I have a CDL license and I agree with you don’t get one unless you must have it . It’s a lot of expenses and a lot of work and when you have to renew your CDL its very high cost. Great video as always thank you 😊
You prolly dont care but if you guys are bored like me atm you can watch all the latest series on InstaFlixxer. Been watching with my brother lately :)
I have had mine since '89 with HM, Tank and doubles and couldn't think of not having it, gives you so much more options and opportunities, plus I feel safer in a semi than a car, you are very unlikely to get hurt from an accident!!!! To renew my license here in CA it costs $65 and a car is $35, to have your CDL can save you from tricky rules and gives you the ability to rent semi's when in need and not have to buy one from the get-go.
In Idaho you don't need a physical with your CDL if you don't go out of state , unless your company calls for one. and it is not expensive here but fines are double if you have any infractions and you get points asap .
Illinois had to get tough on CDL requirements after the license for bribes scandals. Hazmat is a pain in the ass to maintain and expensive. Almost $100 just for the fingerprints every four years plus the license renewal fee. My physical is only good for a year because of sleep apnea. Supposedly if you have tickets you have to retake all the tests to renew. You have to show your physical every time you get one if in interstate commerce, intrastate you do not. I moved to Texas from Illinois and walked out with Texas class a cdl license minus hazmat no tests. I moved back to Illinois from Texas and had to retake all the tests including a driving skills test.
I just got letter in mail i have to retake all my tests again when my license expires in december...no traffic tickets since obtaining CDL...even my rules of road and motorcycle test.......apparently when you have a CDL they randomly select to have people retake all their tests...I hope i pass lol
If you plan on getting the 3.7 metric ton machine from case you will have to get your CDL, up here in Ontario Canada we have an AZ license which allows you to drive a combination vehicle with air brakes, and for people like you with trailers with electric brakes there is an AR license which allows you to drive a combination vehicle when your trailer exceeds 10000 lbs. To get the AR license you show up at the Dot with the rig going to Drive and perform circle check and do a road test. My thoughts on this or if you want to play in the big league you got to pay, getting busted once with an overload will change your mind and you will say why didn't I have the proper license! Good luck Tim go for the gusto thanks for sharing
a few years back tim i fell in to this right here in indiana a friend had a 1 ton truck with 9000 lb plate and a trailer with 7000 lb plate . with the combined truck trailer he was over 10,000 with that said Indiana wanted him to have a chauffeur non passenger and a health card i can only go by what i was told but i would look in to this in hopes that it saves you some grief
Also Tim here in Mississippi if you have your company name on even a 1/2 - 1 ton pickup you are supposed to have a CDL to drive that vehicle. Don't have to be a class A but it's not widely persued by MDOT
If it is a business truck or you are being paid to drive it (cars too) it is commercial. But IN is requiring any vehicle 10,001 lbs HVWR or more to be registered commercial now. TX requires a CDL for any vehicle 10,001 lbs GVCW or more, but does not require personal non commercial vehicles to be registered commercial. Even in the '70's MA required all full size pick ups and vans to tag commercial.
Don't know how big you want to get with this type of business but I would stay under the requirements of a cell just because there is a lot to remember and keep up to date
In Australia its a bit easer to keep your truck licence no medical with one trailer with two or more trailer you need medical i have a HC licence that one trailer
I have had a Class "B" CDL since they first started in Ohio, I believe it was in 92, but I don't really remember that far back, lol. It is true that the fines are stronger because with a CDL you are supposed to be a "Professional".. I drove City busses in Dayton Ohio for 32 or so years, and then Charter busses for almost a year after retirement.. If you can get by without a CDL of any type, you are much better off and with less hassle.. Good luck with what every you decide to do..
With my 2017 Ram 3500 dually and my heaviest gross trailer which is 30,000 pound gross I'm at 40,600 pounds Combined Gross Vehicle Weight rating. (GCVW).In Texas they go by what you can haul and not what you are hauling. In the oil fields loads of hot shotters are getting pulled over when they are empty and licence checked. If they are not a Class A or full on CDL they must park it and can't move the vehicle until a correctly licensed driver shows up.I've had a Class A for over 40 years.
If you have High BP you have to get a ICC physical every year. If you have been diagnosed with migraines I’ve heard they will yank your CDL. Some physicals are very thorough while others are not. You can probably expect your insurance to increase. Depending on what you do you might be required to actually fill out and maintain a log book. Scales too come into play.
If it's commercial, you will need an ELD in the vehicle by December. And only CDL licensed drivers can drive it. Even in your own yard. All movement must be logged. And what you've been doing for every minute of your life for the last 7 days, plus that day (8 days) must be logged in the ELD.
Sounds like you are much stricter on big rig drivers over there in the States. Here in the Uk, we need to pass a medical, followed by hazard perception test, test based on our highway code and finally on road test.
So to clarify a couple points that were mis spoken: If you have an HME you need to retake that test every time your license comes up for renewal. You will also be required to do a background check. You will not be required to take the written portion for the rest unless you have what's called a higher risk driving record. You are not required to take a drug screen or be involved in a drug screen program to maintain your CDL. The drug screen program is a Carrier requirement. Therefore carriers must enroll all drivers employed commercially into what's called a consortium. In his case he stated he was in rolled through an association. This works also. However if he did not enroll his license would not be in jeopardy. He simply could not operate commercially. Also, with regards to getting your CDL, back in 86 when I got mine there was no requirement in terms of how many hours you had practicing. However there is a federal mandate approaching. I don't remember if it's 2020 or 2025. But, this federal change will require a new CDL applicant to participate and graduate from a school. This was not a requirement previously. You asked him a question regarding if driving a personal vehicle influences or changes his CDL record. It actually goes both ways. Back in the day if you got a ticket for overweight or a worn tire, it was considered a Carrier responsibility. Nowadays the driver is responsible for the citation. It also impacts his driving record directly. So in some cases these points will add up against the driver's personal insurance when he drives his own vehicle.
Great video, Tim. I'm about to purcha a F250 or Chevy 2500. I never owned a Chevy before, so we'll see. Thanks for this video. You hit all the things I needed answered. Have fine week. Later 👍🏽🙂.
I drove a end dump 9 or 10 years i would not like being over in that ditch like that. I was holding my breath when he drove out. Seen one turn over in a ditch out much more than that. They couldn't get it to dump without falling over again they tried to fix it but it was twisted to much.
Yes, when on the farm, we must push the equipment to its limit. Perhaps this is why folks are so surprised (angry???) when they see me push Johnny a bit. Folks think differently on the farm....by necessity.
Hi Tim! Just happened to come across your video on RUclips and I'm assuming you are a farmer since I havent seen many of your videos yet. Im not sure how the laws differ in your state from mine but in the state of Oklahoma if you are driving a tractor trailer for agricultural use you are not required to posses a CDL. If I remeber correctly the guy I work for said he has to take his truck in once a year to be inspected and that is it. We regularly use our truck for hauling grain during harvest and planting in the fall. This past summer due to the severe drought we were using it to haul water to the cattle. Our tractor is tagged as a farm vehicle amd not a commercial vehicle and we are allowed to operate within 150 miles of our base of operations. AKA- the bosses address
The Class A is a great addition and never bad to have, a lot of studying and practice in the yard and on the road to get one. The HAZMAT endorsement was toughest for me because you have to get fingerprinted, background check, and then study and keep up to date. Tanker endorsements are easy.
Tim there are benefits to the CDL as well. For example I get a discount on my automotive insurance through AAA because they consider me to be a Professional Driver. You may also have to decide if you want to be a Interstate or intrastate driver. As an intrastate driver often times you are not required to have a usdot physical. However without the interstate and USDOT then you are not able to drive across state lines and some ports including airport rail ports and shipping areas are also forbidden for commercial operation. There are many endorsements and one of those that you did not mention is the endorsement for air brakes which is an option in most States and to get the air brake endorsement you would be required to drive a vehicle with air brakes such as Tom's truck.
And progressive insurance jacked mine from $600 for 6 months to $2400 for 6 months because of being a CDL. Your chance of being sued big more than doubles in an accident when you have a CDL. You know, "professional drivers are supposed to be able to predict the actions of every driver around them. It becomes your fault they ran the red light and there was a collision that a proper professional driver is supposed to be able to avoid.
This CDL business has more questions than answers. Comercial is just that, Comercial. I have heard, here on RUclips, that a CDL is required when towing comercially. Unless you are towing for pay it's not comercial. I wouldn't want to be the test case for this. I don't have a CDL and I move some heavy loads. I make sure the truck, trailer and load don't exceed 26k gvw. I do have a health card. My best advice is to contact your local Division of Motor Vehicles licence Dept. they will have all the info you need. Be sure to get a printed copy of regs., not just a verbal explaination. They make mistakes, too, and you would have to pay for them. My dually was factory rated for 11,900 lbs. but the REGISTERED rating is 9900 lbs. I have a 16k gvw trailer and this allows me to stay under the 26k number. The truck has actually had lighter duty springs installed by the previous owner to get a smoother ride. He only towed a 5th wheel camper but wanted the dually for better towing stability. Confusing, is it not? The truck you have now can tow quite a bit but the towing capacity increases as the the gear ratio gets lower. Your 3:31 ratio will give low fuel consumption. A 4:10 ratio will give higher fuel consumption. The trade off is the 4:10 ratio can tow more weight. Talk to your truck dealer, he will have good advice.
hay Tim if you don't have to have one then don't get one simply because if you have one and get pulled over the cop will take one look at the license and he or she will say you know better and wright the ticket. its also Farley expensive her in Wa. it cost almost $125.00 more
I pretty much do the same type of work as you Tim up here in Washington state. Everyone needs to be aware of there state laws, because they are all different. I don't have my CDL, and have found it to be more cost effective to hire a truck when in need. If you're truck is sitting, your still paying. This also allows me to spend more time in the machines as I don't have any employees. But one thing I was interested in, is that I noticed that you don't have dot numbers on your truck now. In Washington if you are over 10,000gvw and commercial, you have to obtain a dot number from fmcsa, then register it as commercial. You then have to choose the gvw you want. So question, do you have similar laws and do you have dot numbers because I was under the impression that the Dot thing is federal so it must apply to all companies operating over 10,000 commercially? I have a 3500 RAM and a 14k flatbed trailer and a 14k dump trailer commercially registered at 24k total. I learned all of this on the side of the freeway and it was not fun or cheap. Luckily the state trooper was a nice guy and took the time to help me understand what was required of me. Still got tickets and had to have my truck trailer and backhoe towed home. Not cheap 😂 anyways, just thought I'd share my experience in hopes of motivating people to check into these things when they start a business. The unfortunate conclusion that I came to was, there is a lot of small guys out there that think they are legal and they are anything but. Love your channel and family, best of luck with your future endeavors! God bless
This man is absolutely right. I had the exact same thing happen to me. Fortunately the trooper was even nicer than his. No tickets. And continued on with my day. But I still had to get DOT numbers. The numbers are easy to get but the compliance is ridiculous. Total headache. So he’s right. Any thing over 10,000 is DOT anyway.
