DOT and CDL info

Not knocking you in any way AA. I understand calculated risks too. Lol. After all- we are tree guys- that is our whole business lol.

2 things I'll throw at ya.

1) In my state if you get pulled over and are overweight by an amount that puts you into CDL country and you don't have a CDL a couple nasty things happen besides the fines.
The truck gets red tagged along with whatever it may be towing. The only way to move it is get it towed. I realize this makes little sense.
The driver looses their license. First they lose it for 6 months then gets reinstated. Then the driver has to wait 6 more months before they can even apply for a CDL permit.
It does show up on that drivers MVR for forever too.
2) driver has a wreck overweight/ paperwork not in order you may as well give them the keys.

I have first hand experience with one of the above and secondhand with the other. Never do I want to see that crap again. That losing a licesnce may shift calculated risk factor a little bit lol
 
That unsecured load stuff is a PItA too. Our trooper told us keep trailer decks clean and there is no tarp law in state PA so as long as it stays in the box its secure. If whatever starts flying out of the box then its a unsecured load. Same as inside a van. They dont care if its tied down or not. But whatever IT is it better stay inside if there is a wreck and not come poking out a window etc...
He also said unsecured loads are very subject to interpretation so dont check the guilty box, document the stop with pix, and fight it if you think law enforcement is being unfair
 
I'm going to try and derate my 12k trailer. We will still be able to haul 7k. I've never been weighed in the 7 years owning it, helps it is enclosed. The long term costs associated with getting a class A for one trailer to haul an extra ton makes very little sense right now.
 
allmark said:
This is not true for NY. I was at motor vehicle yesterday and asked for clarification. If the combined weight of truck and trailer is less than 26,000# it doesn't matter what the trailer weighs. As long as the combination weight goes over 26,000# a class A is required.


http://dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv500c.pdf
Click to expand...
i hope that's the truth!
Thanks, I have that printed out some where too... It's the link I provided earlier that is mis leading I guess.http://www.dmv.org/ny-new-york/cdl-faqs.php
Doesn't that read like you do though.
 
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allmark said:
This is not true for NY. I was at motor vehicle yesterday and asked for clarification. If the combined weight of truck and trailer is less than 26,000# it doesn't matter what the trailer weighs. As long as the combination weight goes over 26,000# a class A is required.


http://dmv.ny.gov/forms/mv500c.pdf
Click to expand...

allmark is right. That is why we have the F350 to tow larger trailers. GVW 9990 + trailer gvw 14000= 23990 keeping it below cdl range.

This flow chart is used in cdl study guides to help people understand what license they need. Hope it helps you all.

 
AmericanArborist said:
allmark is right. That is why we have the F350 to tow larger trailers. GVW 9990 + trailer gvw 14000= 23990 keeping it below cdl range.

This flow chart is used in cdl study guides to help people understand what license they need. Hope it helps you all.

Click to expand...
I read ya too... and believe that it is true too, but to add to the confusion. This is from DMV.org WHICH IS NOT AN OFFICIAL NYS DMV WEBSITE!

"Class A: A gross combination weight rating is 26,001 lbs. or more or a trailer with a GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs."
 
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Be careful about that DMV.org. Looks official, but is far from it. Often has wrong info listed! Used to work for a sawmill in southern PA, and we regularly logged in WV. Was warned by the boss/co-workers many times, in WV, NO PART of the log may be above or higher than the log standards/bed sides of the truck. In other words, if you set a 2X4 across the top of the truck bed, it had to rest on top of both sides of the bed and not touch any of the logs in the bed. Even if the log was 48" in diameter and 47" of it was down in the bed, that inch sticking above the tops would get you a ticket.
 
frashdog said:
I read ya too... and believe that it is true too, but to add to the confusion. This is from DMV.org WHICH IS NOT AN OFFICIAL NYS DMV WEBSITE!

"Class A: A gross combination weight rating is 26,001 lbs. or more or a trailer with a GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs."
Click to expand...

