Drivers License Wake Up Call

[hhoppe]

Ray: In my case he asked me to perform each step as he verbally instructed them. It kept me pretty calm knowing in advance what each step proved to him and I. All went well. On the written portion they had a medical question form to fill out. I told the truth on the form to all questions. The " have you ever had high blood pressure " one I answered yes. This triggered a request for a doctors form filled out by my doctor. No problem here, I just had my doctor fill it out and took it back to them. You will do fine on your exam I'm sure.

[garyde]

I re read the DMV Handbook on RV's and Trailers,

What it states is: A Class C license; 'any 2 axle vehicle with a GVWR of 26000 lbs or less, any 3 axle vehicle weighing 6000 lbs or less gross, any house car 40 feet and under , in length.'

The Class B reads; 'all vehicles under class C, a housecar over 40 feet but not over 45 feet, with endorsement.'
So, no weight restrictions really on the RV's no matter what size. Just footage.

Not exactly Gary. The CA vehicle specifically indicates an RV (called a "house car" in CA) 40 feet or less can be operated with a Class C license. It does not matter if it's over 22,000 pounds.

The 22,000 limit applies to vehicles OTHER than RV's, like trucks, etc.

So, with a class C a 40 ft Prevost is legal. A 45 is not.

Ray

[Ray Davis]

So, no weight restrictions really on the RV's no matter what size. Just footage

That's exactly how I read it too.

Ray

[Ray Davis]

The " have you ever had high blood pressure " one I answered yes. This triggered a request for a doctors form filled out by my doctor.

Harry, that's strange. I was under the impression that ALL Class B licensees require the doctor signed physical form, regardless of previous health. I am inferring from what you posted that it was optional, based upon response to health questions?

I'm glad to hear that he talked you through the airbrake test, rather than "testing" you on it. It's certainly good to know, and it's for both of your safety to do a test before driving off in the coach. But, as the book said, it's not required as part of the testing.

I've got to get my test going here pretty soon. I just have the chicken and egg problem of getting a 45 bus to a testing center, when I'm not allowed to drive it. I am hoping to take my test with Janet Zittrer when she takes hers later this year. If not, I'll get someone with a Class B (or higher) to drive my coach out to the DMV for me!

Ray

[Darl-Wilson]

The question about the air brake test prior to the test ride is simple. It is just like the examiner giving a test in the family car. They check the headlights,turn signals, W/S wipers, etc. The same applies when you take a drivers test in your bus. They are simply checking for the safety of the bus before you move with them aboard. All test drives must be conducted in a safe and fully functional vehicle.

Some states (like Nevada) require the air brake written test as a separate part of the exam for a Class B.

This site, while not current to this year, gives the RV license requirements for all states.

This whole subject has been discussed ad nauseam on this site and I am sure it will continue since laws change or are not clearly defined. My take on this is if your state requires the license then get it. If it isn't required just make sure you are clearly capable of operating your vehicle safely. In the event of an accident your qualifications to operate the equipment will surely be questioned, not only by the authorities but by a host of lawyers intent of separating you and your insurance company from a lot of money. There is no substitute for good planning.

[Robert Short]

I just read all three pages of this thread and was surprised that there was no mention of what someone referred to once as an "air brake adendem". Now, I have no idea if this is something that even exist but they characterized it as keeping a non CDL license like most of us have now but getting some........."air brake" certification added to it. Maybe this comes automatically with another "class" of license. ??? Seemed screwy to me. What the heck do you need to know about the air brakes except that if the air leaks the bus comes to a stop instead of speeding out of control.

I have a Quebec drivers lisence ,where I am domisiled ,and they do not require any special lisence to drive an RV with or without air brakes.
I also spend time in British Columbia where they require "an air ticket " to drive an RV with air brakes.I just completed a 20 hour course on air brakes put on by a local driving school in BC which was most informative.This week I will visit a lisence bureau in BC and and try to take their exam on air brakes so I will conform to their requirements.However I doubt that they will allow me to take their BC examin because I do not have a BC lisence as stated earlier.
I think it is important to know how to read the time,but I don't need to know how the watch works.The same applies to these air brakes in my opinion.
During the course,it was mentioned that in the States,no special lisence was required so it is interesting to see that people are speaking about it.