@@TractorTimewithTim just go to the FMCSA website and they have a really quick couple questions that tell you if you need Dot registration or not. Or just simply Google do I need Dot numbers. Sorry I only have my phone right now and I don't know how to get the link to RUclips. Have a great day everyone!
I recommend that if you are interested in getting a CDL, go on line and read the whole FMCSR, then decide. If you're still iffy, start looking up your State laws too. And don't forget, but as of this December, you will also have to comply with the ELD laws too.
TO drive your F350 with a gooseneck, you are required to have a CDL class A for that combination. meaning you would have to take CDL class a written test and do a skills test with your truck and trailer. You would not be able to operate a semi until you complete your air brakes and do the driving test in a semi, however if u do air brakes test and do the skills test in a semi you can drive the pickup combination. In illinois to haul with a HD pickup, you have to get a D plate(license plate with certain weight rating-higher the class the higher the cost of plate), then you have to have truck and trailer inspected every 6 months ($50ish inspection) unless you get DOT #s then u have to be inspected once a year but put up with the other headaches of having DOT #s. The only exemption for whatever reason is a RV. Some say that if u have a cdl u cant have above a .04 BAC, however that does only apply while driving a semi. People seem to think it applys to their personal cars as well. ... Get your CDL, its a great accomplishment and good to have... the only hassle is maybe having to redo all of your written tests randomly when your license expires. or not randomly if u get a traffic ticket, even in a personal car. Also having to pay $100ish every 2 years for a medical card checkup
@jclark, please produce your source for this statement: TO drive your F350 with a gooseneck, you are required to have a CDL class A for that combination. I believe the rule says less than 26,001 GCWR. Therefore, my truck (11,500 GVWR) could pull a 14,500 GVWR gooseneck without a CDL.
Tractor Time with Tim that would be correct. didn't know your size of trailer. but you will still need D plates and truck and trailer inspection every 6 months for Illinois.
In Minnesota a commercial truck under 26000 lbs you still need a medical card and if you go over state lines an annual inspection (not cheap). Also a dot number. So really a class A license isn't all that more to do. Should be doing most of it already. The big cost is the tabs and upkeep of the truck.
Tim Christi your so right less goverment better life but some times you have to bite the bullet we wish all the luck in the world not having to get one God Bless PaK
Evening Tim & Christy.If your serious about getting more equipment, which you need a bigger truck which requires Class A CDL's . I would go for them. You are fortunate to have a family truck to practice in and get your time in. In NC there are places you can go and take a crash course and get the paperwork signed off on that you need at the DMV to get your license and Tom could drive their truck and trailer to the DMV for you to take your driving test. Some Trucking companies have these certified people that can do that here. You would have to check you state. Y'all take care and God bless.
Just make sure you never go above 26'000 lbs Gross Combined Weight as soon as you go above even by 1 lb you need a CDL. Kicker is in some states you could need a CDL below 26'000 lbs if your vehicle is used for Commercial Purposes.
True, if you are operating commercially with those types of weights a CDL is required, not optional. Hence the "C" in CDL means Commercial. Like many others have said avoid it if and when possible. Unless you are driving a semi-truck or your business grows to the point you are trying to haul 10k+ pound equipment around avoid the dang CDL crap its so government mandated that its a huge expense to get one.
I would avoid the CDL’s for a side job. If this was to be your sole source of income then you may want to upgrade to a bigger truck and trailer and get them but for just a second, almost hobby, side job I’d say nope. Not worth the headache.
Curious... how about a video about all the media aspects of the job? Things from how you manage to get the wife to come along and spend so much of her time on recording/editing for the business.... how much does RUclips help if any now that you've become this popular? How would someone new to it all go about contacting brands and trying for sponsorships and such?
Here in Nova Scotia, I had to write a few tests, for the Class 1, and another for air brakes. This was 30 years ago, and have to renew it every 5 years, along with the medical. I believe when you get to 65 you are required to have a medical every year, or maybe 2 not sure exactly, but still have a few years for that to happen. I have not drove a truck in over 20 years, but still renew it as I may need it at some point. With this license I can drive any vehicle, except a school bus with kids in it. Had to take a Motor Cycle test separate, and this is an endorsement that is added. To drive a school bus with kids, I would have to take another road test with a school bus, and demonstrate I could drop kids off, work lights ect. Anyone over the age of 18 here can drive as long as they hold a valid drivers license, in a truck as a beginner, with a licensed for that truck, operator. The last few years here, they changed the weight regulations, and now if you are towing anything over 10,500 lbs here you need a class 3, which would bring you up to say a Tandem dump class. Or you need to go in a write a test to receive a condition 15 in order to tow it. I believe this will slowly spread all across North America, in the next few years as, many people towing large campers ect, really have no idea what they are doing. Most accidents involving trailers are from people with no knowledge, towing to much, with to little a vehicle.
So interesting on seeing those weight punch tickets, good memories. Re; cdl. Don't do it lol. I had a clp 20 yrs ago, and a car stopped in front of me.. Trooper said if you hit them square, you are at fault. Also any tickets go on your cdl, dealing with idiots on the road.
I think you will have to contact a State Trooper in your state. If you really want to know contact a Commercial Vehicle Inspector. They would probably want to do a video to help the public when the find out you are a Star. In Mn. I heard of a farmer that got in trouble...I don’t think he thought of himself as a Commercial Vehicle. Maybe if you start taking donations instead of wages it might help.
Clifford Larson I believe it’s only required if your fleet of CDL trucks is more than 6. We had the Electronic Recorders before I retired. Hated them, never a day went by that they didn’t fail in some fashion.
Another friend of mine’s only got three trucks and he’s got I have all that now they’re a pain pain in the butt trucking ain’t like it used to be like the 70 80Enjoy your videos and God bless you
Cdls are more expensive to renew. The physical is expensive if your paying for it yourself. In VA the cdl also halfs your drinking limit even in your personal car. Also depending on how your business is structured you also fall into ifta taxes.
In IL the legal limit for passenger license people(non CDL) is .08 but can still get a DUI if the officer feels that you are impaired at .04 even with a personal vehicle license.
One of the main reasons they established the CDL program was, back in the day, drivers were able to amass tickets and/or DWIs, let their licenses go in that state then just get one in the next state. Now, the CDL is indeed nationwide thus, if you lose it, its gone until you rectify the problem. Also, the reasons there are so many requirements is, the CDL license grants the licensee the ability to haul 80,000+ pounds down our highways, many times with hazardous material. Naturally, you want the holders of CDLs to be as well qualified and responsible as imaginable, especially when your family is sharing the road with them. As of 3 years ago, and I can not speak for other states, but here in New Jersey, they do a country wide search when you renew your CDL to see if you have any outstanding tickets anywhere. If so, you will not get your license until you pay those fines.
I don’t know about your neck of the woods but out here in the West get a cdl and it’s open season on your small business. The rules, regs, and enforcement are really onerous and if you make a mistake they will shut your arse down and or fine you into oblivion. I’m not anti government but this is one area where if you can stay under the requirement you probably should. YMMV
My neighbour says that if you have a CDL, whether or not you have a absolute requirement, and get a moving violation you will get hosed. Commercial drivers that get a violation while driving a private automobile will have points show on the commercial license.
If you want to talk to and Indiana cdl holder to really know what you would be getting into get hold of me 35 years experience and also onwer operater for a good portion so I could probably answer any questions.
I think the cgvwr issue has been well discussed in the comments already. In regards to your business being commercial work, do you have an actual LLC of some sort? If not this would be considered a hobby, even if for pay, if the vehicle is registered to you Tim, and not TTWT, inc. or whatever, for legal and tax reporting purposes. Point is I read some saying even if you're below 26k lbs but using the truck/trailer for business, it's commercial and hence cdl.
Tim, check with the license office the state you are in could have several CDL . I've had one for 25, yrs. it's not a class A. If you going to make a living driving a 18, wheeler you will need that class A. I'm in Ga. We have a CDL for driving buss n school buss. And other truck that are smaller. Hope that help. PS once a year u have the P test . Ron
It's really kinda simple, if you're making a living driving truck, get your CDL and all the endorsements you can get. If the hauling is not the major part of how you make your money, avoid the CDL, it's probably cheaper in the long run to hire a truck and or driver if you only need it occasionally, and can't find another way around the problem. Most times, the solution is simple, use ordinary trailers and split the weight between two vehicles to get under the weight limits ect. A second driver might be needed, but wouldn't have to be a CDL driver. If you ever start getting and using larger equipment that always requires a CDL, then you might consider it, or hire somebody that already has one. Note they will have to be paid fairly well in part to make up for what maintaining a CDL costs. My lady used to have a CDL when she was driving for a living with a previous husband, but when it wasn't making her money any more, she let it go. I had one for a short time, but in my case I really didn't have to go through all the mess, I was grandfathered in under the old laws.
Depending on the state if you’re doing business and you’re over 10,000 gvw you need DOT numbers and a medical card anyway. So chances are with a 250 and a trailer with an excavator you’re over 5 tons....and ps. I really like the removable sticker idea, I did it myself for a while. But I saw a video of your new truck, and it’s aluminum. So no magnets. I just got a new super duty and overlooked that
Actually as soon as you place commercial tags on the truck, you will have to leave the DOT numbers on all the time. IFTA has to be permanently affixed, and can not be peeled off and reapplied. You pay Heavy Vehicle use tax for the year, even if you only use it once a year. You file IFTA quarterly.
Thanks for watching, Justin. Sorry about that. Just remember that they don't last long. We appreciate your support...without the commercials, we couldn't do this.
