Maybe by California law but not by federal DOT law.

I tow for a living and up to 26K GCWR, you don't need a CDL. I have a DOT chart that they use to determine what kind of license needed and that is what it shows. Company gave the chart to all the drivers in case some cop or DOT guy doesn't know what they're talking about and tries to write one of us a ticket.

 

Technically you could actually be up to 36K total (26K truck plus 10K trailer) before needing a CDL.

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I do fine with big stuff,the little jetski trailer gives me fits

 

I agree. I find it a bit scary that anyone with a driver's license can hook up and tow these huge fifth wheels, and even tow another trailer behind it, or these huge RVs that are built from a commercial truck or bus.

I also think there should be another class of license needed for commercial vehicles in the 10K-26K range. I drive a 26K, 26 foot straight truck with air brakes for work, and don't need any special license to drive it. Any idiot that was able to pass a driving test in a car can jump in and drive this thing, no questions asked.

(I will be getting a CDL soon though, because we are getting a truck that requires a class B)

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For the license I have, class a cdl with tanker and hazmat endoresments, I have to take the hazmat test every two years, get a federal background check, be safety trained every two years, pass a dot physical every two years and to pass the pretrip inspection, air brakes, tanker and hazmat exams plus do a road test and skills test. But like you said, anyone that has a basic license can hook to a 43' long travel and hit the road with no training at all and no proof they can even back the thing up.

A lot of us on here drive rigs for a living and can put it in whatever hole we need to with our eyes closed, but we do that daily. I don't expect the average person to do that, but it kills me to watch people dragging trailers over curbs or sidewalks because they don't know what off tracking is, or taking 20 minutes to park their camper because neither them or the 7 people guiding them in have a clue which way or how far to turn the wheel.

 

Here's a perfect example. A couple years ago a family from here in MN was on their way home from a motocross event in Texas. A 17 year old was driving this rig when it went off the freeway and crashed into a ravine in Kansas. 18 people were on board. 5 of them were killed, and the rest seriously injured. It was perfectly legal for the 17 year old to be driving because it was registered as an RV.



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We kind of got off topic here, but I am in full agreement with you guys about passing a basic skill test pulling trailers. Having held a class A CDL for over 30 years, it has always kind of ticked me off when any one with an operators license can hook up and go. In my 2 million plus miles herding the big rigs around, I have seen some major screw ups by people that don't have a clue what they are doing.

 

First trailer I pulled was a U-Haul. I had a steep driveway. It went up just fine. After a few failed attempts to back it down, I had to get a neighbor to do it for me.

Backing a long wheelbase trailer is much easier than a short one (like the jet ski above).

 

Sorry, I disagree with ANY more gooberment intervention...

Everyone learns just like you did and if they don't, they don't !

Backing up an rv is typically not a racing event so what IF it takes a few tries ?!? Really ?

And ALL the congressmen have law licenses, does that make them good at it ????

 

There are both Federal and State requirements but Federal DOT requirements for CDL's create a uniformity countrywide.

Here too in Cal, DOT requires any single vehicle that exceeds 26,000 lbs to have at minimum, a Class B license.

There's lots of variance for non CDL license requirements for RV's by state. Several states however, Colorado is one, doesn't reciprocate with others when driving there with another state license. 47 or 48 states do however.

 

Maryland will require a class be non commercial if your RV is over 26K as well.


Trailers are registered by them selves so that gives you a lot of trailer.

 

Legally you need to have a non-commercial Class A license to tow over 10K bumper pull or 15K fifth wheel. Few people do it. I went into the CA DMV to take mine many moons ago and the employee at the counter was completly confused at what I was trying to do. After three other employees and the office manager later, they were able to find the exam in some dusty binder in the corner (slight exaggeration) and give me the test. One of the ladies working there had been in that office for 13 years and this was the first time someone had asked her about a non-commercial Class A test let alone given one. It's not that hard, it's just rules of the road type stuff. I studied the booklet for two hours at the DMV before the exam and did fine. I knew most of it anyway. Once you pass "Restriction 41" is added to your driver's license (at least it does in CA).

I guess it makes people learn something about towing but without any practical test I don't think it makes anybody better on the road. Just my opinion.

 

Brian,
Did you get just the Class C endorsement or did you get the non comm, Class A?
You didn't state you took the driving test?

I originally went to get the Class C endorsement and the DMV office in So Cal here and had the same issue. What test, where is it, etc. They finally decided to give me the Class A non comm written test, which is protocol.

Since I took that test, I decided to get my Class A non CDL which required a driving test with a pre inspection, skills test, and finally a road test. I do have a "restriction 71" which doesn't allow me to drive any commercial rig or a commercial vehicle with air brakes.
Class A motor homes have air brakes but aren't restricted.

Glad I did as we ultimately purchased a 5th wheel with a gvwr of 15,500 and thus required the Class A.

 

It was just the endorsement. It's the same test but I didn't do the skills portion.

 

I wonder how long this thread will go without the OP reposting... There's something about this site that makes folks want to talk trucks and such.