Texas CDL/Exemption?

Difference is that an endorsement says endorsment and a restriction says restriction. I am a TX resident and live in VA. I had to move my DL to VA to get a CDL. All are Commercial here. First truck I used had juice brakes but got me a class A CDL with an air brake restriction. Went back and took the test again with a straight truck and air brakes. Now have a class A commercial with no restrictions. No idea what will happen when I roll it back to TX. I will do my best to keep it commercial rather than roll into a non commercial class A. I already have the med card and that keeps alot of doors open later on. When I talked to the code enforcement folks in TX I was told that I would need a liscence and a med card to operate my private vehicles at a gross of 35k (this is not farm or RV). I however am exempt from logs, regaurdless of miles from home (in state, their jurisdiction), and all the motor carrier crap. I am obligated to stop at wiegh stations. Hopefully this clears some issues. I spent many hours on the phone trying to pin down what I needed to haul my Mack.
Another fun one for yall. I do not need an air brake liscence to operate my 51 Mack road tractor with Antique tags in VA. It is under the 26k wieght limit. However due to registration I cannot take the CDL test with it. Got to love loop holes.
 
PoPo said:
What about it makes 0 sense. t's not an endorsement and it doesn't work "basically the same as an endorsement". Not so sure what is so hard to understand.
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Are you just arguing semantics? If that's the case, then I'll quit wasting my time.

If not, then explain this to me;
1. If it WAS an endorsement, you'd have to pass a test to drive an air-brake equipped vehicle.
2. As a restriction, you have to pass a test to drive an air-brake equipped vehicle.
Wtf is the difference?

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When it was an endorsement the test was a heck of alot easier. For the most part it is all the same. The big difference is that back in the day you could use hydraulic brakes and get a Class A and all you had to do was add an endorsement. Now you have to actually use an air brake vehicle. Or another way to look at this is get a DUI and tell me what hte difference is between a regular license and a restricted. That is a little extreame though.
 
chevota84 said:
Are you just arguing semantics? If that's the case, then I'll quit wasting my time.

If not, then explain this to me;
1. If it WAS an endorsement, you'd have to pass a test to drive an air-brake equipped vehicle.
2. As a restriction, you have to pass a test to drive an air-brake equipped vehicle.
Wtf is the difference?
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To those that understand no explaination is neccesary. To those that don't understand to explanation is possible.
 
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PoPo said:
To those that understand no explaination is neccesary. To those that don't understand to explanation is possible.
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Are you a dot cop? That would explain the jackassery and the limited understanding of commercial regs.

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No kidding. I drive otr for a living, I guarantee I know the commercial laws better than 90% of the dot officers
 
I think PoPo has his head up his a$$ of course this is an opinion from his posts and dealing with DOT cops on a regular basis I am a milkman!
 
look into a Texas Intrastate CDL if you dont leave the state. it has less strict guidelines than the Interstate one. as mentioned above you can license it as a Recreational Vehicle(RV) and you wont need any special license. My cousin did that with his semi and can drive anywhere with it.
 
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Ive talked with department of motor carriers and the national DMV about this exact same thing. They gave me the code number/article number that defines this, but if the vehicle is used for personal use and is not for hire or not for commerce then no cdl is needed. This is how you see semi trucks pulling big travel trailers or horse trailers with "private motor coach" on the side. I will post up the article number when i get to the shop.
 
DISTURBED said:
Ive talked with department of motor carriers and the national DMV about this exact same thing. They gave me the code number/article number that defines this, but if the vehicle is used for personal use and is not for hire or not for commerce then no cdl is needed. This is how you see semi trucks pulling big travel trailers or horse trailers with "private motor coach" on the side. I will post up the article number when i get to the shop.
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That is because motor homes, military, firetrucks and a few others are specifically exempted federally. It is up to the state to enforce the laws after that. The real confusion comes in because most states don't even think of the general public driving anything other than a honda. If you look hard there are a few states that do require a non commercial CDL to drive large recreational vehicles based on wieght. Commercial drivers rules are pretty cut and dry although the regs can be a little hard to piece together do to requiring you to cross examine several articles and figure out your exemptions. Just think about the section on chaining down your load and try to cross it over to hauling equipment instead of a pallet loaded flat deck.
 
it is hard to get a class A in texas with out it being a cdl. it is possible, but they do not like to give it out.
 
gunracer1 said:
it is hard to get a class A in texas with out it being a cdl. it is possible, but they do not like to give it out.
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This is the second time you have posted this and again I ask why you believe that? Why would they not want to collect the money and give you a license that is spelled out in the TX handbook? You can get one with a pickup pulling a gooseneck with a GVWR high enough to make the GCWR of pickup and trailer exceed 26,000. In fact, you can get a CDL-A with the same rig. For some, there are good reasons not to carry a CDL. One is there is no medical certificate required, so that bi-annual cost is saved. Second, if you have a CDL you can not get a traffic ticket excused by going to a safety class. Another is the legal limit for alcohol remains at .08%, not the lower CDL limit.
 
So this is what the department of motor carriers told me to print out from this website.

FMCSA.DOT.GOV

Regulation 383.3

From DMV now's website

Regulation 46.2 & 341.4
 
DISTURBED said:
So this is what the department of motor carriers told me to print out from this website.

FMCSA.DOT.GOV

Regulation 383.3
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That is old news and covers commercial carriers.

DISTURBED said:
From DMV now's website

Regulation 46.2 & 341.4
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DMV now, from what I can gather is about Virginia. This thread is about the TX non-commercial class A. As I stated previously, it is not about CDLs, and each state has it's own regs covering non-commercial drivers licences.
 
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PoPo said:
Unless you can register it as an RV it will still require a class A CDL.



Towing a trailer wil never require a class B. If an upgrade of license is needed for a trailer it would be a class A.
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Class B gets you up to a 10,000 pound trailer.
 
PoPo said:
There is no such thing as an air brake endorsement, in the states.
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Why is that you have to take a written test for air brakes, and use a vehicle with air brakes, to get a license allowing you to drive a vehicle with air brakes?
So far you've said nothing about any of this that makes sense.
 
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