If you thought you wanted a CDL, read my story first. I wanted to be a owner operator and start a trucking company that I could pass down to my sons and grandsons. I now have a suspended CDL. I made a mistake. I broke the law and Indiana suspended my CDL. This was years ago. It happened in Ohio and it was a traffic ticket. Indiana called it hit and run and suspended my CDL. I was a part time driver keeping my full time factory job which was a God send. I gave up driving after that. I spent money on a lawyer and had to get high risk insurance. I ended up spending the money I made driving for a year to attempt to get it resolved. I can tell you that it is actually not resolved because when my license is checked, that suspended CDL still shows up. The only way that I have found to resolve it is that I can retake the driving test and get it reinstated. That is more time and money I don't want to spend. I think that the risk verses the reward is unreasonable. If you have anything of value, you are risking it. One momentary lapse of judgement could cost you and what is worse, your family, everything. I still miss driving a big truck. God gives and takes away. He opens and closes doors. Praise be the name of the Lord. God bless you and yours Tim.
You also have to get a physical that medically clears you and the older you get the physical intervals get shorter most truck driving schools have a coarse for agriculture and explains the process if you had to haul the combine to a field with the permits the route and time window to transport from
Nathan Brodeur also in some places you can drive a huge piece of equipment down the road with no CDL but, if the piece equipment is transporting something ( let’s say s crate on the forks ) a CDL is required. Strange but not all states have the same laws concerning the CDL. Georgia’s kingpin law makes them money.
IL has some pretty strict weight rules as well: changingears.com/rv-sec-state-rv-license.shtml If you have over 16K GCWR or GVWR total or more than 10K trailer. In IN you are much better, as long as total length is under 45' you are good with no CDL.
Great video! I am actually a hazardous material Class A CDL tanker driver out of northwest ohio. A lot has changed. I blame corporate America for most of it. We have drive cam that records the driver and the road at all times. Our trucks won’t go any faster then 65mph. You can use the cruise control to 63 but if you wanna run 65 you have to keep your foot on the accelerator all day 😂 We run all economy Volvo trucks. They don’t have any power whatsoever. They are so dummy proof it doesn’t matter how far you push the accelerator the truck will only accelerate at one speed. The corporate American safety committee proved that only having one hand on the wheel to drive was not safe so we had to get rid of manual transmission semi trucks. We have Samsung tablets for all of our logs that calculate all the hours and stops for us. They added the def and some guys have pumped def into the diesel tank and ruined trucks. So know we got special fuel nozzles that open up with magnets. Even when you go to the truckstop to get fuel you have to enter in a load of information truck number trailer number truck mileage there’s just so many digital things these companies brought on it’s ridiculous. We have to do the DOT medical examination by a registered medical doctor every year. It’s difficult to pass. There is absolutely no talking on the phone with a Bluetooth headset and the company I work for has completely outlawed a CB radio. I make good money doing hazmat work but I had to give up a lot. There’s so many people on the road that just can’t drive between not being able to drive and liability now we have all these rules to follow. Stopping at a truckstop to get a nice meal is really frowned upon by corporate trucking companies its sad. It’s a very cut and dry job but I enjoy it. I recommend staying away from agricultural exempt logs. Typically you have up to 70 hours a week to work but if you’re hazardous material its 60. There’s no overtime paid in trucking so every carrier you work for says well you’re allowed to be here 70 hours every week so we’re going to use your 65 lol. It’s important to watch who you work for not everyone works 40 hours a week and not every trucking company runs the same lanes. The logs in the tablet actually save you from being worked like a dog. There’s no I will give you 40 hours. DOT says you’re allowed to drive 60 a week by guy they’re going to give you 60 hours lol. It’s a mess out here.
you should look into the rules of a CDL for when you are hauling your own property with your own truck.. my uncle has never had a CDL and has hauled his grain in his own tractor trailer for as long as i can remember.. because it is his truck and his grain and he isn't trucking for a living it is legal.. he isn't in the business of trucking.. he even has a dump trailer to haul dirt and whatever he wants in it.. the rules restrict him from leaving the state though.. he must stay in Louisiana unless he gets some paperwork first. not a cdl though.. maybe that is just my own state though...
If u want to expand your business I suggest a goose neck that you could pull with Clifford instead of getting a cdl you only need a trailer and you could haul more just get a weighted tag if u live in NC like me but if u don't live in NC I don't know if they have weighted tags but yea I would go with a gooseneck
Best thing I’ve ever did was got my CDL class a why do multiple trips when you could do one or two only shitty part the state I live in there is a lot of dot checks sometime you’ll sit in a parking lot for hour or 2 otherwise get it it’s worth it yes you have to go for physical every two years but in my state it’s only like 100 bucks an 30 mins of my time the cdl greatly improved my production i’m not gonna lie sometimes it is a pain in the ass but otherwise it’s a great thing to have people don’t realize everything we do an own was brung by semi You could make a pretty good living at it driving I mean
Either I getting faster at reading or you left more time for the Bible verse. Thanks Good subject today. So far I am able to operate without a CDL and only a chauffeur license with a DOT medical. Would like CDL but not sure I can justify the additional cost.
I have a cdl, its not worth getting one with what you do. Just keep your total weight under 26,001 pounds. And dont put your company decals on your truck. That will make you an open target for police and commercial vehicle inforcement.
Pretty sure all states are 26,001 for cdl. You can go over that easily not just gvwr, gcwr. Take a f500 with a gross weight of 19k, towing a trailer rated for only 10k you can be towing the trailer completely empty and be screwed because between the truck and trailer is rated for a total or 29k. Just because you don’t have that much weight with you doesn’t mean you’re in the good.
Tractor Time with Tim when it comes to laws it’s a mess, if states laws are stricter they preside over the issue, if county is more strict it does, if city is more strict it does. It’s very hard to know all laws traveling all across the US. I’ve trucked all over 49 states and parts of Canada and sometimes you are lucky.
i love my duece and a half just for this exact reason, its rated at 23500 gvwr or so. i can load up to 40000 if i had to. ;) class B licensee is better than A unless youre driving a line haul truck. other than that there's no need for it
@@FF4X4 Section 1.5.1 reads "A CDL holder may not operate a commercial vehicle with a BAC of .04 percent or more. A school bus driver or a CDL holder may not drive any other vehicle with a BAC of .08 percent or more." source www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_cdl10.pdf
AVOID THE CDL. You are much better off either making multiple trips or use multiple trucks/ trailers. The CDL world will cause you more headaches and costs than makes it worth it. Tim, in case I havent been clear, don't go CDL.
1200$ insurance, dot numbers, and more problems, not even worth it. just use a 350 and gooseneck or bumper pull i highly doubt that tractor and mini excavator weight that much
@@johndowe7003 depends on the State. If the combined gross vehicle weight is over 10,001 lbs. IN requires it be registered, licensed, and the driver have a class B CDL. Only truck with a combined gross vehicle weight rating under 10,001 when used only for personal use can avoid going the CDL route. That rules out campers and goosenecks. Heck even bumper towed utilitiy trailers behind a half ton could get you in trouble in IN. If the GVWR of the truck is over 10,001 lbs. Most 3/4 ton and up, trucks today have vehicle ratings over 10,001 and would require a commercial license, and registration in IN. Government just wants more money.
@@gpecaut1 heavier trucks fuck the roads up more no matter how well they're built and when they crash it costs the state more money to fix. I'm for getting taxed when it comes to big trucks. I guess once you've been in that spot you'd have a better idea of what all goes into it . As for the gvwr a class b would be needed if your over your states limits. In tx where I live the limit is 24900 lbs so any more weight on the vehicle then you get your class b
@@johndowe7003 trucks already pay more taxes. Heavy Vehicle Use Tax on the tractor and trailer. Diesel is half the price of gasoline. It's more at the pump because it is taxed more. Then you get to pay more fuel tax through IFTA. As for damages in an accident, well they charge the truck for that. Usually around one million for a clean up. A semi pays over $26000.00/ year in taxes. Almost $.25/ mi. You pay nowhere near .25/mi.
I just got my letter from the DMV stating i have until the end of December to send them a copy of my new 2019 CDL physical. If they don't get a copy, my CDL license is suspended in the system. I had to go on blood pressure medicine about 4 years ago and now i have to go every year instead of every two years. Not worth it Tim if you're just pulling around a mini and a scut. I really wish we would of at least seen Tom dump that frameless Mac dump load of corn. Lol
Stay tuned. We'll get to see the 'farm aspect' of the video this week sometime. We just chopped out this segment on CDL's into a separate video. We had to have a "Truck and Trailer Tuesday" video, ya know!
Insurance, insurance, insurance. If you have a CDL no matter what vehicle you are driving and get ticketed for any reason, any where, your insurance WILL go up on all of your vehicles.
One major thing I found out, after schooling for my CDL is the driving tests. In Illinois they are state run, Meaning your local BMV can give you the CDL driving test. Meanwhile in Indiana, It's not state run and 3rd party companies do the testing. The problem with that? They only make money from people coming to test, And they keep failing you over and over again until you've given them enough money. The place I went first in Indiana (Up in indy) some years ago for mine worked me in, then after I got there to pay they told me the state was shutting them down the next day lol!!! Nothing but a con. I went to school for my CDL at the Danville Illinois community college. There is also many differences in the test itself. For instance, In Illinois you only needed to do a 90 degree back with a 48' trailer. In Indiana you had to parallel park. Things may have changed now days, It's been a good 10 years for me. But these tests should NOT be 3rd party. They stay in business by failing you many times to keep charging you. A classmate of mine, got failed 18 times in Indiana, Went to Illinois and passed first time.
Naviss I took my first CDL test in ILL over 27 years ago and then it was at a state run facility. Since then you can now get license renewal and tags at third party. Crazy how that changed.
I heard somewhere that if you aren't making profit, you don't have to have a cdl even if you're over 26k. You ever see those massive RV's driving down the road? I'll bet those are more than 26k and the drivers don't have a cdl. They can get away with it because they aren't making money. Not sure if this is correct but just throwing it out there.
Up until last year Federal DOT exempted RV's, State and County (as well as City and township) vehicles. Now you have to have at least a B CDL for ambulance and fire trucks, city and county maintenance trucks etc. Depends on the weight. In a few more years you will need them on all vehicles the way things are going. OnStar and other connected vehicles are becoming the new norm. ELDs and more driving restrictions are coming, along with trying to price you out of driving. The New Green Deal would eliminate cars and trucks in less than 10 years.
If you just need to move your equipment around and grab material occasionally. Buy an antique truck (93 or older) Register as antique, no cld required.
