck (tractor) with trailer
Class B is straight truck (single axle over 26,000 GVW, tandem axle, tri axle, etc.)