MORE ON THE TEXAS CDL-2 LICENSE

Well, here it is, a YEAR later, and the State of Texas is NO CLOSER to being organized when it comes to a CDL-2 (exemption) license for driving an RV.  After getting off the phone with a DPS girl in the CMV department here in Austin, she said all I had to do was fill out a CD-2 Exemption Certification form, pay my 24 bucks, and it was a done deal.  So, I went into the Anderson Mill location of the Driver's License office and asked for my CD-2 form.  He handed it to me, and I said "now, as I understand it, all I do is fill this out and give you 24 bucks, and it's a done deal, right?"  He said, "Gee, I don't know.  Let me check on that."  He leaves his station; comes back about FIVE MINUTES later and says "it's not that simple; you also must take a written AND driver's skills test."  This JUST happend not more than TWO days ago, and this is September 26th, 2011.  I must have talked to AT LEAST SIX people last week.  They either (a) didn't know, or (b) gave me the WRONG information.  Oh, and be prepared to read lots of stuff in the CMV Driver Handbook that could easily be on the written test, but has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with driving an RV.  What will even confuse you more is the CMV Driver Handbook CLEARLY STATES on page iv that those operating some farm vehicles, fire fighting or emergency equipment, military vehicles, airport vehicles, and "RV'S THAT ARE DRIVEN FOR PERSONAL USE" are EXEMPT FROM A CDL, but that "certification form CDL-2 required".  But, to get that certification, you need to take written and driver's tests.  Go figure.  Your tax dollars at work.         

I've obviously gotten in on this late and don't understand the history, but why would you want, or think you need, a CDL in TX?

I just drive it. Everyone I ask (popo included) have said that I do not need any special license. Nothing comes up when I register it either. I'm leaving well-enough alone.

yfx4 said:

I just drive it. Everyone I ask (popo included) have said that I do not need any special license. Nothing comes up when I register it either. I'm leaving well-enough alone.

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X2.

In Texas ( Texas residents) you need a Class B License (non CDL) to drive a Motorhome with a GVWR of 26,001 or more. That's the law. This would mean all gas rigs I know of would not require a Class B, but most Diesel Pushers would.

BTW, my driving test (back in 2000) in Amarillo was given by a gal who thought I should have to take the full CDL written and driving test. It was a LONG hard driving test. First comment was: Touch a curb and you fail! First three turns were right turns on narrow busy streets. On and off the freeway 3 times. Backing to a dock (like a truck) and parallel parking between cones. I passed despite her best efforts.

ken


ken

Thanks, Ken, for your additional explanation.  The other folks apparently either don't live in Texas OR they drive gas rigs.  If either of them own diesel pushers in Texas, they may be in for a surprise one day, especially if they're unfortunate enough to get into an accident and the cop tells them they are improperly licensed.  They will also be in for a surprise when their insurance company refuses to stand by their loss because of an improper license.  Sounds like you had the driving test from hell. 

We're sure lucky our diesel pusher has a GVWR of only 24,850#, so no Class B license needed.

We, on the other hand, are neither fish nor fowl.

We are Escapees, and have our vehicles registered and insured in Texas, which is a prerequisite to a Texas DL. However, our Arkansas Class C license is legal in Arkansas to drive any RV.

Now the trick. We took the written test for the Class B Non-Commercial, passed, and then could not be scheduled for a driving test. Rain, people out, couldn't call in fast enough for the daily list, etc. The Testing Station would not take our AR DL's, because we were seeking the Class B, and said we would have to pass the practical test and then we would surrender them for the Texas licenses.

Fast forward a year, and we will attempt this fiasco once again as we bridge Texas en route to the Gulf Coast for the winter. But we are legal (in a perverted sense and I would not want to wrangle this in a traffic court). I have talked to many Texans who drive their rig with a regular license and have never heard of this Class B Non Commercial license.

So it can get complicated. But the worst logic to me is the Texas logic that you have to have a vehicle registered and insured before you can get a Texas DL. What if you cannot afford a car and just want a license to drive? So there you go.

While you do have to have all your vehicles registered in Texas before getting a DL, I'm not sure you can't get a DL without any vehicles in your name.

They will also be in for a surprise when their insurance company refuses to stand by their loss because of an improper license.