Register as an antique personal vehicle like you would have classic car. Don't register it in your business name, in your personal name cuz you're not going to be using it "commercially". I don't know if it's a different state to state, but where I live there's no CDL required to drive an antique vehicle. I know somebody with a huge old military dumptruck, no CDL required.
Older stuff is harder to maintain and costs more money to keep it on the road also & dot likes the single out the older trucks because most have some fault that they can get you with .
@@johndowe7003 Older stuff is easier to maintain yourself. No computers no emissions. I'll take an older truck any day. As far as dot, I really dont know. I only see them on main highways where I live.
@@dand33911 Dot here in South Texas loves the..older trucks:p and I agree they are easier to maintain but what I meant is more expensive, they sure do like to drink 🤣
Just saying tim 10k will get a good down payment on a good used semi then you got to think trailer and equipment plus the schooling and all the other fun stuff don’t go jumping in with both feet plan it out total cost will get up there around 40-60k
If the gvw of your vehicle is 26001 lbs or more, you must have a class A cdl. So far, to my knowledge they have not yet started considering gcw. Its coming g though. A slight variation, in my state of Missouri, depends on what your truck is licensed for in gross weight. 6000 lbs increments, so okay thrust 24000,but next is 30k. If you license your truck for more weight than its listed gvw, then the licensed weight is the determining factor. Nothing in trucking is easy , and makes little sense either
You are not correct. If trailer is over 10k GVWR, then the total GCWR cannot exceed 26,000 lb. This is a national CDL requirement. States can be different, but as soon as you cross a state line, the national rules (and the state you are entering) apply.
Avoid it as long as you can and plan your trucks and trailers for weight limits. Go to the gravel pit on 96 with Casey on and see where you are weight wise.
CDL requirment is not the type, or length, but the "Gross vehicle weight" (GVW) which is 26,000 pound. If you do not exceed 26,000 lb GVW, ( vehicle and load) you do not need a CDL!!
@@TractorTimewithTim That is correct up to 25,999 LBS gross weight you may drive on your "D" license. 26K and above CDL. There is a farm exemption in many states. All expenses to maintain a CDL if required for what you do is tax deductible also.
Don't get a CDL! I have one, always had one! If you get an infraction while driving your personal vehicle, it goes against your CDL license. I was Grandfathered in, back in 1980. Blood pressure, sleep apnea. If your on blood pressure medication, you have to go every Year to get your medical card.
One thing the federal government did was make drivers of big RV's get a CDL to continue driving there RV's. My plans when my wife retires was to tow a big 5th wheel around the country with a semi tractor. I used to have my CDL and I dropped it for the same reason you mentioned. I'm not paying a higher fine than I have to if I'm in some accident. I didn't need it anymore so I dropped it. Now I'll need to get it again. I agree that drivers of large RV's need more training and certification than a standard driver's licence, but I'm not driving a commercial vehicle, it's my own. I don't feel I need a CDL. I have a few years still till I need it so I'm hoping the feds change the regulations again.
Any schmuck with some money can buy a big truck and camp trailer that's about as big as a semi, or an RV that's bigger than most buses without getting a CDL. Not sure I completely agree with that because they can present a significant risk on the road. In addition, a person can load and haul about anything without any training on how to do it properly. I like freedom, but all that being said, getting the CDL might be the responsible thing to do... Really though, other than the weight and maybe length, what's the difference between hauling one piece of equipment and two?
Mr timn to retain a CDL license you must first go if you want to do it the old way retain a CDL learners you can drive your car and everything but then your brother there can met you drive back truck while he's in the passenger seat you wanted to tame 3 to 4 weeks or driving to retain your learner's you must take, Knowledge Test take air Test air brake test and combination test the give you the learners then you practice on driving the truck after you think you got it down go to your local DMV office and see if they do not have a certified. D.o.t instructor if they do you must set up an appointment to take your CDL driving test with that test you must furnish the tractor and trailer it must meet all d.o.t requirements for you to take the test in then you take the test driving test if pass the driving test you will then get your CDL license but do not forget before you retain anything of that you must have a d.o.t certified physical I hope that it helped you I've been driving for 33 years and I'm also driving instructor take care of yourself and best wishes
I believe you have to be hauling you own crops as well and there is generally a limit to the distance you can drive from your farm with those plates. 100 Miles or so. Varies by state. If you custom haul you'll need the CDL.
Honestly it's not hard at all to get your CDL, the tests are easy the only thing that's sorta difficult is the pre trip and the parallel park other than that it's pretty easy . The only thing is you have 90 or 60 days to take your driving test after you do your written test. If you don't get the driving tests done within that time limit you have to retake the 6 paper tests and pay for them again.
Farm tags. Dot don't want to mess with farmers. They want to go after who they can get the most money out of, commercial drivers. Lot of guys down here in Arknasas just run farm tags and no signs on their truck. They just say they are transporting their equipment for theirselves as farm use. Dot just likes their money, safety is not their priority by any means. Not saying it's the best way but that's how a lot of guys do it. Laws vary by state though and I would check up that before being the guinea pig. Dot would give you quite a spanking.
@@TractorTimewithTim I have a friend with an older F350 dump body with an exceptionally high GVWR plus he hauls a 10,000lb trailer. It's required to be registered as Commercial. He battles with the DMV every year because it was for personal use but it didn't matter to them. Registration is about double and is renewed yearly. Ironically he does NOT have a CDL license to go along with that truck but also hasn't been stopped yet either. Its only a matter of time
Ok, it can be good for reducing trips and getting all the stuff to the site in one trip or so. However due to increasing government regulations on medical, logs( days managed to 60 second increments, not 15 minutes) fines can be 10 to 15 times higher BECAUSE you are driving a truck. Also federal and all state laws FORBID traffic school to defer or prevent a ticket BECAUSE YOU ARE A TRUCK DRIVER. Some states in physicals will check blood pressure, BMI and sleep patterns etc. Sleep apnea if required would be based on weight, neck circumference, age and gender. Number one target if Male over 40. You will have your sleep remotely monitored by the doctor remotely and the feds have access to sleep data on demand if your employer, OR FEDERALLY DOT CERTIFIED doctor requires screening even though the regs are not on the books as of June 2017. Basically these are a few of the MANY, MANY the reason drivers are leaving in droves as fast as they can. Also DOUBLE CHECK ANY AND ALL LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES YOU HAVE OR WANT TO GET. A lot of them have a policy clause in the fine print that will void the policy and deny the claim 100% if you get paid to drive (CDL). 25 plus years long haul across USA and Canada. Also lots of drug testing is going to start including DNA testing. This type of test can actually go back to the day and minute of your birth and find anything you took to the minute of the day since you were born. However most go back 6 months as the farther you go back the more those test cost. The test are getting cheaper though. The reason DNA drug testing works so well is this. Your brain does not store your long term memory longer that 28 to 30 seconds after event occurs. Your brain only runs your body, short term memory and calculations. Long term memory is stored and accessed in your DNA via quantum entanglement. That's why you see the big commercials to test your DNA for your family tree and health screening. You are also giving up your memories too as they are stored in your cells DNA. Research quantum entanglement and remote optogenetics modification technology to better understand how this technology works. If you can avoid a CDL at your age with all the regulations against you...do it. If you want to give up Johnny and drive for a living, It would help to have a Class A. Otherwise avoid it.
I have a CDL license and I agree with you don’t get one unless you must have it . It’s a lot of expenses and a lot of work and when you have to renew your CDL its very high cost. Great video as always thank you 😊
You prolly dont care but if you guys are bored like me atm you can watch all the latest series on InstaFlixxer. Been watching with my brother lately :)
@Salvatore Trey definitely, I've been watching on instaflixxer for since december myself =)
Great video Lot of good information. I agree unless you are a full time truck driver or something avoid a CDL if you can.
I have had mine since '89 with HM, Tank and doubles and couldn't think of not having it, gives you so much more options and opportunities, plus I feel safer in a semi than a car, you are very unlikely to get hurt from an accident!!!! To renew my license here in CA it costs $65 and a car is $35, to have your CDL can save you from tricky rules and gives you the ability to rent semi's when in need and not have to buy one from the get-go.
Also a pre-trip inspection is part of the test
Air brake endorsement as well so you need to understand how air brakes work
Hi Tim and Christy some very good advice from your brother Tom and its up to you now what you do with that advice take care
In Idaho you don't need a physical with your CDL if you don't go out of state , unless your company calls for one. and it is not
expensive here but fines are double if you have any infractions and you get points asap .
Illinois had to get tough on CDL requirements after the license for bribes scandals. Hazmat is a pain in the ass to maintain and expensive. Almost $100 just for the fingerprints every four years plus the license renewal fee. My physical is only good for a year because of sleep apnea. Supposedly if you have tickets you have to retake all the tests to renew. You have to show your physical every time you get one if in interstate commerce, intrastate you do not. I moved to Texas from Illinois and walked out with Texas class a cdl license minus hazmat no tests. I moved back to Illinois from Texas and had to retake all the tests including a driving skills test.
I just got letter in mail i have to retake all my tests again when my license expires in december...no traffic tickets since obtaining CDL...even my rules of road and motorcycle test.......apparently when you have a CDL they randomly select to have people retake all their tests...I hope i pass lol
If you plan on getting the 3.7 metric ton machine from case you will have to get your CDL, up here in Ontario Canada we have an AZ license which allows you to drive a combination vehicle with air brakes, and for people like you with trailers with electric brakes there is an AR license which allows you to drive a combination vehicle when your trailer exceeds 10000 lbs. To get the AR license you show up at the Dot with the rig going to Drive and perform circle check and do a road test. My thoughts on this or if you want to play in the big league you got to pay, getting busted once with an overload will change your mind and you will say why didn't I have the proper license! Good luck Tim go for the gusto thanks for sharing
a few years back tim i fell in to this right here in indiana a friend had a 1 ton truck with 9000 lb plate and a trailer with 7000 lb plate . with the combined truck trailer he was over 10,000 with that said Indiana wanted him to have a chauffeur non passenger and a health card i can only go by what i was told but i would look in to this in hopes that it saves you some grief
Also Tim here in Mississippi if you have your company name on even a 1/2 - 1 ton pickup you are supposed to have a CDL to drive that vehicle. Don't have to be a class A but it's not widely persued by MDOT
If it is a business truck or you are being paid to drive it (cars too) it is commercial. But IN is requiring any vehicle 10,001 lbs HVWR or more to be registered commercial now. TX requires a CDL for any vehicle 10,001 lbs GVCW or more, but does not require personal non commercial vehicles to be registered commercial. Even in the '70's MA required all full size pick ups and vans to tag commercial.
