[Roscoeapproved]

Art, Was he talking about License plates or drivers license?

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Jeff and Lindsay

91 Marathon XL

[Archived]

Kalifornia requires a Class B non-commercial on any vehicle over 40 feet.

Every state has its own rules so it would be a good idea for all owners to see what is required in their home state because some allow us to drive with just a regular car license, others require a commerical or non-commercial license. I believe for example a Texan needs a Class B. In TN and driver license is adequate.

[Darcy]

Everyone I spoke too said they did not worry about it, But if you were in an accident you insurance might not pay, Craig I was talking drivers license

[Archived]

Everyone that is ignoring the requirements and has gotten away with it so far may feel you don’t have to obey the law. That is a perfect example of a risk versus reward calculation, but for the life of me I cannot comprehend what the reward value is compared to the potential costs of non-compliance.

I cannot speak about other states, but I know for certain because I have seen first hand that if a cop in NY or TN pulls you over and finds you do not have the correct driver license for what you are driving the vehicle stays parked (if you are lucky) or gets towed to a safe place until a properly licensed driver is available to drive it away. And I think that might actually be the cheapest kind of trouble you might be in because if you are in an accident and there is a personal injury involved I can envision some serious costs.

[Jon P.]

Art (or Jon): How difficulty is it to get that Class B CDL? From the research I’m done in Wisconsin it appears to be the DOT physical, written test, and then driving test.

[Archived]

I got my Class B CDL in CA. It was written test (did a study guide online so the test was easy) but…. if you haven’t renewed in some sort of time frame they make you take everything over again. So I did the normal driver test, the motorcycle test, and then the class B test.

You get a learners permit once you passed the written. The written you can do at any DMV.

Then, I watched a youtube video on the Pre trip inspection test… multiple times.

And then I made a pointer stick to bring to the test.

You have to make a special CDL appointment – and only some of the DMV’s do those. Then you go to the DMV and bring your Class B vehicle – that would be anything over 26,000 GVWR. You have to have a appropriate classed driver go with you – they will check their liscense and if you don’t have one they won’t let you take the test.

Then you go out to your vehicle and take the pre-trip inspection test. If you pass that, you do the driving test.

You can do it in any vehicle that is over 26,000 GVWR… you don’t nessesarily have to do it in your Bus. They have you drive around town… so… I did it in Salinas and some places it’s kinda tight.

And, if you curb a wheel… that’s an automatic fail. If you mess up the DOT Brake test that’s an automatic fail – and if you don’t call out the fire extinguisher… that’s a fail. I think there are a few other auto fails… but I don’t recall them all.

Overall if you’re the guy that can fix cars, trucks, etc… the pretrip will be easy. The driving is also easy as you probably already know… you just have to look out for the commercial vehicle signs… the one’s we normally ignore driving cars.

It’s really not hard..just takes time.

And right -you need a physical. But… that’s nothing but an appointment.

I actually got my CDL before I drove the bus. I did the written before I bought it and my friend drove back with me so I could drive it legally.

[Darrell]

Hey Art, as Jon stated in Texas you do need either a Non Commercial Class A or Class B depending on the weight of the vehicle you will be towing. If I remember correctly the class B is good for up to 10000 lbs so if you plan on towing a stacker with a car inside you would need a Class A most likely.

You don’t need to have a physical since your not really getting the full blown CDL, meaning you aren’t using it it to make a living. But in Texas if your vehicle is over 26001 pounds and has air brakes you need the Class B. Some of the newer 1 ton dullie pickups and large 5th wheels will go over the 26001 lb weight and need the Class B as well. They figure that on what the truck can carry and not the curb weight plus the trailer.

I took the written test and about a week later went back and did the driving test. I didn’t have to have anyone with the Class B with me and only drove about 5 miles. I had to show I could back up next to a curb and then got up on the interstate and drove to the next exit and back to the DMV and that’s it. I offer to do the brake test but he said if were that willing to do it, he figured I knew how.