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That's a scare story with no basis in fact. The insurance covers the vehicle even if the driver has no license at all. It is the vehicle that is insured. Conceivably they may refuse to renew the insurance if you are not properly licensed at renewal time, but the coverage is still in effect.

Doing a little new research, the actual requirement on the DPS web site is stated as follows:

Present proof of Texas vehicle registration and liability insurance on all vehicles you own.

The ownership requirement was left off the original paperwork we received when we started down this path, and that's when I found it curious. That's what happens when things are cut and pasted to another "source".

Chapter 2 in my quest for a Texas CMV Class B Exemption License.  I go online to see what time the Anderson Mill DL Office opens, and it says 8AM.  So, I show up at about 7:45; the lobby is ALREADY full of people, with a line of about fifteen folks waiting to get processed.  Clearly, they open earlier than 8AM.  I never did find out what time they actually opened the doors.  After about NINETY MINUTES, I finally get to the head of the line, and tell the woman I need a CMV Class B Exemption to drive a motor home.  She looks at me with that puzzled look, and finally pulls out a yellow form that she begins to circle on the back which parts of the test I will need to take.  I noticed she skipped over the "air brakes" section, so I call to her attention that my motor home has air brakes.  "Really?" she says.  "We have a motor home, and we don't have air brakes."  I explain to her that they probably have a GAS motor home, and I have a diesel pusher.  Not sure she understood the difference.  Anyhow, I wait about an hour for my number to be called.  I get up to the window and again repeat "I need a CMV Class B Exemption to drive my RV" (which I CLEARLY have checked on the white form).  She asks for FORTY-NINE dollars!!!  "49 I asked?"  I didn't think it was that much.

So, I give her my 49 bucks, and she directs me to the computer room to take my test.  I already had been told by RV friends to expect TWENTY (20) questions.  Test comes up, showing a total of FIFTY (50) questions.  I should have stopped there, suspecting they have obviously assigned me the wrong test.  But, I thought I would give it a shot.  When I hit the section on HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, I knew I had the wrong test and that I was in big, big trouble.  Not long after that realization, I got too many wrong answers and the computer told me I failed.  WELL, DUH!!!  I guess so; I don't know crap about hazardous materials. 

Went back to the window and told the woman she obviously gave me the wrong test.  She differed for a moment, until she called a supervisor over, WHO HAD TO CALL DL HEADQUARTERS TO FIND OUT WHAT TEST I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN.  Yup, she didn't know either, AND SHE'S A SUPERVISOR.  She's on the phone for a good 15 minutes, and finally tells my girl at the window, "Yup...you gave him the wrong test."  At which point, neither are sure if I will be allowed to take TWO tests in ONE day, even though THEY are the ones who screwed up.  Which, of course, necessitates yet ANOTHER call to DL headquarters, and ANOTHER fifteen minutes on the phone explaining to them what happened.  Finally, they give their OK to go ahead and refund 38 dollars of my money and give me another test.  This was, in fact, a TWENTY question test, which, by the time I took it, I was so damn rattled by this whole thing, I promptly flunked that one, too (I know; don't say it; I didn't study the general knowledge section well enough).  At which point I was told I can come back another day and take it again, which I will probably do after my blood pressure returns to normal.

I'm telling you all of this so that you may prepare for the "TEST FROM HELL".  Maybe you'll get lucky and it'll go smoother for you; I certainly hope so.  Good luck.  Oh, one more thing: I was told over the phone that THEY DO GIVE THE RV ROAD TEST AT MY ANDERSON MILL LOCATION.  Ah, no.  If I ever get to that point, it's given at only ONE location near Airport Blvd. in Austin.  More misinformation.

austingeezer said:

Well, here it is, a YEAR later, and the State of Texas is NO CLOSER to being organized when it comes to a CDL-2 (exemption) license for driving an RV. 

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I decided not to be compliance with this "supposed' requirement because I kept getting incorrect info from half dozen DMV reps, to include DPS troopers. Yours is a painful validation for my logic. There are some other reasons:

?A driving test is required wherein parallel parking is required. Who in their right mind parallel parks a 40 foot motor home?? 
?I understand the law is the law. but does having this license make for a better driver of a MH with a GVW of 26001 as opposed to one that is one pound lighter and towing 9999 pounds?
?In Texas there is no fee for your DL if you are over 65, but that doesn?t apply to this license.
?The Texas DL manual that contains this non-commercial DL info, specifically states ?Commercial? on the front cover. My MH isn?t used for commercial purposes. The term used by DMV is even titled a ?non-commercial? DL.   
?That same manual explicitly exempts motor homes for personal use.