Don't know how big you want to get with this type of business but I would stay under the requirements of a cell just because there is a lot to remember and keep up to date
Also your blood alcohol limit is cut in half to.04 in when in your personal vehicle.
irrelevant to us. Neither Tom, nor I drink at all.
In Louisiana, it's . 02 for a standard license.
@@TractorTimewithTim just a piece of info for anyone thinking about a CDL that is reading comments so they know all the scrutiny you are under with it
In Australia its a bit easer to keep your truck licence no medical with one trailer with two or more trailer you need medical i have a HC licence that one trailer
I have had a Class "B" CDL since they first started in Ohio, I believe it was in 92, but I don't really remember that far back, lol. It is true that the fines are stronger because with a CDL you are supposed to be a "Professional".. I drove City busses in Dayton Ohio for 32 or so years, and then Charter busses for almost a year after retirement.. If you can get by without a CDL of any type, you are much better off and with less hassle.. Good luck with what every you decide to do..
With my 2017 Ram 3500 dually and my heaviest gross trailer which is 30,000 pound gross I'm at 40,600 pounds Combined Gross Vehicle Weight rating. (GCVW).In Texas they go by what you can haul and not what you are hauling. In the oil fields loads of hot shotters are getting pulled over when they are empty and licence checked. If they are not a Class A or full on CDL they must park it and can't move the vehicle until a correctly licensed driver shows up.I've had a Class A for over 40 years.
Found another toy for your evaluations. The new Toro mini skid track loader. Looks good.
I have a CDL Tim i got to go every year to do a physical but i have to have it because the job i have .Tim thanks for video's
Thanks for watching, Benjamin!
If you have High BP you have to get a ICC physical every year. If you have been diagnosed with migraines I’ve heard they will yank your CDL. Some physicals are very thorough while others are not. You can probably expect your insurance to increase. Depending on what you do you might be required to actually fill out and maintain a log book. Scales too come into play.
If it's commercial, you will need an ELD in the vehicle by December. And only CDL licensed drivers can drive it. Even in your own yard. All movement must be logged. And what you've been doing for every minute of your life for the last 7 days, plus that day (8 days) must be logged in the ELD.
to mitigate the muddy field conditions check out the products offered by the companies Cropshuttle and Safe t Pull
Sounds like you are much stricter on big rig drivers over there in the States. Here in the Uk, we need to pass a medical, followed by hazard perception test, test based on our highway code and finally on road test.
So to clarify a couple points that were mis spoken:
If you have an HME you need to retake that test every time your license comes up for renewal. You will also be required to do a background check. You will not be required to take the written portion for the rest unless you have what's called a higher risk driving record.
You are not required to take a drug screen or be involved in a drug screen program to maintain your CDL. The drug screen program is a Carrier requirement. Therefore carriers must enroll all drivers employed commercially into what's called a consortium. In his case he stated he was in rolled through an association. This works also. However if he did not enroll his license would not be in jeopardy. He simply could not operate commercially.
Also, with regards to getting your CDL, back in 86 when I got mine there was no requirement in terms of how many hours you had practicing. However there is a federal mandate approaching. I don't remember if it's 2020 or 2025. But, this federal change will require a new CDL applicant to participate and graduate from a school. This was not a requirement previously.
You asked him a question regarding if driving a personal vehicle influences or changes his CDL record. It actually goes both ways. Back in the day if you got a ticket for overweight or a worn tire, it was considered a Carrier responsibility. Nowadays the driver is responsible for the citation. It also impacts his driving record directly. So in some cases these points will add up against the driver's personal insurance when he drives his own vehicle.
Great video, Tim. I'm about to purcha a F250 or Chevy 2500. I never owned a Chevy before, so we'll see. Thanks for this video. You hit all the things I needed answered. Have fine week. Later 👍🏽🙂.
I drove a end dump 9 or 10 years i would not like being over in that ditch like that. I was holding my breath when he drove out. Seen one turn over in a ditch out much more than that. They couldn't get it to dump without falling over again they tried to fix it but it was twisted to much.
Yes, when on the farm, we must push the equipment to its limit. Perhaps this is why folks are so surprised (angry???) when they see me push Johnny a bit. Folks think differently on the farm....by necessity.
Hi Tim! Just happened to come across your video on RUclips and I'm assuming you are a farmer since I havent seen many of your videos yet.
Im not sure how the laws differ in your state from mine but in the state of Oklahoma if you are driving a tractor trailer for agricultural use you are not required to posses a CDL.
If I remeber correctly the guy I work for said he has to take his truck in once a year to be inspected and that is it.
We regularly use our truck for hauling grain during harvest and planting in the fall. This past summer due to the severe drought we were using it to haul water to the cattle.
Our tractor is tagged as a farm vehicle amd not a commercial vehicle and we are allowed to operate within 150 miles of our base of operations. AKA- the bosses address
Welcome to our channel. No, I am not a farmer.
Check us out, I think you’ll find our story interesting.
...and check out our website: tractortimewithtim.com We have some more details about our background there.
I seen your brother at my work a few days ago I work at cgb.inc mt.vernon,in small world
Cool!
That type load tipped by my house last year. Damaged the truck, trailer and, of course, the grain.
The Class A is a great addition and never bad to have, a lot of studying and practice in the yard and on the road to get one. The HAZMAT endorsement was toughest for me because you have to get fingerprinted, background check, and then study and keep up to date. Tanker endorsements are easy.
Tim there are benefits to the CDL as well. For example I get a discount on my automotive insurance through AAA because they consider me to be a Professional Driver. You may also have to decide if you want to be a Interstate or intrastate driver. As an intrastate driver often times you are not required to have a usdot physical. However without the interstate and USDOT then you are not able to drive across state lines and some ports including airport rail ports and shipping areas are also forbidden for commercial operation. There are many endorsements and one of those that you did not mention is the endorsement for air brakes which is an option in most States and to get the air brake endorsement you would be required to drive a vehicle with air brakes such as Tom's truck.
And progressive insurance jacked mine from $600 for 6 months to $2400 for 6 months because of being a CDL. Your chance of being sued big more than doubles in an accident when you have a CDL. You know, "professional drivers are supposed to be able to predict the actions of every driver around them. It becomes your fault they ran the red light and there was a collision that a proper professional driver is supposed to be able to avoid.
Here in Pennsylvania we don’t need to get a cdl if the truck is for farm use, so that’s pretty nice for me😂
This CDL business has more questions than answers. Comercial is just that, Comercial. I have heard, here on RUclips, that a CDL is required when towing comercially. Unless you are towing for pay it's not comercial. I wouldn't want to be the test case for this. I don't have a CDL and I move some heavy loads. I make sure the truck, trailer and load don't exceed 26k gvw. I do have a health card. My best advice is to contact your local Division of Motor Vehicles licence Dept. they will have all the info you need. Be sure to get a printed copy of regs., not just a verbal explaination. They make mistakes, too, and you would have to pay for them. My dually was factory rated for 11,900 lbs. but the REGISTERED rating is 9900 lbs. I have a 16k gvw trailer and this allows me to stay under the 26k number. The truck has actually had lighter duty springs installed by the previous owner to get a smoother ride. He only towed a 5th wheel camper but wanted the dually for better towing stability. Confusing, is it not? The truck you have now can tow quite a bit but the towing capacity increases as the the gear ratio gets lower. Your 3:31 ratio will give low fuel consumption. A 4:10 ratio will give higher fuel consumption. The trade off is the 4:10 ratio can tow more weight. Talk to your truck dealer, he will have good advice.
hay Tim if you don't have to have one then don't get one simply because if you have one and get pulled over the cop will take one look at the license and he or she will say you know better and wright the ticket. its also Farley expensive her in Wa. it cost almost $125.00 more
Haha your brother should get ride of his SHV stickers. Drives me nuts seeing that.
I pretty much do the same type of work as you Tim up here in Washington state. Everyone needs to be aware of there state laws, because they are all different. I don't have my CDL, and have found it to be more cost effective to hire a truck when in need. If you're truck is sitting, your still paying. This also allows me to spend more time in the machines as I don't have any employees. But one thing I was interested in, is that I noticed that you don't have dot numbers on your truck now. In Washington if you are over 10,000gvw and commercial, you have to obtain a dot number from fmcsa, then register it as commercial. You then have to choose the gvw you want. So question, do you have similar laws and do you have dot numbers because I was under the impression that the Dot thing is federal so it must apply to all companies operating over 10,000 commercially? I have a 3500 RAM and a 14k flatbed trailer and a 14k dump trailer commercially registered at 24k total. I learned all of this on the side of the freeway and it was not fun or cheap. Luckily the state trooper was a nice guy and took the time to help me understand what was required of me. Still got tickets and had to have my truck trailer and backhoe towed home. Not cheap 😂 anyways, just thought I'd share my experience in hopes of motivating people to check into these things when they start a business. The unfortunate conclusion that I came to was, there is a lot of small guys out there that think they are legal and they are anything but. Love your channel and family, best of luck with your future endeavors!
God bless
not when they charge you 1000$ each way! lol
This man is absolutely right. I had the exact same thing happen to me. Fortunately the trooper was even nicer than his. No tickets. And continued on with my day. But I still had to get DOT numbers. The numbers are easy to get but the compliance is ridiculous. Total headache. So he’s right. Any thing over 10,000 is DOT anyway.
Nationwide? Please send me a link so that I can educate myself
@@TractorTimewithTim just go to the FMCSA website and they have a really quick couple questions that tell you if you need Dot registration or not. Or just simply Google do I need Dot numbers. Sorry I only have my phone right now and I don't know how to get the link to RUclips. Have a great day everyone!
I recommend that if you are interested in getting a CDL, go on line and read the whole FMCSR, then decide. If you're still iffy, start looking up your State laws too. And don't forget, but as of this December, you will also have to comply with the ELD laws too.
