In Illinois, any truck over 10,000 GVW must have a DOT medical card.

 

The CDL is why I bought a 250 instead of a 350. In minnesota 350's have to be dot registered if they have a company name because of the gvwr.
As far as having CDL license if you don't need one I wouldn't jump through the hoops. It is nice to be able to jump in a rig and go but that has a cost!

 

Now there is 2 reason I will never live in Illinois other has to do with firearm laws.
I am tired of all these laws and rules they never stop.

 

Subscribing...

 

They really should change the name to IL-LAWannoying

 

I would like to point out their error in GCVWR.

They are simply using the manufacturer ratings, which is incorrect.

GCVWR is the sum of the GVWRs of the towing and towed vehicles.

 

Have I? Yes I have. Did I drive afterwards? No. But that's not the problem I'm getting at. How many times has 1 beer turned into 4? People don't know when they are in pared. Just using your statement. 1 beer w/ dinner not drunk. Well you don't have to be "drunk" for your motor skills to start suffering.
My statement is that if your not getting a cdl so you can drank more beers and run more redlights that's a **** pore reason and why are you in this conversation.
I held a class B CDL for 8 yrs. The only reason I don't still have one is because I didn't notice it wasn't
On my card when I renewed it. I noticed when I went for my exam. It had already fell wherebi had to pay to get it back on. Well I don't need it so never seen the reason to spend the money to get it back.
My opinion is there is only 1 reason not to have a cdl and that is you do not need 1. If your not in a position that requires one then what would be the purpose? I for one am not impressed w/ the fact that someone has a cdl. None of the farmers bringing in their grain here at the elevator has em and they can move that trucyor and back a trailer better than most drivers that come thru here. Now matbe yall might be different. A man holding a cdl means nothing to me.
If I ever need one I won't blink an eye.

 

For the moment I think they said it right. I keep rereading it and what I get is and they say you need a cdl if the towing truck weighs over 10k and the gcw is over 26k lbs. That's right. Their saying that since the newer trucks has over 26k lbs manufacture gcwrs. That's its conceiveable that they could excede the allowable weight w/ out haveing to have a cdl.
I understand the logic but I don't buy into it. You know what your weight is within a reasonable amount. The same can be said about any rig. I think its very simple, if you need em to be legel get em. If not leave em alone.
Here's the thing I think their doing a good job touching base on. With how the law is its not hard at all to have a gcw of 26k or have a truck and a trailer that combined have a rating over 26k. That's the point. That's the 2 ways to fall into the cdl class. You can have a hell of a truck pulling a utility trailer or you might want to look into getting your cdl.

 

No I'm just warning those who like to tip a couple back and say "bah I'll never get caught". The reason I'm in this conversation was to help whoever decide to get a cdl or not get a cdl.

 

Talk about CDL's being a pain in the a$$. When I had my DOT physical I checked the box that says "Do you snore" And now I have been in a 6 month fight to keep my CDL. Seems if you snore you are a risk to fall asleep while driving. What a load of *****.

 

Most of the questions on the physical exam are funny.

 

It is a legitimate concern.

Snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea.

 

Sleep Apnea is worst then high blood pressure in the eyes of the DOT
and Blood pressure can be a killer to get your Dot card.

I had to fib on having back surgery to keep my card up, when I had it.

 

I started hauling commercially a year ago and found out that it is not humanly possible to figure out all those conflicting rules and regulations.
Road tax (fuel tax) for example. In WA you need to get permits and pay road tax if you are rated above 26k even if your actual weight is only 9k.
In Oregon they will not take your tax unless you actually weight above 26k and the permit will allow you to fill up at lower price. With the lower weight you just fill up at the higher price that include tax. OREGON WILL NOT TAX YOU TWICE.
DOT has nothing to do with driving licensing. This is just federal permit to commerce over the state lane. Meaning even if you take your station wagon with your tools to do business over the state lane -you should have DOT number on it. Some states will even suggest you pull to weight stations. ..

 

I read the article linked by OP and there is major error in it.
California (at least) does require CDL on truck >26,001 GVW lb OR
a trailer >10,000 lb GVW.
Vehicle GCVW has nothing to do with it. At least not in practical sense since it is not posted on the truck anywhere.
Note the 1 on the end of vehicle weight and 0 on trailer weight. Taxpayers money at work...