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DOT CDL Need some help.... PLEASE

22K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  DavidPhillips 
#1 ·
Ok guys so my boss is looking at some new trucks. He is looking at switching into F450 or F550 trucks. My question is that if we plate these bad boys at 16,000lbs do our guys need to have a CDL to drive them? They will have to get DOT numbers (already have one) but we haven't ever plated anything bigger then 11,000lbs. Does anyone know at what point you have to get a CDL? Any advice/links would be helpful. I spent the better part of an hour on the DOTs website and it is about useless. Then I turned to the IN BMV website and it is even more useless.

These trucks will drive all over the country, we will use them for our own business purposes (we do not haul goods, we are not trucks for hire).

Any help would be great. figure I would throw this in the 6.4 section since that is the engine that will be in these behemoths. haha

:icon_ford:

-Alex
 
#2 ·
I dont know if the law with cdl's is the same everywhere but I wouldnt think that they would require yall to have cdl's. With the truck yall are gonna be using they aint needed cause the weight of it. A cdl is needed when the truck weights in at 26,000 lbs are more. So i doubt yall will, but dont hold me to it.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Illinois License Classification


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The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 established a uniform national classification system. As a result, the Illinois driver's license classification system was changed in April 1990 to the following:

Class A
Any combination of vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds provided the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds. (Holders of a Class A license may, with appropriate endorsements, operate all vehicles within Class B, C and D.)

Class B
Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR. (Holders of a Class B license may, with any appropriate endorsements, operate all vehicles within Class C and D.)

Class C
Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 16,001 pounds but less than 26,001 pounds GVWR; or

Any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR; or

Any vehicle 26,000 pounds (GVWR) or less designed to transport 16 or more people or used in the transportation of hazardous materials which requires the vehicle to be placarded; or

Any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less or with a GCWR of 26,000 pounds or less. (Holder of a Class C license may operate all vehicles within Class D.)

Class D
Any single vehicle with a GVWR 16,000 pounds or less that is not designed to transport 16 or more people; or

Any single vehicle with a GVWR 16,000 pounds or less that is not used in the transportation of hazardous materials which requires the vehicle to be placarded; or

Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 16,000 pounds or less towing any vehicle providing the GCWR does not exceed 26,000 pounds.

Note: Holders of a Class D license may operate all vehicles within Class D and may operate rental vehicles up to 26,000 pounds when transporting an individual's own personal property or that of an immediate family member for non-business purposes within the State of Illinois.




we run a small fleet (about 50)trucks and vans with "F" or less and your reg licenses is good. You do need to have a medical card on you. Any thing over a "d" plate needs a safety sticker
 
#4 ·
CDL


In VA, anything over 26,000 pounds GVWR or with tandem axles will require a Class 'B' CDL. If you are hauling more than fifteen passengers, you will also need a 'P' (passenger bus) or 'S' (school bus) endorsement. {Note: In some states, any vehicle with air brakes calls for a CDL, but not VA.}

An F-550 should not require a CDL here (under most circumstances) - but you could run into trouble if you are pulling a very heavy trailer.

The only time I have heard anyone getting a Class 'C' is for a mid-size truck that has to haul placarded hazardous materials; or possibly for an airport-style shuttle bus.

Contact someone from your state police motor carrier division to be sure.
:nod:
 
#5 ·
DOT laws are federal, not state. I don't believe states can differ from it. You have to make sure that what you register the truck at will cover what it will always be loaded with. (I reged mine at 25000, just in case I'm hauling a trailer) If the trucks will never haul a trailer, you should be set with a regular license. If you haul a trailer, you have to go by what the combined GVWR is. Say the GVWR of the truck is 15000lbs (My 450's GVWR) You need to keep the rating of the trailer that you haul at less than 10,000 pounds. And make sure the actual combined is never over the 25,999 rating, and your set. If Combined GVWR rating of truck and trailer is 26,000lbs, you need a CDL. Also, if the trailer you hook up to is rated for more than 10,000lbs, you need a CDL.
 
#6 ·
DOT laws are federal, not state. I don't believe states can differ from it. You have to make sure that what you register the truck at will cover what it will always be loaded with. (I reged mine at 25000, just in case I'm hauling a trailer) If the trucks will never haul a trailer, you should be set with a regular license. If you haul a trailer, you have to go by what the combined GVWR is. Say the GVWR of the truck is 15000lbs (My 450's GVWR) You need to keep the rating of the trailer that you haul at less than 10,999 pounds. And make sure the actual combined is never over the 25,999 rating, and your set. If Combined GVWR rating of truck and trailer is 26,000lbs, you need a CDL.
Some can differ, For instance in Iowa any trailer over 30Ft in length requires a CDL to pull on State roads. A buddy had to hire 2 drivers from a trucking company, 1 to drive his truck to the state line and another to follow them and take both guys back, plus a hefty fine for length, overweight, speeding and no seat belt.:doh: It was a good day for him:hehe:
 
#9 ·
Damn, must be nice. The seatbelt fine I got last week was $310. My 3rd ticket, they just keep getting bigger each time you get nabbed.
 
#10 ·
Last time i got one was around a year ago i think so they could have went up. Missouri used to have a law that anything Licensed 18K and over only gets 1 plate for the front and if they were "Not For hire" or personal use you were not required by law to wear a seatbelt. Most cops dont know they abolished the 18K plus law. I have never had them say a word to me about it in my truck. Im licensed at 30k
 
#11 ·
you will most likely just have to get a CDL medical card. that is all I have to have to drive my 550 for work I am pretty sure it is because it has a DOT number though.
 
#13 ·
medical card is needed for anything that is 10,001 period..... but yet u can drive with a ''D License'' up to 16,000

dont confuse medical card with CDL in the same lingo

all of our drivers have medical cards , our most common truck is a E 450 (20 of them) with the the only exception is a 24 footer. we have 8 guys that have CDL's that can drive that.

medical card is needed 10,001

medical card is needed to get a CDL
 
#14 · (Edited)
All that only applies to company owned and operated by an employee for hire. My cousin is a monster truck guy and he and most the other monster truck people do not have cdl licenses and they drive full size rigs. They are recreational vehicles! Just like a motor home, they do not require cdl class licences. Unless the laws have changed in the last year or so. I haul stuff all the time but do not have cdl, I had a cdl in Arizona for my business, class B, but do not need for personal use.
 
#15 ·
They are recreational vehicles!----true but we are talking about work.

hell i could 85 driving a full size RV coach pulling my Geo and be fine ( yikes )
 
#16 ·
We are talking about work? Thought we were talking about drivers license rules?
 
#17 ·
a truck over 10,000 gvw or gcw, must be lettered and and have dot #s to work for hire and a cdl and med card is needed. just depends on the cop and how smart he is as to if lets ya go. dot will inpound and require a cdl driver to relice. i am a pro driver thats runs 48 and canada with a f350 for hire
 
#18 ·
We also have medical cards and log books and DOT numbers on any vehicle that will exceed 10,000 GVWR or GCVWR.

Even though all states do not require it for local vehicles if you leave your state of registration it is required.
 
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