TO drive your F350 with a gooseneck, you are required to have a CDL class A for that combination. meaning you would have to take CDL class a written test and do a skills test with your truck and trailer. You would not be able to operate a semi until you complete your air brakes and do the driving test in a semi, however if u do air brakes test and do the skills test in a semi you can drive the pickup combination. In illinois to haul with a HD pickup, you have to get a D plate(license plate with certain weight rating-higher the class the higher the cost of plate), then you have to have truck and trailer inspected every 6 months ($50ish inspection) unless you get DOT #s then u have to be inspected once a year but put up with the other headaches of having DOT #s. The only exemption for whatever reason is a RV. Some say that if u have a cdl u cant have above a .04 BAC, however that does only apply while driving a semi. People seem to think it applys to their personal cars as well. ... Get your CDL, its a great accomplishment and good to have... the only hassle is maybe having to redo all of your written tests randomly when your license expires. or not randomly if u get a traffic ticket, even in a personal car. Also having to pay $100ish every 2 years for a medical card checkup
@jclark, please produce your source for this statement: TO drive your F350 with a gooseneck, you are required to have a CDL class A for that combination.
I believe the rule says less than 26,001 GCWR. Therefore, my truck (11,500 GVWR) could pull a 14,500 GVWR gooseneck without a CDL.
Tractor Time with Tim that would be correct. didn't know your size of trailer. but you will still need D plates and truck and trailer inspection every 6 months for Illinois.
I’m in Indiana
In Minnesota a commercial truck under 26000 lbs you still need a medical card and if you go over state lines an annual inspection (not cheap). Also a dot number. So really a class A license isn't all that more to do. Should be doing most of it already. The big cost is the tabs and upkeep of the truck.
And the Federal Heavy Vehicle Use Tax and IFTA.
Tim Christi your so right less goverment better life but some times you have to bite the bullet we wish all the luck in the world not having to get one
God Bless
PaK
Evening Tim & Christy.If your serious about getting more equipment, which you need a bigger truck which requires Class A CDL's . I would go for them. You are fortunate to have a family truck to practice in and get your time in. In NC there are places you can go and take a crash course and get the paperwork signed off on that you need at the DMV to get your license and Tom could drive their truck and trailer to the DMV for you to take your driving test. Some Trucking companies have these certified people that can do that here. You would have to check you state. Y'all take care and God bless.
I'd just pay to have someone haul the load for me. Way cheaper and they get to put up with all the head aches and expenses.
Just make sure you never go above 26'000 lbs Gross Combined Weight as soon as you go above even by 1 lb you need a CDL. Kicker is in some states you could need a CDL below 26'000 lbs if your vehicle is used for Commercial Purposes.
True, if you are operating commercially with those types of weights a CDL is required, not optional. Hence the "C" in CDL means Commercial.
Like many others have said avoid it if and when possible. Unless you are driving a semi-truck or your business grows to the point you are trying to haul 10k+ pound equipment around avoid the dang CDL crap its so government mandated that its a huge expense to get one.
I would avoid the CDL’s for a side job. If this was to be your sole source of income then you may want to upgrade to a bigger truck and trailer and get them but for just a second, almost hobby, side job I’d say nope. Not worth the headache.
Wonderful video. An impressive place. Great work and well done 👍 👍 👍
Curious... how about a video about all the media aspects of the job? Things from how you manage to get the wife to come along and spend so much of her time on recording/editing for the business.... how much does RUclips help if any now that you've become this popular? How would someone new to it all go about contacting brands and trying for sponsorships and such?
Here in Nova Scotia, I had to write a few tests, for the Class 1, and another for air brakes. This was 30 years ago, and have to renew it every 5 years, along with the medical. I believe when you get to 65 you are required to have a medical every year, or maybe 2 not sure exactly, but still have a few years for that to happen. I have not drove a truck in over 20 years, but still renew it as I may need it at some point.
With this license I can drive any vehicle, except a school bus with kids in it. Had to take a Motor Cycle test separate, and this is an endorsement that is added. To drive a school bus with kids, I would have to take another road test with a school bus, and demonstrate I could drop kids off, work lights ect.
Anyone over the age of 18 here can drive as long as they hold a valid drivers license, in a truck as a beginner, with a licensed for that truck, operator.
The last few years here, they changed the weight regulations, and now if you are towing anything over 10,500 lbs here you need a class 3, which would bring you up to say a Tandem dump class. Or you need to go in a write a test to receive a condition 15 in order to tow it. I believe this will slowly spread all across North America, in the next few years as, many people towing large campers ect, really have no idea what they are doing. Most accidents involving trailers are from people with no knowledge, towing to much, with to little a vehicle.
So interesting on seeing those weight punch tickets, good memories.
Re; cdl. Don't do it lol.
I had a clp 20 yrs ago, and a car stopped in front of me..
Trooper said if you hit them square, you are at fault.
Also any tickets go on your cdl, dealing with idiots on the road.
Kenworth T-8?
I think you will have to contact a State Trooper in your state. If you really want to know contact a Commercial Vehicle Inspector. They would probably want to do a video to help the public when the find out you are a Star. In Mn. I heard of a farmer that got in trouble...I don’t think he thought of himself as a Commercial Vehicle. Maybe if you start taking donations instead of wages it might help.
Farmers are exempt with some restrictions
I had my CDL I lost them due to my health I ran over the road about 30 years and does Tom have do use that U electric on board recorder logbook
Clifford Larson I believe it’s only required if your fleet of CDL trucks is more than 6. We had the Electronic Recorders before I retired. Hated them, never a day went by that they didn’t fail in some fashion.
Another friend of mine’s only got three trucks and he’s got I have all that now they’re a pain pain in the butt trucking ain’t like it used to be like the 70 80Enjoy your videos and God bless you
Alll commercial vehicles by this December.
Cdls are more expensive to renew. The physical is expensive if your paying for it yourself. In VA the cdl also halfs your drinking limit even in your personal car. Also depending on how your business is structured you also fall into ifta taxes.
if you hold a cdl you are considered drunk at .04 that's in either a commercial truck or your personal vehicle
In IL the legal limit for passenger license people(non CDL) is .08 but can still get a DUI if the officer feels that you are impaired at .04 even with a personal vehicle license.
I don’t drink, so not an issue for me.
Only a problem if you drink.
@@TractorTimewithTim was just letting people know most are surprised when they here that.
They can also demand you piss in a cup anytime.
One of the main reasons they established the CDL program was, back in the day, drivers were able to amass tickets and/or DWIs, let their licenses go in that state then just get one in the next state. Now, the CDL is indeed nationwide thus, if you lose it, its gone until you rectify the problem. Also, the reasons there are so many requirements is, the CDL license grants the licensee the ability to haul 80,000+ pounds down our highways, many times with hazardous material. Naturally, you want the holders of CDLs to be as well qualified and responsible as imaginable, especially when your family is sharing the road with them.
As of 3 years ago, and I can not speak for other states, but here in New Jersey, they do a country wide search when you renew your CDL to see if you have any outstanding tickets anywhere. If so, you will not get your license until you pay those fines.
some ststes require a non-cdl cdl to drive anything with a gvwr of 26,001 lbs. or more commercial or not.
A non CDL CDL????
@@TractorTimewithTim i believe thats what the state of texas calls it. actually they call it a non -cdl class A or B
Wow that ole girl was leaning! I love seeing Tom's ole KW. Hate to hear that about the moisture tester.
I don’t know about your neck of the woods but out here in the West get a cdl and it’s open season on your small business. The rules, regs, and enforcement are really onerous and if you make a mistake they will shut your arse down and or fine you into oblivion. I’m not anti government but this is one area where if you can stay under the requirement you probably should. YMMV
My neighbour says that if you have a CDL, whether or not you have a absolute requirement, and get a moving violation you will get hosed.
Commercial drivers that get a violation while driving a private automobile will have points show on the commercial license.
That is my understanding as well.
If you want to talk to and Indiana cdl holder to really know what you would be getting into get hold of me 35 years experience and also onwer operater for a good portion so I could probably answer any questions.
I think the cgvwr issue has been well discussed in the comments already. In regards to your business being commercial work, do you have an actual LLC of some sort? If not this would be considered a hobby, even if for pay, if the vehicle is registered to you Tim, and not TTWT, inc. or whatever, for legal and tax reporting purposes. Point is I read some saying even if you're below 26k lbs but using the truck/trailer for business, it's commercial and hence cdl.
Oh, it is ALL so confusing!!!
We have LLC. Truck is in our names personally. We have commercial insurance on it.
Good stuff enjoyed that
Tim, check with the license office the state you are in could have several CDL . I've had one for 25, yrs.
it's not a class A. If you going to make a living driving a 18, wheeler you will need that class A. I'm in Ga.
We have a CDL for driving buss n school buss. And other truck that are smaller. Hope that help. PS once a year u have the P test . Ron
It's really kinda simple, if you're making a living driving truck, get your CDL and all the endorsements you can get. If the hauling is not the major part of how you make your money, avoid the CDL, it's probably cheaper in the long run to hire a truck and or driver if you only need it occasionally, and can't find another way around the problem. Most times, the solution is simple, use ordinary trailers and split the weight between two vehicles to get under the weight limits ect. A second driver might be needed, but wouldn't have to be a CDL driver. If you ever start getting and using larger equipment that always requires a CDL, then you might consider it, or hire somebody that already has one. Note they will have to be paid fairly well in part to make up for what maintaining a CDL costs. My lady used to have a CDL when she was driving for a living with a previous husband, but when it wasn't making her money any more, she let it go. I had one for a short time, but in my case I really didn't have to go through all the mess, I was grandfathered in under the old laws.
Depending on the state if you’re doing business and you’re over 10,000 gvw you need DOT numbers and a medical card anyway. So chances are with a 250 and a trailer with an excavator you’re over 5 tons....and ps. I really like the removable sticker idea, I did it myself for a while. But I saw a video of your new truck, and it’s aluminum. So no magnets. I just got a new super duty and overlooked that
Actually as soon as you place commercial tags on the truck, you will have to leave the DOT numbers on all the time. IFTA has to be permanently affixed, and can not be peeled off and reapplied. You pay Heavy Vehicle use tax for the year, even if you only use it once a year. You file IFTA quarterly.
I hope you're blessed with as many commercials as you give us Tim 😂😂😂
Thanks for watching, Justin. Sorry about that. Just remember that they don't last long.
We appreciate your support...without the commercials, we couldn't do this.
I am just picking on you I like watching your videos. . . Cant wait to see the cx37c In action!
I've always wanted a CDL just for fun. We have a school right here and it's not expensive. I guess I won't do that!
