CDL Class B

[wayne]

Just curious.....how many of you have a Class B CDL?

[Kenneth Brewer]

Just curious.....how many of you have a Class B CDL?

I do. It is a class B, but not a CDL.

[Gil_J]

A class B is not required in VA or Fl.

[jack14r]

I have a clas A

[bussphart]

I do. It is a class B, but not a CDL.

Ditto for me too.

[Denny]

I have a Class A CDL.

[Alek&Lucia]

Same here, both of us have a class B, but not a CDL.

[Pete]

I have a class B. In Texas, 26,000 lbs is the point where a class B is required. The gray area comes into play with an RV, where the requirement is questionable.. some say it is required, some say it is not. I felt why take the chance, and got the class B. I did not want to be involved in an accident, and have some ambulance chaser bring a law suit saying I was not qualified to operate the vehicle.

[jonnie]

Here is the link to each states requirements for RV'S. Hope this helps.

RV Driver's License Requirements (http://changingears.com/rv-sec-state-rv-license.shtml)

John

[kenrobertson]

Class B CDL, because Millennium requires it - When I took the driving and pre trip inspection test, I had to talk the guy into letting me take it in a bus, because he said " You don't need a CDL to drive an RV " He wanted me to take the test in a 26,000lb bread truck - I convinced him that if I could handle a 45', 52,000lb bus, I could handle a 26,000lb single axle bread truck - We discussed the fact that all the big rental trucks ( U-Haul, Ryder, etc) have a GVW rating of 25,999lbs so a CDL isn't required.

[Kenneth Brewer]

I have a class B. In Texas, 26,000 lbs is the point where a class B is required. The gray area comes into play with an RV, where the requirement is questionable.. some say it is required, some say it is not. I felt why take the chance, and got the class B. I did not want to be involved in an accident, and have some ambulance chaser bring a law suit saying I was not qualified to operate the vehicle.

According to txdps:

2. Class B driver license permits a person to drive the following vehicles except a motocycle or moped:

a. a single unit vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, and any such vehicle towing either a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating that does not exceed 10,000 pounds, or a farm trailer with a gross vehicle weight rating that does not exceed 20,000 pounds.

b. a bus with a seating capacity of 24 passengers or more, including the driver and

c.. a vehicle included in Class C

No gray area here. And I found this out in the course of conversation with a Texas cop who was stopped in the KOA in Colorado Springs who happened to have the RV next to us. I checked with the state and it was confirmed. It's in the book from which the written test is derived. But it is true that many do not know or have the class B license, including me for 5 years. Unless you ask, you won't know if you are transferring in from out of state, even when you are registering your coach purchased in another state. It appears to be ticketable offense if one is driving such a coach without at least a class B, in Texas.

[otto]

In North Carolina you need one so I took the test this past spring. It was fine. I actually am glad I read the booklet. It contained some useful information unlike the regular driving test booklet.

[wayne]

Thanks everyone for your comments...reason we asked is because we were involved in an accident yesterday....not our fault, and a few hours afterwards the state trooper from the scene of the accident called to tell us that he would be issuing Wayne a ticket for not having a Class B. Since then we have been online and it has become very clear that we should have a Class B license.
We were driving from our home to Pipe Creek to have a few things fixed....first on the list was to replace the inop micro/convection. While en route and traveling 30 mph through Bandera, 11 miles from Pipe Creek, a small pickup traveling in the opposite direction, very quickly crossed the center line, striking us on the left front corner of the bus and scraping the entire length of the drivers side, puncturing the drive axle tire. Wayne immediately pulled over and watched in his side view mirror as the driver continued down the road. After we got outside we could see the pickup on the right shoulder about 1/4 mile down the road.....he had 2 flat tires. He later told the state trooper that he was looking at his cell phone when he crossed the center line.
Thankfully the pickup is owned by a local pool business and they are insured.
A local tire shop came and removed the blown tire and we then slowly traveled the 11 mile distance without that tire.
I can't help to wonder what might have happened if the driver struck a smaller vehicle instead of our bus. It could have been fatal.
So thankful to have been in a Prevost!
As we "speak", Wayne is studying for his Class B.

[Kenneth Brewer]

Sorry to hear of your accident, glad no one was hurt. For our coach repair we traveled up to the Prevost Ft. Worth facility, but we too have been to the Pipe Creek facility in the past, and I need to call them soon for some minor furniture remodeling. Good luck.

[wayne]

Thanks Ken!

[kenrobertson]

Sorry to hear about the accident, but very glad that you weren't hurt - Still in OKC at the NRHA Futurity - Mel sends hugs

[wayne]

Thanks Ken, everything will be just fine.
(((( hugs )))) back atcha both!

[michaeldterry]

Just curious.....how many of you have a Class B CDL?

I've had my Class B CDL since about 1995.

[Don]

Maryland requires a class B noncommercial, with a J restriction, (RV authorized only), as a minimum.

[Lawrence M.]