We have the exact same flowchart in our CDL books and website in PA. If you go to the 3 rd page or so in from the front it also has the same statement you posted that falls in line with what I stated earlier. The bottom line is the flowchart is wrong and the statemnt is right.

When I showed this contradiction to his Honor in court the summary was PA was not responsible for typographical errors in a flowchart they COPIED.... Which explains why so many other states have contradicting things in their CDL books. All of this is regulated by the feds not by individual states and the states copied from a incorrect fed book.

I'm not doing any of this to start a he said she said pissing match. We all got better things to do. But if some of what I learned and paid top dollar for can be passed on and save you folks some crap I'm all for it. I did find that getting in touch by phone with the ENFORCEMENT side and NOT the DMV side and not using internet and emails went a long way to getting clarification on some of this stuff. I highly recomend that avenue
 
I'd also like to add something I just became aware of here in CO: No med card, no license. I got a letter from the state asking for a copy of my current med cert or my license would be suspended in 30 days. No biggie, I have it but, just a bit scary. I mean what if that letter was lost in the holiday USPS rush? I'm driving under suspension and going to court if caught.
 
If you have a CDL, you should have received a letter last year and this year. I believe they are calling it self-certification. You need to go to the DMV with a current medical card. There is a list of accepted facilities/doctors for the medical card, can't just go anywhere anymore:

www.nationalregistry.fmcsa.dot.gov

I have a USDOT number, perhaps that is the difference?

EDIT: It is because I have a DOT number... I am 'self-certified' as 'Interstate Commerce Non-Excepted' because I told them the truth; that I might cross state lines to do business. If you are only in-state (or only tell them so), you only need a RIDOT number, and this probably does not apply. (The term 'self-certification' looks like it refers to reporting what I do, in other words, I don't think it has anything to do with acquiring the medical card as I implied above.)
 
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tomthetreeman said:
Yup, same in RI, new law last year.
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Yup, July 1, 2014 our regs in CT got a lot stricter. Made my latest license renewal much more involved (and expensive, as your regular physician can not give you a DOT physical as part of your personal annual physical, and the DOT physical is not covered under any insurance plans)
 
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In Oregon...... If the combination weight of the two parts (vehicle and trailer) is over 26,000 and the trailer is over 10,000 then its Class A. Even if the vehicle is under 26,000. Also very true about actual weight or weight ratings. Its either or. The trailer could only weigh 3000 but if its GVWR (rating) is 12,000 then its class A. I am in the process of upgrading my class B to an A because I just bought a dump trailer thats GVWR is 12,000. I can legally tow it with my F350 flat bed as can my non CDL employees. With or without the skid steer in it. Doesn't matter, if its rated at 12,000 then thats the weight DMV/DOT will classify it at. I want to be able to tow it with my chip truck as well. My chip truck weighs 21,000 so there you go. Class A required. On a side note, all it takes to upgrade if you already have a class B is a short written test and a new drive test on the combo vehicle. The combination vehicle written test is useless for those of us the caught int he middle gray area as it only covers coupling and uncoupling semi truck tractors and trailers. Oddly enough it took me multiple phone calls to DMV and ODOT to get accurate information. When I first went down to DMV and went up to the counter the woman almost processed my upgrade to a Class A with just a $75.00 fee. She said since I wasn't adding endorsements and I had already passed all the tests and did not have the air brake restriction then I was good to go. She even called a supervisor who confirmed this. She was about to do it when she had a question about something on the computer and called over another employee to help her. He showed her what to do then asked what she was doing. She briefly explained it to him and he freaked out saying that was wrong and I of course had to take another written test and a drive test on a combo vehicle. Ah.....so close. I normally would never want an achievement or an endorsement that I did not earn but in this situation I gladly would have paid my $75.00 and walked out of DMV with my class A smiling. I don't plan on driving tractor trailers anytime soon or anytime ever. Either way, written test done and drive test at the end of Jan. If anyone has any questions on how to couple or uncouple tractor trailers i'm your guy! -BEN
 
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