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Old 01-05-2016, 08:01 PM   #21
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Operators of the following types of vehicles are exempt
from CDL requirements, but must have either a Wyoming
heavy vehicle license or an applicable Department
of Defence license:
l Farm and ranch vehicles weighing 26,001 or more
pounds Gross Combination Weight Rating controlled
and operated by a farmer or rancher and used in agricultural
operations within a 150 air-mile radius of
domicile; or
l Fire fighting and related emergency equipment weighing
26,001 or more pounds Gross Combination Weight
Rating ; or
l Military equipment when owned or operated by the
U.S. Department of Defense and operated by noncivilian
personnel (including National Guard personnel
while on active duty); or
l Recreational vehicles weighing 26,001 or more pounds
Gross Combination Weight Rating used solely as a
personal conveyance for recreational and leisure-time
pursuits.

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Old 01-05-2016, 08:29 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptSquid View Post
If Colorado requires you to wear purple parachute pants while driving
That would be... interesting, lol.
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Old 01-05-2016, 08:32 PM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles_m View Post
Not looking to start a pissing match about who has more experience. I had a CDL for 10 years and ran a bus company for that long as well. We are both qualified to answer, unfortunately there are many different answers.

The weight listed on my title isnt the gvwr. It is the weight of my bus from when I had it retitled to motorhome and it is not labeled GVWR. It is labeled CWT i think. Ill look it up at home.

AFAIK, the GVWR is a rating from the mfgr based on the vehicles specs and equipment and is unchangeable by definition.

I apologize for bad info. Though everything I said is true in CO. Next time, lll stay out of it unless they're in my state
You're a hell of a guy and although I've disagreed with you I've felt to anger or malice and see no vitriol in the discourse here. Carry on, your experience is valuable to lots of folks. If I were in CO trying to do all this bus stuff I'd defer to your knowledge of the regs for sure.
We are in various states with various regs.
Before I was a forum member and before I bought my bus I pored over discussions just like this one and found them to be extremely informative and helpful.
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Old 01-05-2016, 08:33 PM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptSquid View Post
Operators of the following types of vehicles are exempt
from CDL requirements ... Recreational vehicles weighing 26,001 or more pounds
Gross Combination Weight Rating used solely as a
personal conveyance for recreational and leisure-time
pursuits.
Great, but California law has no such exemption, as far as I know. I posted shots from the applicable California RV handbook.
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Old 01-05-2016, 08:34 PM   #25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptSquid View Post
Operators of the following types of vehicles are exempt
from CDL requirements, but must have either a Wyoming
heavy vehicle license or an applicable Department
of Defence license:
l Farm and ranch vehicles weighing 26,001 or more
pounds Gross Combination Weight Rating controlled
and operated by a farmer or rancher and used in agricultural
operations within a 150 air-mile radius of
domicile; or
l Fire fighting and related emergency equipment weighing
26,001 or more pounds Gross Combination Weight
Rating ; or
l Military equipment when owned or operated by the
U.S. Department of Defense and operated by noncivilian
personnel (including National Guard personnel
while on active duty); or
l Recreational vehicles weighing 26,001 or more pounds
Gross Combination Weight Rating used solely as a
personal conveyance for recreational and leisure-time
pursuits.
Ours in FL is similar to this but we don't need any heavy vehicle endorsement. Its "built in" to a regular class E here.
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Old 01-05-2016, 11:00 PM   #26
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OH YEAH!
Well, as long as we know what we're doing in our respective states. See what bureaucracy does?!? IT TEARS FAMILIES APART
lol

I still think anyone who owns or drives a skoolie should AT LEAST know the CDL handbook at should probably be able to pass the written and driving tests. It will make you a better, safer driver.

I was maybe getting hangry waiting for dinner in my last posts. I have eaten. All is well now
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Old 01-05-2016, 11:13 PM   #27
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...should have said "no" not "to"... Sounds like you understood me enough though.
Glad you're fed now.
I just polished off an entire bag of caramel corn. Chocolate dipped.
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Old 01-05-2016, 11:25 PM   #28
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ill show you chocolate dipped
working on a bag of fruit slices myself!
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Old 01-05-2016, 11:26 PM   #29
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Originally Posted by charles_m View Post
I still think anyone who owns or drives a skoolie should AT LEAST know the CDL handbook at should probably be able to pass the written and driving tests. It will make you a better, safer driver.
You forgot that a Class A license also requires a physical evaluation. I read the federal standards that define that exam, and it specifically screens out drivers with musculoskeletal disabilities like me, with cerebral palsy.

In theory I could bypass that with a practical skills performance assessment, but that takes time and money, and means that I would miss this bus.

It also requires someone with a class A type vehicle that is willing to let me take the DMV road test in it, which is another matter entirely.
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Old 01-05-2016, 11:42 PM   #30
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Hey I definitely understand your situation! I've had to take that exam almost a dozen times, but I dont think us skoolies need go that far I'm just saying that there is a book out there that explains the laws and principles of safe bus and heavy truck operation on the road. We should know it!
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Old 01-06-2016, 10:54 AM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SweetBearCub View Post
Not according to the California DMV.