If you thought you wanted a CDL, read my story first. I wanted to be a owner operator and start a trucking company that I could pass down to my sons and grandsons. I now have a suspended CDL. I made a mistake. I broke the law and Indiana suspended my CDL. This was years ago. It happened in Ohio and it was a traffic ticket. Indiana called it hit and run and suspended my CDL. I was a part time driver keeping my full time factory job which was a God send. I gave up driving after that. I spent money on a lawyer and had to get high risk insurance. I ended up spending the money I made driving for a year to attempt to get it resolved. I can tell you that it is actually not resolved because when my license is checked, that suspended CDL still shows up. The only way that I have found to resolve it is that I can retake the driving test and get it reinstated. That is more time and money I don't want to spend. I think that the risk verses the reward is unreasonable. If you have anything of value, you are risking it. One momentary lapse of judgement could cost you and what is worse, your family, everything. I still miss driving a big truck. God gives and takes away. He opens and closes doors. Praise be the name of the Lord. God bless you and yours Tim.
T hat scale was just like the one I had at work either to weigh trucks and train flats
You also have to get a physical that medically clears you and the older you get the physical intervals get shorter most truck driving schools have a coarse for agriculture and explains the process if you had to haul the combine to a field with the permits the route and time window to transport from
Nathan Brodeur also in some places you can drive a huge piece of equipment down the road with no CDL but, if the piece equipment is transporting something ( let’s say s crate on the forks ) a CDL is required. Strange but not all states have the same laws concerning the CDL. Georgia’s kingpin law makes them money.
Lots of hoops to go through just to earn a living. Thanks to all the farmers out there!!!
IL has some pretty strict weight rules as well: changingears.com/rv-sec-state-rv-license.shtml If you have over 16K GCWR or GVWR total or more than 10K trailer. In IN you are much better, as long as total length is under 45' you are good with no CDL.
26k gcwr
Great video! I am actually a hazardous material Class A CDL tanker driver out of northwest ohio. A lot has changed. I blame corporate America for most of it.
We have drive cam that records the driver and the road at all times.
Our trucks won’t go any faster then 65mph. You can use the cruise control to 63 but if you wanna run 65 you have to keep your foot on the accelerator all day 😂
We run all economy Volvo trucks. They don’t have any power whatsoever. They are so dummy proof it doesn’t matter how far you push the accelerator the truck will only accelerate at one speed.
The corporate American safety committee proved that only having one hand on the wheel to drive was not safe so we had to get rid of manual transmission semi trucks.
We have Samsung tablets for all of our logs that calculate all the hours and stops for us.
They added the def and some guys have pumped def into the diesel tank and ruined trucks. So know we got special fuel nozzles that open up with magnets.
Even when you go to the truckstop to get fuel you have to enter in a load of information truck number trailer number truck mileage there’s just so many digital things these companies brought on it’s ridiculous.
We have to do the DOT medical examination by a registered medical doctor every year. It’s difficult to pass.
There is absolutely no talking on the phone with a Bluetooth headset and the company I work for has completely outlawed a CB radio.
I make good money doing hazmat work but I had to give up a lot.
There’s so many people on the road that just can’t drive between not being able to drive and liability now we have all these rules to follow.
Stopping at a truckstop to get a nice meal is really frowned upon by corporate trucking companies its sad.
It’s a very cut and dry job but I enjoy it.
I recommend staying away from agricultural exempt logs. Typically you have up to 70 hours a week to work but if you’re hazardous material its 60. There’s no overtime paid in trucking so every carrier you work for says well you’re allowed to be here 70 hours every week so we’re going to use your 65 lol.
It’s important to watch who you work for not everyone works 40 hours a week and not every trucking company runs the same lanes. The logs in the tablet actually save you from being worked like a dog. There’s no I will give you 40 hours. DOT says you’re allowed to drive 60 a week by guy they’re going to give you 60 hours lol. It’s a mess out here.
Wet informative comment. Thank you!
Tim, if you do not pull anything over 2601lb, need no CDL anything over that and air brakes
that would be 26,001 lbs
As you stated it, you are incorrect. Total combined Gvwr of truck AND trailer cannot exceed 26,000
you should look into the rules of a CDL for when you are hauling your own property with your own truck.. my uncle has never had a CDL and has hauled his grain in his own tractor trailer for as long as i can remember.. because it is his truck and his grain and he isn't trucking for a living it is legal.. he isn't in the business of trucking.. he even has a dump trailer to haul dirt and whatever he wants in it.. the rules restrict him from leaving the state though.. he must stay in Louisiana unless he gets some paperwork first. not a cdl though.. maybe that is just my own state though...
Farm is different. ...and hauling your own stuff without profit is different as well.
Almost the same rules as in the Netherlands, and when you are not using the trailer every day it will cost a lot of money tim
We will be in the Netherlands in Feb. Just bought the tickets today. Katriel is studying there next semester (Jan-Jun).
@@TractorTimewithTim oke that is great ,it's a nice country with a lot of different farmers 👍
If u want to expand your business I suggest a goose neck that you could pull with Clifford instead of getting a cdl you only need a trailer and you could haul more just get a weighted tag if u live in NC like me but if u don't live in NC I don't know if they have weighted tags but yea I would go with a gooseneck
A gooseneck trailer can quickly put you in commercial vehicle territory. Stay light, stay under the radar. No CDL.
Best thing I’ve ever did was got my CDL class a why do multiple trips when you could do one or two only shitty part the state I live in there is a lot of dot checks sometime you’ll sit in a parking lot for hour or 2 otherwise get it it’s worth it yes you have to go for physical every two years but in my state it’s only like 100 bucks an 30 mins of my time the cdl greatly improved my production i’m not gonna lie sometimes it is a pain in the ass but otherwise it’s a great thing to have people don’t realize everything we do an own was brung by semi You could make a pretty good living at it driving I mean
Either I getting faster at reading or you left more time for the Bible verse. Thanks
Good subject today. So far I am able to operate without a CDL and only a chauffeur license with a DOT medical. Would like CDL but not sure I can justify the additional cost.
I have a cdl, its not worth getting one with what you do. Just keep your total weight under 26,001 pounds. And dont put your company decals on your truck. That will make you an open target for police and commercial vehicle inforcement.
My high school team made it to state they they play on the 19th
What if you cross over a state line and their laws require a CDL ?? Could be Fines, Impound the Truck, and Jail Time !! Something to think about.....
bharlow426 interstate commerce too.
Pretty sure all states are 26,001 for cdl. You can go over that easily not just gvwr, gcwr. Take a f500 with a gross weight of 19k, towing a trailer rated for only 10k you can be towing the trailer completely empty and be screwed because between the truck and trailer is rated for a total or 29k. Just because you don’t have that much weight with you doesn’t mean you’re in the good.
You are correct about the national rules. However , as I understand it, some states are even more strict.
Tractor Time with Tim when it comes to laws it’s a mess, if states laws are stricter they preside over the issue, if county is more strict it does, if city is more strict it does. It’s very hard to know all laws traveling all across the US. I’ve trucked all over 49 states and parts of Canada and sometimes you are lucky.
i love my duece and a half just for this exact reason, its rated at 23500 gvwr or so. i can load up to 40000 if i had to. ;) class B licensee is better than A unless youre driving a line haul truck. other than that there's no need for it
in a car your aloud .08 alcohol level with a CDL its .04 in what ever your driving including a car with that CDL
this isnt true.
jclark yes it is true. And if convicted of a dui, you lose your cdl for a year. 2nd offense, you lose your cdl for life
@@FF4X4 Section 1.5.1 reads
"A CDL holder may not
operate a commercial vehicle with a BAC of .04 percent or more. A school bus driver or a CDL holder may not drive
any other vehicle with a BAC of .08 percent or more."
source www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_cdl10.pdf
Tractor Time with Tim and Tom! 😎
Tractor time with TIM=Trucker time with TOM like if agree
AVOID THE CDL. You are much better off either making multiple trips or use multiple trucks/ trailers. The CDL world will cause you more headaches and costs than makes it worth it. Tim, in case I havent been clear, don't go CDL.
1200$ insurance, dot numbers, and more problems, not even worth it. just use a 350 and gooseneck or bumper pull i highly doubt that tractor and mini excavator weight that much
Jason E. yeah the crappy scammy government sure takes alot of tax pers money from them wich no wounder goes broke
@@johndowe7003 depends on the State. If the combined gross vehicle weight is over 10,001 lbs. IN requires it be registered, licensed, and the driver have a class B CDL. Only truck with a combined gross vehicle weight rating under 10,001 when used only for personal use can avoid going the CDL route. That rules out campers and goosenecks. Heck even bumper towed utilitiy trailers behind a half ton could get you in trouble in IN. If the GVWR of the truck is over 10,001 lbs. Most 3/4 ton and up, trucks today have vehicle ratings over 10,001 and would require a commercial license, and registration in IN.
Government just wants more money.
@@gpecaut1 heavier trucks fuck the roads up more no matter how well they're built and when they crash it costs the state more money to fix. I'm for getting taxed when it comes to big trucks. I guess once you've been in that spot you'd have a better idea of what all goes into it . As for the gvwr a class b would be needed if your over your states limits. In tx where I live the limit is 24900 lbs so any more weight on the vehicle then you get your class b
@@johndowe7003 trucks already pay more taxes. Heavy Vehicle Use Tax on the tractor and trailer. Diesel is half the price of gasoline. It's more at the pump because it is taxed more. Then you get to pay more fuel tax through IFTA. As for damages in an accident, well they charge the truck for that. Usually around one million for a clean up. A semi pays over $26000.00/ year in taxes. Almost $.25/ mi. You pay nowhere near .25/mi.
I just got my letter from the DMV stating i have until the end of December to send them a copy of my new 2019 CDL physical. If they don't get a copy, my CDL license is suspended in the system. I had to go on blood pressure medicine about 4 years ago and now i have to go every year instead of every two years. Not worth it Tim if you're just pulling around a mini and a scut.
I really wish we would of at least seen Tom dump that frameless Mac dump load of corn. Lol
Stay tuned. We'll get to see the 'farm aspect' of the video this week sometime. We just chopped out this segment on CDL's into a separate video. We had to have a "Truck and Trailer Tuesday" video, ya know!
Insurance, insurance, insurance. If you have a CDL no matter what vehicle you are driving and get ticketed for any reason, any where, your insurance WILL go up on all of your vehicles.
Yep! Thanks!
I get a discount on my insurance because I have a CDL. True, that a ticket or driving infraction stays on my record permanently.