On another matter I hope to be leaving BC next week heading south for warmer weather on my new RV and am looking foreward to the experience.My innitial thoughts were to head for the coast of Washington State and wonder next to the ocean.Now I'm told that at this time of year,the coast can be cold and the weather not so hot.... So it may be more suitable to to head east somewhere around Portland and visit the interior following the route 84,I think the Columbia river if I heard it correctly.
Any thoughts out there ?Allways great to hear from people who have done it before.Best Regards and thanks for sharing your thoughts

[Darl-Wilson]

I have a Quebec drivers lisence ,where I am domisiled ,and they do not require any special lisence to drive an RV with or without air brakes.
I also spend time in British Columbia where they require "an air ticket " to drive an RV with air brakes.I just completed a 20 hour course on air brakes put on by a local driving school in BC which was most informative.This week I will visit a lisence bureau in BC and and try to take their exam on air brakes so I will conform to their requirements.However I doubt that they will allow me to take their BC examin because I do not have a BC lisence as stated earlier.
I think it is important to know how to read the time,but I don't need to know how the watch works.The same applies to these air brakes in my opinion.
During the course,it was mentioned that in the States,no special lisence was required so it is interesting to see that people are speaking about it.

On another matter I hope to be leaving BC next week heading south for warmer weather on my new RV and am looking foreward to the experience.My innitial thoughts were to head for the coast of Washington State and wonder next to the ocean.Now I'm told that at this time of year,the coast can be cold and the weather not so hot.... So it may be more suitable to to head east somewhere around Portland and visit the interior following the route 84,I think the Columbia river if I heard it correctly.
Any thoughts out there ?Allways great to hear from people who have done it before.Best Regards and thanks for sharing your thoughts

Robert, !-84 East of Portland is NOT the place you want to go to get warm. The Columbia Gorge weather link. As you see in this link the highs around Hood River and The Dalles are just above freezing in the winter and I can tell you from experience the wind is cold and howls like a banshee. Go south young man, if you want warmth. Southern CA, Southern Nevada, and Arizona is the place to be west of the Rockies. We have lots of members living in South Texas and all along the Gulf of Mexico that will tell you that is the best place to be in the winter. Anyway, stay away from the Washington and Oregon coast in the winter. These are beautiful places in the summer but like BC they are not a warm, dry, vacation spot.

As for you license question, go back and look at some of the posts. There are several links (I checked them and they are still alive) and lots of posts that give you good info. My own personal opinion is there also.

Have a nice vacation and welcome to the group!

Darl

[Ray Davis]

So, since I now own a 45 coach, I am required by CA law to get a Class B license. I ran down to the DMV today to get the written test of out the way and file my physical. I had called to schedule a drivers test, however they wouldn't even do that, until I did a written.

There were several interesting points about getting that done today:

* The DMV guys had never done a Class B, and they took almost an hour to try to figure out how to get me into the computer. They kept asking other people, getting out manuals. They kept showing me a page about trailers over 10,000 lbs, which technically a class A commercial requirement.

* Once they got me into the computer, there was a bunch of trying to figure out what test I should take. I had been told (incorrectly it appears), that the test was just another class C test again, and that's what I had studied for. They ultimately came up with a "45 foot housecar" test. Contents were out of a RV guide I had read through once a couple of months ago.

* Luckily, I passed without issue, and now I have a new class C license (paper), and a Class B learners permit.

And I was able to schedule my drivers test for later this month!

Ray

[flyu2there]

Reason number 1,204,676 to move out of California!!

[BrianE]

There are actually about 38,000,000 legal reasons and an estimated 3,000,000 illegal ones.