Rene T
Site Team
Came across this while surfing and thought members from Texas may be interested if you tow a large fifth wheel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UBGRpuIMEI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UBGRpuIMEI
Roy M said:Two things I noted. That highway is some boring. ;D The other pertains to the subject, he mentioned towing a 14,000 # fifth wheel with an F-250 to get under the 26,000 lb maximum for a class C and stay legal. Trouble is, now the maximum payload on the truck is exceeded. Is the state not concerned with that? The insurance company sure would be in the event of a wreck.
Trouble is, now the maximum payload on the truck is exceeded. Is the state not concerned with that? The insurance company sure would be in the event of a wreck.
Reckless Driving; Offense
A person commits an offense if the person drives a vehicle in wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.
Charlie 5320 said:[ but in most states non-commercial vehicles are not subject to legal GVWR limits.]
You're wrong with this statement Gary. Every vehicle is subject to the GVWR limits of the state, not just commercial vehicles. There are many people driving these rigs illegal, and don't even know it. Normal driver licence in Illinois is only good for 16,000 lbs. anything over that you need a different class licence. I got a larger coach this year and didn't give it a second thought until I had it weighed to set the tire pressure correctly, and realized just how heavy it was. I always heard that anyone could drive a RV with just a regular drivers licence, NOT TRUE, if it's over 16,000 in Illinois. I just took the class B non CDL test a couple months ago.
But in Illinois you DO. This is right out of the book.Larry N. said:Charlie, he's talking about the vehicle, not the driver. You're speaking of the driver's license, which has different requirements in different states. In Colorado, for example, I don't need anything other than a regular drivers license to legally drive a 45 foot, 50,000 lb. coach. In other states, anything over 26,000 lbs. needs some other license. But none of the affect the legality of the vehicle itself.
I know in the last couple of years the State Police have been stopping many drag racers with MH pulling enclosed trailers looking for infractions. I know one guy personally that was stopped and his rig impounded because he did NOT have the correct licence. He had his trailer lettered and the cop said he needed a CDL to drive the rig, because it was a commercial rig. The guy went to court, and lost ! He had to either remove the lettering or get a CDL to drive it.
Larry N. said:You're back to the driver's license, not the VEHICLE legality for someone who DOES have the correct DRIVER'S license.
This is a driver's license infraction, not a vehicle infraction.
I'm done...
Charlie 5320 said:Good thing you're DONE, because this thread is about having the correct drivers licence for proper operation.
I find this interesting. I was a Drivers License Examiner for the State of North Dakota for 10 years, retired in 2003. We did written and road exams for car, CDL , truck and bus and motorcycle. The figure of 26,000 lbs is, or at least was when I was active, the key number for determining CDL licensing. For buses additionally it had to be a 15 or more passenger capacity (lots of large vans qualified). What interests me about the Texas requirement is how is the road test performed. For a normal CDL truck or bus, you must do a pre-trip inspection of the vehicle (many failed on this), a backing test and the actual road test. Putting a 5ver through a similar road test procedure would be sort of ridiculous because of the differences in vehicles. We did not do any personal recreational vehicles but we did test commercial buses, city buses (including doubles) and a motorhome that was equipped as a mobile xray unit. Has anybody ever taken the Texas road test for a Class A 5ver and, if so, could you give me some of the things required. Thanks.Rene T said:Came across this while surfing and thought members from Texas may be interested if you tow a large fifth wheel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UBGRpuIMEI
xrated said:Everytime I read about some of the stupid laws in IL, it makes me proud to say that I am a "former resident"! I've been gone from there since 2006 and I don't miss it even one little bit. I remember the totally stupid law that was on the books there for years and years. If you were pulling a trailer, the speed limit for you was 55 mph. It didn't matter if it was a semi truck or a 5' x 8' flat bed trailer.....55 was your max on the Interstate.....which at that time was 65 mph for everyone else, not 70! If it weren't for family and friends living there, I'd never cross the line into IL again.
Bill N said:I find this interesting. I was a Drivers License Examiner for the State of North Dakota for 10 years, retired in 2003. We did written and road exams for car, CDL , truck and bus and motorcycle. The figure of 26,000 lbs is, or at least was when I was active, the key number for determining CDL licensing. For buses additionally it had to be a 15 or more passenger capacity (lots of large vans qualified). What interests me about the Texas requirement is how is the road test performed. For a normal CDL truck or bus, you must do a pre-trip inspection of the vehicle (many failed on this), a backing test and the actual road test. Putting a 5ver through a similar road test procedure would be sort of ridiculous because of the differences in vehicles. We did not do any personal recreational vehicles but we did test commercial buses, city buses (including doubles) and a motorhome that was equipped as a mobile xray unit. Has anybody ever taken the Texas road test for a Class A 5ver and, if so, could you give me some of the things required. Thanks.
Bill