One major thing I found out, after schooling for my CDL is the driving tests. In Illinois they are state run, Meaning your local BMV can give you the CDL driving test. Meanwhile in Indiana, It's not state run and 3rd party companies do the testing. The problem with that? They only make money from people coming to test, And they keep failing you over and over again until you've given them enough money. The place I went first in Indiana (Up in indy) some years ago for mine worked me in, then after I got there to pay they told me the state was shutting them down the next day lol!!! Nothing but a con. I went to school for my CDL at the Danville Illinois community college. There is also many differences in the test itself. For instance, In Illinois you only needed to do a 90 degree back with a 48' trailer. In Indiana you had to parallel park. Things may have changed now days, It's been a good 10 years for me. But these tests should NOT be 3rd party. They stay in business by failing you many times to keep charging you. A classmate of mine, got failed 18 times in Indiana, Went to Illinois and passed first time.
Naviss I took my first CDL test in ILL over 27 years ago and then it was at a state run facility. Since then you can now get license renewal and tags at third party. Crazy how that changed.
@@akbychoice Illinois is DMV testing, you do have to parallel park the truck and trailer now as of 2017 i believe, some friends said its not too hard.
I heard somewhere that if you aren't making profit, you don't have to have a cdl even if you're over 26k. You ever see those massive RV's driving down the road? I'll bet those are more than 26k and the drivers don't have a cdl. They can get away with it because they aren't making money. Not sure if this is correct but just throwing it out there.
Up until last year Federal DOT exempted RV's, State and County (as well as City and township) vehicles. Now you have to have at least a B CDL for ambulance and fire trucks, city and county maintenance trucks etc. Depends on the weight. In a few more years you will need them on all vehicles the way things are going. OnStar and other connected vehicles are becoming the new norm. ELDs and more driving restrictions are coming, along with trying to price you out of driving. The New Green Deal would eliminate cars and trucks in less than 10 years.
If you just need to move your equipment around and grab material occasionally. Buy an antique truck (93 or older) Register as antique, no cld required.
Now THAT is a unique approach. I know where several older trucks are.
Can you point me to some info on this?
Register as an antique personal vehicle like you would have classic car. Don't register it in your business name, in your personal name cuz you're not going to be using it "commercially". I don't know if it's a different state to state, but where I live there's no CDL required to drive an antique vehicle. I know somebody with a huge old military dumptruck, no CDL required.
Older stuff is harder to maintain and costs more money to keep it on the road also & dot likes the single out the older trucks because most have some fault that they can get you with .
@@johndowe7003 Older stuff is easier to maintain yourself. No computers no emissions. I'll take an older truck any day. As far as dot, I really dont know. I only see them on main highways where I live.
@@dand33911 Dot here in South Texas loves the..older trucks:p and I agree they are easier to maintain but what I meant is more expensive, they sure do like to drink 🤣
Just saying tim 10k will get a good down payment on a good used semi then you got to think trailer and equipment plus the schooling and all the other fun stuff don’t go jumping in with both feet plan it out total cost will get up there around 40-60k
A $10,000 truck will get you $100,000 in fines and repairs.
If the gvw of your vehicle is 26001 lbs or more, you must have a class A cdl. So far, to my knowledge they have not yet started considering gcw. Its coming g though. A slight variation, in my state of Missouri, depends on what your truck is licensed for in gross weight. 6000 lbs increments, so okay thrust 24000,but next is 30k. If you license your truck for more weight than its listed gvw, then the licensed weight is the determining factor. Nothing in trucking is easy , and makes little sense either
You are not correct. If trailer is over 10k GVWR, then the total GCWR cannot exceed 26,000 lb. This is a national CDL requirement.
States can be different, but as soon as you cross a state line, the national rules (and the state you are entering) apply.
Avoid it as long as you can and plan your trucks and trailers for weight limits. Go to the gravel pit on 96 with Casey on and see where you are weight wise.
Nice video
CDL requirment is not the type, or length, but the "Gross vehicle weight" (GVW) which is 26,000 pound. If you do not exceed 26,000 lb GVW, ( vehicle and load) you do not need a CDL!!
Almost correct. It is GVWR. So if truck and trailer are rated at 26,001 or more, you need CDL, even if empty.
@@TractorTimewithTim 26k single vehicle, or a trailer grossing 10k or more
@@boomstickkid Total weight combined! Going by the door sticker on the vehicle and GVWR of the trailer combined
I'm sorry, that is just not the whole story. A 10k GVWR truck CAN pull a 14K GVWR trailer without a CDL per the national rules.
@@TractorTimewithTim That is correct up to 25,999 LBS gross weight you may drive on your "D" license. 26K and above CDL. There is a farm exemption in many states. All expenses to maintain a CDL if required for what you do is tax deductible also.
Don't get a CDL! I have one, always had one! If you get an infraction while driving your personal vehicle, it goes against your CDL license. I was Grandfathered in, back in 1980. Blood pressure, sleep apnea. If your on blood pressure medication, you have to go every Year to get your medical card.
One thing the federal government did was make drivers of big RV's get a CDL to continue driving there RV's. My plans when my wife retires was to tow a big 5th wheel around the country with a semi tractor. I used to have my CDL and I dropped it for the same reason you mentioned. I'm not paying a higher fine than I have to if I'm in some accident. I didn't need it anymore so I dropped it. Now I'll need to get it again. I agree that drivers of large RV's need more training and certification than a standard driver's licence, but I'm not driving a commercial vehicle, it's my own. I don't feel I need a CDL. I have a few years still till I need it so I'm hoping the feds change the regulations again.
Not a requirement by FMCSA or USDOT. That is a state to state requirement. Texas for example has no such rule.
Most states don't require a CDL for rv's, but do require a Class-A license for hauling a large RV. But that's a regular Class-A, not a CDL class a.
Any schmuck with some money can buy a big truck and camp trailer that's about as big as a semi, or an RV that's bigger than most buses without getting a CDL. Not sure I completely agree with that because they can present a significant risk on the road.
In addition, a person can load and haul about anything without any training on how to do it properly.
I like freedom, but all that being said, getting the CDL might be the responsible thing to do...
Really though, other than the weight and maybe length, what's the difference between hauling one piece of equipment and two?
You need a CDL now for the motor coaches and semi trucks pulling a camper.
@@thersaholycow not in all states
@@KD7CAO you do as soon as you cross any State line.
Mr timn to retain a CDL license you must first go if you want to do it the old way retain a CDL learners you can drive your car and everything but then your brother there can met you drive back truck while he's in the passenger seat you wanted to tame 3 to 4 weeks or driving to retain your learner's you must take, Knowledge Test take air Test air brake test and combination test the give you the learners then you practice on driving the truck after you think you got it down go to your local DMV office and see if they do not have a certified. D.o.t instructor if they do you must set up an appointment to take your CDL driving test with that test you must furnish the tractor and trailer it must meet all d.o.t requirements for you to take the test in then you take the test driving test if pass the driving test you will then get your CDL license but do not forget before you retain anything of that you must have a d.o.t certified physical I hope that it helped you I've been driving for 33 years and I'm also driving instructor take care of yourself and best wishes
CDL aren’t required if you have farm plates on your semi’s
I believe you have to be hauling you own crops as well and there is generally a limit to the distance you can drive from your farm with those plates. 100 Miles or so. Varies by state. If you custom haul you'll need the CDL.
Tim .... It all seems VERY hard indeed ! :(
Honestly it's not hard at all to get your CDL, the tests are easy the only thing that's sorta difficult is the pre trip and the parallel park other than that it's pretty easy . The only thing is you have 90 or 60 days to take your driving test after you do your written test. If you don't get the driving tests done within that time limit you have to retake the 6 paper tests and pay for them again.
Farm tags. Dot don't want to mess with farmers. They want to go after who they can get the most money out of, commercial drivers. Lot of guys down here in Arknasas just run farm tags and no signs on their truck. They just say they are transporting their equipment for theirselves as farm use. Dot just likes their money, safety is not their priority by any means. Not saying it's the best way but that's how a lot of guys do it. Laws vary by state though and I would check up that before being the guinea pig. Dot would give you quite a spanking.
I don't know for sure but some states to own and drive a 1 ton truck you have to have a CDL
Show your source. I do not accept a statement like this without a source.
@@TractorTimewithTim I have a friend with an older F350 dump body with an exceptionally high GVWR plus he hauls a 10,000lb trailer. It's required to be registered as Commercial. He battles with the DMV every year because it was for personal use but it didn't matter to them. Registration is about double and is renewed yearly. Ironically he does NOT have a CDL license to go along with that truck but also hasn't been stopped yet either. Its only a matter of time
Ok, it can be good for reducing trips and getting all the stuff to the site in one trip or so. However due to increasing government regulations on medical, logs( days managed to 60 second increments, not 15 minutes) fines can be 10 to 15 times higher BECAUSE you are driving a truck. Also federal and all state laws FORBID traffic school to defer or prevent a ticket BECAUSE YOU ARE A TRUCK DRIVER. Some states in physicals will check blood pressure, BMI and sleep patterns etc. Sleep apnea if required would be based on weight, neck circumference, age and gender. Number one target if Male over 40. You will have your sleep remotely monitored by the doctor remotely and the feds have access to sleep data on demand if your employer, OR FEDERALLY DOT CERTIFIED doctor requires screening even though the regs are not on the books as of June 2017. Basically these are a few of the MANY, MANY the reason drivers are leaving in droves as fast as they can.
Also DOUBLE CHECK ANY AND ALL LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES YOU HAVE OR WANT TO GET. A lot of them have a policy clause in the fine print that will void the policy and deny the claim 100% if you get paid to drive (CDL).
25 plus years long haul across USA and Canada.
Also lots of drug testing is going to start including DNA testing. This type of test can actually go back to the day and minute of your birth and find anything you took to the minute of the day since you were born. However most go back 6 months as the farther you go back the more those test cost. The test are getting cheaper though.
The reason DNA drug testing works so well is this. Your brain does not store your long term memory longer that 28 to 30 seconds after event occurs. Your brain only runs your body, short term memory and calculations. Long term memory is stored and accessed in your DNA via quantum entanglement. That's why you see the big commercials to test your DNA for your family tree and health screening. You are also giving up your memories too as they are stored in your cells DNA. Research quantum entanglement and remote optogenetics modification technology to better understand how this technology works. If you can avoid a CDL at your age with all the regulations against you...do it. If you want to give up Johnny and drive for a living, It would help to have a Class A. Otherwise avoid it.