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Hey SweetBearCub, the DVM code you posted says that no CDL is required for any Housecar 40' or less, does it mean that the 26,000 weight does not apply, does it mean that as long as is 40' or less regardless of the weight?

J
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Old 01-06-2016, 12:41 PM   #32
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charles_m's assertion is true (so far as I'm aware) in Utah as well: the registered weight is used in calculating registration fee/taxes, but the GVWR on the vehicle data plate is the number that matters when license class is called into question.

Also.. at least in Utah.. it seems a person can own and register/license a vehicle they're not licensed to drive. Driver licensing applies to operation of a vehicle, not to ownership. As SweetBearCub has found, it's hard to bootstrap when a person wants to become licensed to drive but doesn't own a vehicle in the desired class. I certainly wouldn't throw any stones at a person who bought a vehicle they weren't yet licensed to drive and then used it to go do their road test... Just sayin'!

Don't forget that big trucks are not the only class A vehicles. A carefully-chosen late model pickup truck towing a trailer can easily be class A and might be more readily borrowed for the purpose of a driving test. There's some disagreement among the DMV, DOT, and driver license division people I spoke with in Utah.. but by my interpretation of our rules: for example, a 2012 Ford F-350 2-wheel drive dual rear wheel truck has GVWR 13300, and if one tows a Big Tex 14000 pound dump trailer, then the combination is 27300. It's into CDL territory because the combination is 26k or greater, and it's class A because of the trailer: class B CDL only allows trailers below 10k. Of course the personal/non-commercial use exemptions which have already been fiercely debated also apply so individuals towing their horse trailer, toy hauler RV, or whatever don't actually require CDL licensing. Contractors moving a trailer full of concrete forms however do require CDL class A and do routinely get ticketed if they're found with less.
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Old 01-06-2016, 01:48 PM   #33
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Originally Posted by juliol View Post
Hey SweetBearCub, the DVM code you posted says that no CDL is required for any Housecar 40' or less, does it mean that the 26,000 weight does not apply, does it mean that as long as is 40' or less regardless of the weight?

J
Good question. I have no idea, but I do know that the bus would initially be titled as a bus and not a motorhome until the conversion was far enough along for California to re-classify it.
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Old 01-06-2016, 01:58 PM   #34
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Originally Posted by family wagon View Post
As SweetBearCub has found, it's hard to bootstrap when a person wants to become licensed to drive but doesn't own a vehicle in the desired class. I certainly wouldn't throw any stones at a person who bought a vehicle they weren't yet licensed to drive and then used it to go do their road test... Just sayin'!

Don't forget that big trucks are not the only class A vehicles. A carefully-chosen late model pickup truck towing a trailer can easily be class A and might be more readily borrowed for the purpose of a driving test. There's some disagreement among the DMV, DOT, and driver license division people I spoke with in Utah.. but by my interpretation of our rules: for example, a 2012 Ford F-350 2-wheel drive dual rear wheel truck has GVWR 13300, and if one tows a Big Tex 14000 pound dump trailer, then the combination is 27300. It's into CDL territory because the combination is 26k or greater, and it's class A because of the trailer: class B CDL only allows trailers below 10k. Of course the personal/non-commercial use exemptions which have already been fiercely debated also apply so individuals towing their horse trailer, toy hauler RV, or whatever don't actually require CDL licensing. Contractors moving a trailer full of concrete forms however do require CDL class A and do routinely get ticketed if they're found with less.
Some interesting points!

I do admire your finely honed sense of loophole finding, lol.
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Old 01-06-2016, 02:28 PM   #35
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Originally Posted by SweetBearCub View Post
Some interesting points!

I do admire your finely honed sense of loophole finding, lol.
Part of it comes from personal experience... several years ago I had a class B CDL (straight truck any weight, plus trailer less than 10k), a pickup truck with 8800 GVW, and a dump trailer with 12000 GVW. I did occasional work for hire with that truck and trailer. Everybody I asked had a different opinion about the situation. Some said the combination weight of 20,800 being under 26k meant it's not a CDL-level vehicle and the class B 10k trailer limit would not apply. Others said my 12k trailer exceeded the 10k license limit regardless of the combined weight and so was out of my license class. Knowing it's hopeless to debate the finer points of statute with a police officer on the side of the road, and my license was coming due for renewal anyway, I resolved to find some scheme for upgrading my class B to class A and eliminate all doubt. Since I already held a CDL license I had only to find a class A vehicle combination and go do a road test. I don't recall who it was that pointed out to me how the right light truck and trailer together can become a class A vehicle. Finally through a relative I was able to borrow a gooseneck horse trailer and a tow rig... a custom Peterbilt tractor with 6 captains chairs and a 6-speed automatic transmission! I drove it for half an hour one afternoon to get a feel for it, then took it the next day to the driver license office for a brief road test.

That was MUCH easier than getting myself into a regular OTR tractor with full 48 or 53 foot trailer for a road test!
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