I put a copy of the handbook page in the RV that states the RV exemption information. I figure the likelihood of getting stopped is rare. And if I did the LEO probably wouldn?t know the law well enough to overcome the reasonable doubt factor of that piece of paper. Vagueness in the law is a legitimate defense and I?m prepared to use it if necessary. This issue is real good example.

Ken & Sheila said:

In Texas ( Texas residents) you need a Class B License (non CDL) to drive a Motorhome with a GVWR of 26,001 or more. That's the law. This would mean all gas rigs I know of would not require a Class B, but most Diesel Pushers would.

BTW, my driving test (back in 2000) in Amarillo was given by a gal who thought I should have to take the full CDL written and driving test. It was a LONG hard driving test. First comment was: Touch a curb and you fail! First three turns were right turns on narrow busy streets. On and off the freeway 3 times. Backing to a dock (like a truck) and parallel parking between cones. I passed despite her best efforts.

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Let's see- my examiner asked if I'd seen the school zone sign and I said yes. He wanted to know why I hadn't slowed down more. I said the sign said when children are present. He said always assume they are present?? Then he took me through a truck stop and when I was told to turn down an aisle he got me for not turning my signal on. Oh, and you don't want to block a restaurant, gas station, or any business' entry or exit. Big no-no there. Geez! I won't go on.

Edit: Fix missing end quote

I am sorry for all of the above problems but, I couldn't help but chuckle.  I lived in Texas for 9 years before moving and experienced some of the same BS that occurred at the DMV.
I was applying for a 1st time Tx DL.  I had recently finished my 4 year stint in the Navy and the gal told me that I was exempt as long as I had my military ID  ???
Being naive to Texas law, I thanked her and went on my merry way.  About a month later, I was stopped by one of Texas finest for a "rolling stop".
When he asked me for my DL. I showed him my Navy ID card...he gave me a "Deer in the headlights" look and said I needed a Texas DL as I was a resident.  After telling him about my visit to the DMV he just smiled  "I've seen many of these screwups".  He let me go with the instructions to go get my DL.
I was again told by the DMV "no DL required"...I showed her a copy of my warning ticket...another "Deer in the headlights" look.
It goes on and on but I finally went to another DMV and applied without mentioning my military tour and took the tests and finally got my DL..

Our local Texas DL office is always full.  I had to go in to get my DL renewed last March.  It was my regular renewal date and I wanted to get the eyeglasses restriction removed.  After having Cateracts removed from both eyes I no longer needed the glasses and wanted it removed.  It took me from 9:00am until noon to get it done.  I've talked to others and they its the same everywhere. 

Yip, Texas has an efficient State Budget, but the services.......are terrible!!!!!!

Before you condemn all our service places you should be sure you have been to them all and we know that is virtually impossible.  I live in Georgetown and have never had a problem getting timely service.  It was that way in Greenville also.  So maybe you are just in an area that for some reason has problems.  May have something to do that you are near that SEC school!

It's no different in 2015.  I was given 3 different written tests.  After "clarifying" with DPS customer service, my wife goes back to be given two different tests, despite being told that only one is required.

https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/internetforms/Forms/CDL-2.pdf
Spells out the requirements  for the written tests pretty clearly.  When I bring this in, they cite "internal memo" and "policy change".  When asked to produce it, it's "internal only".

These are non-commercial tests, but only the DPS commercial office actual provides advice on them.  Many of the local offices won't even answer the phone these days, so it's not like you can save yourself a trip.

I'm not from Texas, but I think Flyboy hit the nail on the head with his approach back on reply #12. 

I had much the same experiences when we lived in South Florida - terrible DMV service with long delays, inaccurate info and just plain rude clerks. I roundly condemned them all. Then we moved to north-central Florida and had to visit the local DMV office for address changes and such. What a shock! Courteous clerks who actually believed they were there to help me get license and registrations in place. If the clerk didn't know the answer, she called the main office for the county. If they didn't know, they called the state capital HQ until they got the straight scoop. Amazing! I later learned that the DMV services in that county were run by the County Tax Collector's office, an elected official. Suppose that had anything to do with it?