CA requires a class B for motorcoaches over 40 ft. I obtained mine two years ago right before buying our current Liberty.

[Loc]

This is something that Texas Troopers are starting to learn. When I first learned of the law (about 7 years ago) I went to the local DPS office in Houston and spent 45 minutes talking to the desk help who said that I was wroing and that I didn't need anything more than a regular driver's license for a car or truck in Texas to drive my bus. A trooper came out of his office at the end of my discussion with the desk help and said that it was not necessary. I showed him the code. He went back to his office and after 15 minutes of reviewing information came back and said that I was right and that a non-commercial Class B license was required. He said he did not know that and that he bet that 95% of his fellow troopers did not know that. I got my license the next day. My concern was making sure that my insurance company was not able to deny a claim based on not having the correct legal license to operate the vehicle. I don't want to think about how a plaintiff's attorney might use the lack of a legal license. It is the 26,001 clause that gets the bus RV drivers in Texas.

[Whynotam]

Class A CDL since the 1970s. Whoo, am I getting old or what:p

Alvie Miller
06 XLII Royale

[Kenneth Brewer]

Maryland requires a class B noncommercial, with a J restriction, (RV authorized only), as a minimum.

However, unless it has changed in the last few months, Maryland will not knowingly register private coaches over 40 feet, (or 96" for MD. width) and neither will NJ and four other states. To my knowledge, California and New York were the last to relent. Before that, there were 8 states that would not.

[Don]

That's right Maryland will not knowingly register private coaches over 40 feet.

[dmatz]

I have a R endorsement for a RV over 26000 lbs with air breaks in NY.

[cthalfman]

I had a class A CDL from the original issuance of the CDL's back in the late 80's. Prior to that I had a Chauffeur license to drive commercial truck. I gave up my CDL a couple years back. I got the second speeding ticket in my life heading to the airport in Tampa. I thought no big deal, I will take the online drivers course and the ticket will never hit my record. I thought wrong. You can not take the online school to avoid the points and record in Florida with a CDL. As a result I received a nice fat fine for trying to take the course and I had already paid the ticket as no contest so I still got the points and the record. Not needing a CDL to drive any size RV in FL I gave up my CDL on my next renewal. The state retained a copy of all of my original written tests and endorsements. If I ever want it back I have to repeat the road test.

[Gil_J]

Chris learned an unfortunate lesson. Commercial licensed drivers like licensed boat captains are held to a higher standard. This is the very reason I never got a captain's license in my serious boating days.

[tomandcolleen]

We are in the process of buying a 2006 Marathon from their Florida dealership. This will be our first experience with an RV. As new residents of North Carolina, we've discovered that a Class B, non CDL, is required. The conundrum is, how do we legally get experience to prepare for the driving test? I'm hoping you can share some insight or offer suggestions.

[dale farley]

Your dealer may be able to offer you some assistance. There may be some POG members in the immediate area that can provide some advice and assistance. If you are saying this is your "first" RV experience, I would recommend starting off in a large open area until you get the feel for how it turns, parks, etc.

[Gil_J]

I can probably give you some help, if you let me know when. Your bigger challenge will be getting insurance. You likely can't be listed as the driver. This is a similar catch 22 new motorcycle drivers face. Ideally, you would rent or borrow a truck and take the test. In some states the test includes parallel parking. Yep, dumb right? It's much easier to park a box truck. BTW, FL does not require any special license. Unfortunately, that doesn't matter if you carry a NC license, except that FL would not likely cite you.

[ragrote]

I was told by NC DMV that the class B license wasn't really necessary but went and got it anyway. Did my driving test at the Morehead City office and all they wanted to do was get a ride. When finished driving a few miles I asked if he wanted me to demonstrate brake testing and go through systems and the inspector said it want necessary as since it was a Prevost he was sure all was fine. I made him go through it anyway. A piece of cake. If your near Morehead City I can be of assistance.

[Gil_J]

NC DMV site is not very clear on license requirements. From their Web site and driver's handbook you need a Class B Regular License. This in not the same as Class B CDL.

What I could not find was testing requirements for the Class B regular license. It uses the same regular license handbook, so I assume there's only one written test. What I could not find were any road test requirements for any of regular license classes. I can only assume each class requires you to test in a vehicle of the class you are seeking.

If you haven't done so yet, ask your local DMV office what the testing requirements are making sure they understand you are seeking the regular class B and not the CDL class B.

If Bob is nearby I would take him up on his offer to help.

[travelite]

That's right Gil. For recreational vehicles over 26001 lbs North Carolina requires a non-CDL Class B. The back of my drivers license says: "Class B: Any single vehicle that is exempt from CDL requirements with a GVWR of 26001 lbs or more, and any such vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR not in excess of 10000 lbs".

I had the same experience as Bob, pretty much the driving test was a loop around the block. As long as you can obey basic traffic signs and laws and pull in and out of the parking lot without clipping anything the license is yours!