3500 dually new law

[kimbashaw]

I live in NY. My Alpine fifth wheel is GVWR 15300 app and my 2013 Silverado DRW Diesel has a GVWR of 11400. It appears as though I need to apply for an R endorsement. Has anyone in NY ever taken the road test pulling a fiver? What is involved? I can only find descriptions of motorhomes having to parallel park. I have a hard enough time getting into some campsites, never even thought about parallel parking it...... Any info would be appreciated

[jtyphoid]

The Texas CDL Handbook states that parallel parking is part of the driving test, but I was not asked to do it for the non-commercial Class A. I practiced, just in case, and got to where I felt that I had a decent chance of passing, but can't deny that I was relieved to not have to do it.

[chuckster57]

I'm glad I don't have a trailer that requires any more than an endorsement. GVWR is 10,240.

Seems like a few yrs ago in Ca you could tow up to 14,000 GVWR without anything special.

[grubby]

i live in tenn and have my CDLs, commercial drivers license, and that is what it is. if you use it to make money off of then you have to have your cdls depending on the truck and weight. pickups, no you do not have to have cdls but you have to have the truck taged right for the weight its pulling, but if i go out and buy a new road tractor to use as my daily driver i do not have to have cdls, but diffrent states diffrent laws

[Barbell]

i have an Arizona Class D driver's license which allows me to drive, under A.R.S.28-3101 A 4, "a motor vehicle rated at 26,001 pounds or less that tows a vehicle weighing 10,000 pounds or more if the total weight of both vehicles is less than 26,001 pounds." The Montana 3100RL and Dodge 2500 w/Cummins weigh just over 21,000 pounds with both of us, our two big dogs and 3 1/2 months accumulation of the junk we accumulate on a long trip. We are also allowed to be up to 65 feet long. The license on the truck is the same class as on my Honda Accord. Under the Full Faith and Credit clause of the United States Constitution, if I am legal in my home state, I am legal in any other state. We have been through 22 states since May 2013 with no problems at all. As a retired attorney, I believe most states (not necessarily California, though we had no problems there) are the same.

[Barbell]

Correction: 25 states. I forgot Illinois, Missouri and Kansas, which are certainly forgettable.

[chuckster57]

As far as I know, your right- if your legal in the issuing state your legal everywhere, unlike concealed carry laws...but that's another topic.

[JRTJH]

For driver's licensing issues, I do believe that if you're "legal at home" you're "legal everywhere".... Now I'm not so sure that it's the same when it comes to triple towing, total length of rig, or other "locally approved, but not approved everywhere" types of towing issues.... I'd sure like to see the opportunity to drag my boat to Florida "legally"

[CWtheMan]

Here in SC, where my truck is registered, we have to declare our intentions to use it for heavy towing loads. Then our vehicle registration document displays our GCVW. Mine (with a 4.10 auto) is rated by the state at 23,000# and my registration fees are for that total (all the time). If for some reason I’m stopped by the SC DOT (usually for squatting) and found to be over that weight, I would be subject to a substantial dollar penalty, and, of course, I’d not be allowed to move it until the weight was reduced to conform to my limit.

CW

[Yosemitebob]

Keep in mind that even if the "law" does not check you for the correct license, "if" you have a crash, your insurance company will. I have the endorsement for that reason.

[Ken / Claudia]

Ca cannot cite me from OR when traveling thru CA for not having one of their endorsements. Until all states have the same laws for non comm drivers pulling RVs thats the way it is. You must have the correct license/endorsements to drive what ever you are driving in your resident state. General traffic laws such as speeds, equipment etc need to be known and followed in what ever state you travel in or you might get a ticket. Example I live in Oregon and have a class c drivers license it is for " any single vehicle under 26,000 lbs" nothing about or for a RV or non comm truck/trailers. I can pull any rv meeting DOT regulations thru the US as long as I have a Oregon drivers license and Oregon is my home. Same as the vehicle licenses some states do not license truck campers, so, if from one of those states you do not need license plates for it in Oregon but, all Oregon residents with campers must be licensed.

[christopherglenn]

The actual laws for Oregon as far as drivers license classes.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/pages...d/classes.aspx

"Class C
May drive any single vehicle with a GVW and GVWR of not more than 26,000
pounds that is designed to carry less than 16 persons (including the driver)
and not transporting hazardous materials. May tow another vehicle with a
loaded GVW and GVWR less than 10,000 pounds, provided the total combined GVW and GVWR does not exceed 26,000 pounds. May operate a moped. Firefighters operating emergency fire vehicles are also included in this class, as are operators of recreational vehicles being used for personal use.​"

You are in fact not legal towing a trailer over 10k on a class C in Oregon. You are in Class B Commercial or better.

"Class B Commercial
If the trailer has a GVW or GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds, the GVW and GVWR of the combination (towing vehicle and trailer) must be less than 26,000 pounds."