[Dana]

New York has required a “Recreational Vehicle” endorsement or a CDL for any vehicle exceeding 26,000 lbs or if 40 feet or longer since 2005. Like TX, you get a Learners permit and the make your road test appointment, but you need someone with an equal or greater license with you for that.

i humbly recommend acquiring the appropriate credentials for insurance mostly. Most NYS LEO’s don’t even know the law exists.

– Ron

[David]

Hey Dick,

It’s about the same in every state to get CDL. Do the written, get your permit, go back in to do the driving with a licensed driver. I have one but as with others, I don’t have or need the physical card as we are not driving commercially. They will put a restriction on your license only to say you can’t drive Interstate “commercially” without a physical. But here in Wisconsin, we don’t need a CDL.

[Archived]

With a Basic Class C License:
a 2-axle vehicle with a GVWR of 26,000 pounds or less.
a 3-axle vehicle weighing 6,000 pounds gross or less.
a motorized scooter.
any housecar 40 feet or less.
A farmer or employee of a farmer may also drive:
any combination of vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) of 26,000 pounds or less if used exclusively in agricultural operations and it is not for hire or compensation

So this is saying any housecar (motorhome) 40 foot and under class C is OK ?

[Darrell]

What is the definition of a housecar? If you are towing you certainly exceed 26,000 so how is that requirement interpreted?

[Gerald]

Dana: Can I get the class B without the DOT medical? I thought I needed the DOT medical to take the test. Why do you have to take a licensed driver to the test?

Want to get license for insurance (told a 10% discount), in case I get a call to drive commercially, backup defense in case of accident, and because I personally believe we should have to carry a special license to drive these things.

If I (or any of us) can’t pass the written or the driver’s test … we should not be behind the wheel. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it!

I’ll keep my head down for a while.

[Archived]

You will not catch any guff from me Dick. I gave up my Class A because the physical was getting to be a PITA. But I do believe we as drivers should demonstrate the knowledge and ability to drive our coaches.

TN has no provision for a non-commercial license for a class A or B. But they also do not care if you drive a 45 foot coach and tow a trailer up to 9,999 pounds. If you exceed that you need a commercial Class A.

Where TN is very strict is if you have any commercial purpose for your coach they will stop you. They will consider anything that looks commercial as commercial, including a race car trailer with the team name on it unless you can prove you compete in races in which there is no purse.

Once they establish commercial use of the coach, regardless of the state of origin you must produce the commercial license. Failing that the coach stays parked until a properly licensed driver can move it. It gets worse. They ticket you for driving out of class. They ticket you for not having commercial license plates and for not complying with DOT requirements regarding inspections, etc.

I was at Russell Coach several years back when he got a call from an entertainer company asking him to go to Cookeville where one of their coaches was pulled over and the driver who had a class B, (but was pulling an equipment trailer) was being held until someone properly licensed could move the coach. Rob Russell’s solution was to hook the trailer to his pickup and the bus would reconnect to it at the state line.

My point is all it takes is a cop having a bad day to ruin yours. It is ironic though in that (at least in TN) that as long as our coaches are strictly used as a motorhome for non-commercial purposes we do not need special licenses, coach inspections, and I have yet to hear of anyone cited for excessive length.

Peter Campbell got pulled over when he had his horse trailer somewhere in central TN. The cop tried his best to find something to indicate Peter was using his coach for commercial purposes, but Peter insisted he goes riding all over the country with friends. Good thing the cop did not Google his name. Peter had Wyoming plates and the cop admitted what really gets their attention is the Montana plates. I verified this by calling several of the TN inspection stations and they said they had been focusing on commercial operations without the commercial plates or license and they knew Montana plates were a sign of someone cheating their home state out of taxes.

[Archived]

Dick

i believe the physical documents what prescriptions you’re on. Those like blood pressure meds, reduces the DOT physical exam interval from two years to once a year. Also, by peeing in a cup they determine how much sugar is in your pee relative to diabetes chart

[Darrell]

We are residents of New Hampshire. The state does not require a special license for driving a bus and towing a trailer. I went to the State DMV office in person to present my case and they told me, no, I do not need a CDL. A regular drivers license is good. However, the state charges an additional registration fee for being over 26,000 lbs and this is in addition to the town fees where you register all of your vehicles. Our state motto is “Live Free Or Die”.

Ronald