[Ken / Claudia]

Chris,
Thats interesting I checked the DMV site and you had it right per what DMV says a driver needs.
What I (cops) use is the ORS laws and we must print the real number on the cite (ORS 811.111) and list the heading like (exceeding the speed limit). Under the OR laws which where last printed in 2013 ORS 807.031 Class C is what I said and any mention of any trailer is for comm. vehicles only. All Class B and A are only for farm (big trucks) or comm. vehicles (FOR HIRE). There is no drivers endorsements under ORS 807.035 that list RVs at all. I am going to check acouple ORS books older and current and ask the traffic LT. and visit DMV to see if and what changes have happened. On the 10,000 lb trailer vehicle license rule it is or (was) always trailers under 1800 lb no license, 1801 to 9,999lb are LT(light) trailers and 10,000 plus are (heavy) HV trailers and that was for anything not a RV. Most of those trailers carry large boats, back hoes etc or 18 wheeler type trailers or dollies. Check the page you list and look up what/how to get a class B or A. They are all for comm vehicles. It even says you must bring a Class A or B comm vehicle and test drive it to get a class A or B. The p/u's we pull rvs with are passenger vehicles(mostly). All RVs trailers are just licensed by lenght no matter what weight. I think the DMV rules was to read All rvs being used for personal use are class c but, as you pointed out that is not what it reads. I will post what ever I find out.

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by christopherglenn

The actual laws for Oregon as far as drivers license classes.
http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/pages...d/classes.aspx

"Class C
May drive any single vehicle with a GVW and GVWR of not more than 26,000
pounds that is designed to carry less than 16 persons (including the driver)
and not transporting hazardous materials. May tow another vehicle with a
loaded GVW and GVWR less than 10,000 pounds, provided the total combined GVW and GVWR does not exceed 26,000 pounds. May operate a moped. Firefighters operating emergency fire vehicles are also included in this class, as are operators of recreational vehicles being used for personal use.​"

You are in fact not legal towing a trailer over 10k on a class C in Oregon. You are in Class B Commercial or better.

"Class B Commercial
If the trailer has a GVW or GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds, the GVW and GVWR of the combination (towing vehicle and trailer) must be less than 26,000 pounds."

I looked at the final sentence that states RVs for personal use fall into this class. That tells me that a class c is all that is required for personal use regardless of rv weigh. It doesn't say RVs for personal use that meet the weight requirements fit into this class

[Ken / Claudia]

Brent, you got it right, someday maybe I will learn to read. I just picked up a 2014-15 Or Driver Manual. For what was on the web page is printed on 2 pages in the book on pages 2 and 3. It really does have in print "A recreational vehicle including HMs and campers for personal use" Also " A travel trailer for personal use" A class c drivers license is needed. The only print about weight is the standard DOT 26,000 lb rule. and it really says you can tow a loaded trailer(which is not a RV) over 10,000lbs as long as the combo is under 26,000 lbs. The manual for CDL licenses book chart starts on page 1-1 and nothing was found about personal use RVs.. What we are trained about drivers licenseing, if carrying people or property for pay, likely need a CDL of some kind. Every year that the law makers are in session any law can be changed or reworded. So, todays RVs drivers laws could change in 2015. Thats my final point on this.

[bsmith0404]

Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia

Brent, you got it right, someday maybe I will learn to read. I just picked up a 2014-15 Or Driver Manual. For what was on the web page is printed on 2 pages in the book on pages 2 and 3. It really does have in print "A recreational vehicle including HMs and campers for personal use" Also " A travel trailer for personal use" A class c drivers license is needed. The only print about weight is the standard DOT 26,000 lb rule. and it really says you can tow a loaded trailer(which is not a RV) over 10,000lbs as long as the combo is under 26,000 lbs. The manual for CDL licenses book chart starts on page 1-1 and nothing was found about personal use RVs.. What we are trained about drivers licenseing, if carrying people or property for pay, likely need a CDL of some kind. Every year that the law makers are in session any law can be changed or reworded. So, todays RVs drivers laws could change in 2015. Thats my final point on this.

To be honest, I was just throwing it out there based on one sentence without reading through everything else. The one sentence provided the personal use "loop hole" that many states have. With that said, getting the manual and doing a thorough reading as you have done is the best/only way to really understand what the law is in any particular state. Also, just as stated, what is true this year, may not be next year. Always something we all need to be watching and be aware of. One problem with forums is we get bits and pieces of what someone wants to put out there or thinks is pertinent. It can make for great discussions and debate, but in the end, we each need to look at/read ALL of the information for our particular situation and make sure we UNDERSTAND it. I don't think telling the police or a lawyer that "so and so on the Keystone RV Owners Forum said I was okay" is going to fly.

Thanks for saying I got it right. I think I'll show that to the DW just to prove it does happen

[Desert185]

I don't recall if this towing law site was mentioned.

http://towingworld.com/towinglaws.cfm

[glenalt]

Originally Posted by CWtheMan

Here in SC, where my truck is registered, we have to declare our intentions to use it for heavy towing loads. Then our vehicle registration document displays our GCVW. Mine (with a 4.10 auto) is rated by the state at 23,000# and my registration fees are for that total (all the time). If for some reason I’m stopped by the SC DOT (usually for squatting) and found to be over that weight, I would be subject to a substantial dollar penalty, and, of course, I’d not be allowed to move it until the weight was reduced to conform to my limit.

CW

What do you mean by the term "squatting"?

[Ken / Claudia]

I just need to add what others have mentioned it is real difficult to know/understand laws by reading the shorten version. The web site listing all states towing laws is just a guide. The Oregon laws printed on it mix comm. vehicle towing with RV towing and some points where wrong. The OR, DMV web site took a law in print that is 17 lines to 7 lines and made it real difficult to read and not easy to understand. Last night I showed the web page to the comm. truck inforcement officer at work, He said it was messed up.

[Festus2]

Originally Posted by glenalt

What do you mean by the term "squatting"?

glenalt -
I think he means that the rear portion of the tow vehicle looks like it is overloaded and has too much weight on it, causing it to sag or "squat".