Towing Doubles

Carl L said:

Here is the straight scoop .......

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Thanks Carl. From what okiejoe wrote I thought they changed something. He is misstating when he says it's a "Federal License". There is no such thing. Only state licenses that meet and conform with the Federal minimum standards.

That is what I was thinking since you have to go to the state where you got the CDL to get it renewed and in the case of Texas you have to show up in person at the DMV.  Can't renew a CDL on line.

in alberta i can tow my 43 foot long fifth wheel with my 16 foot utility trailer behind with a f-450 pickup legally. I stopped in at the weigh scales for commercial vehicles to make sure. I was a little nervous to pull in as i am a professional truck driver and i know how the DOT can nit pick any little thing they can find to pull a trucker off the road.

Overall length of my unit is 81 feet. it is quite the site to see cruising around within a town like that, taking turns and such.

I can pull both trailers legally throughout canada with my big rigs, but i have to deal with log books and pull into every weigh scale/inspection facility.

note the above caution: DO NOT TRY TO BACK UP!!!! the combination of short truck, long trailer, short trailer is an absolute bear if you have to back her up. Once I was forced to unhook the small trailer and turn around the rig and then spin the trailer around by hand to hook it up again and go the other way.

I wouldn't recommend trying to drive thatr combination through most states here in the US.  Not too many states allow 81 ft.

Ron said:

I wouldn't recommend trying to drive thatr combination through most states here in the US.  Not too many states allow 81 ft.

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California for one will demand a class A, commercial drivers license with a special endorsement.  I suspect they honor other state's licenses, but I do not know about Canadian tickets

Furthermore,  "passenger" vehicles cannot tow doubles period. 

Ron said:

I wouldn't recommend trying to drive thatr combination through most states here in the US.  Not too many states allow 81 ft.

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after towing this combination only about 1000miles within Alberta, i honestly would not reccomend anyone towing this combination at all - anywhere. the large overhang on the 5er makes for a little bit crazy ride when you get into rougher road. And try to get into a wal-mart parking lot with it - well getting in is usually ok, but then to get out .It just surprises me that it was actually legal. I do in fact have what is called a class 1 licence here (I can drive any vehicle with the exception of some specialty rigs) but any joe shmoe with a class 5 (standard drivers licence) can hop behind the wheel of my f-450 with  both trailers. A little scary really.
It is very common here to see 36-41 foot fifth wheels with a boat or cargo trailer behind them here - towed with a f-250!!!

dirtdr said:

after towing this combination only about 1000miles within Alberta, i honestly would not reccomend anyone towing this combination at all - anywhere. the large overhang on the 5er makes for a little bit crazy ride when you get into rougher road. And try to get into a wal-mart parking lot with it - well getting in is usually ok, but then to get out .It just surprises me that it was actually legal. I do in fact have what is called a class 1 licence here (I can drive any vehicle with the exception of some specialty rigs) but any joe shmoe with a class 5 (standard drivers licence) can hop behind the wheel of my f-450 with  both trailers. A little scary really.
It is very common here to see 36-41 foot fifth wheels with a boat or cargo trailer behind them here - towed with a f-250!!!

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As I said, California makes class-A commercial license holders get a special double tow endorsement for their license.  However, in the driving portion the DMV does not want the examinee to bring a double tow to the test -- too damn dangerous.    The state will not allow the non-commercial class-A license holders, the ones towing over 15K lbs, to tow doubles at all. 

Our daughter and I were surprised to see somebody pulling doubles up ahead of us a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, we were making a turn so we couldn't see more, but it was a truck pulling about a 34'  fifth wheel, with a decent sized fishing boat (one with the center cockpit that you can walk around) behind that! We live in VA, looked like the boat may have had MD tags but of course we couldn't be sure. It was the second time I've seen someone towing double in the 7 years we've lived in the area. The first time we saw it, the combo was a pick-up with a pop-up camper, towing a small boat.

I don't think I'd want to try something like that, towing one trailer is enough adventure for my blood!

Sorry to jump in late. I've been lurking for several months.

I just passed my Commercial Driver's License general skills test and eye test in the state of Massachusetts. The cost was $30 for the knowledge test plus $75 for the CDL. Each endorsement test is $30. The CDL needs to be renewed every two years at a cost of $75. Sounds pricey to me especially since I am not a professional driver just a guy towing my wife's horses around

I got mine because I forsee pulling horse trailers with a GVWR of more than 10,000lbs. The GCVWR won't be more than 26,001lbs but the law is a bit vague and I want to err on the side of caution.

Also, with a couple of endorsements I can fill in for the local school bus driver

dirtdr said:

Overall length of my unit is 81 feet. it is quite the site to see cruising around within a town like that, taking turns and such.

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Just to prevent someone else from getting in trouble - the above rig IS NOT legal throughout Canada.  I think he is actually overlength in Alberta, definitely he is in SK & MB.  Recreational doubles - which is what these rigs are called in Canada are not legal in BC but are OK in AB, SK & MB.  Don't know about the east.  In the provinces where they are legal they are still subject to overall length restrictions which are commonly either 75 or 65 feet.  As the poster has noted in a subsequent post, these rigs are a genuine PITA to drive and may be dangerous with the wrong combination of pin weights and overhangs.  I've driven them - never enjoyed the experience - and I'm glad I don't do it anymore.  It is possible to back them up but that is a major adventure as well.

A little late on this but here is a web site that lists some of the towing laws. Be sure to verify these before traveling throught any of the places listed. http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

Thompson said:

A little late on this but here is a web site that lists some of the towing laws. Be sure to verify these before traveling throught any of the places listed. http://www.towingworld.com/articles/TowingLaws.htm

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But be careful.  That table is misleading.  CA allows triple towing only with a Class A CDL with a special double trailer endorsement.  Unless you have that commercial license you cannot tow triples -- at least with CA plates.

Carl,

That is aonther one where reciprocity does not apply!  :-((

James Godward said:

Carl,

That is aonther one where reciprocity does not apply!  :-((

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I think that is a good thing.

I was involved in an accident while pulling doubles a few years ago. I was approching a bridge with one vehicle oncoming in the distance. On the opposite side of the road before the bridge there was a teeny bopper trying to decide whether she could beat me and should pull out into my lane. I did slow a little as I observed her. At the last moment she gunned it and could have made it but, chickened out. This left her broad side to oncoming traffic just sitting there. I nailed it. She watched the truck go by, the fiver go by, and she nailed it. This resulted in her T-boneing my boat trailer. She was still broadside to the oncoming traffic. To make a long story short, she did do some fancy driving at that point to clear the road. I was stopped and running for her before she got stopped. I was so thankful she was not hurt. She was crying and saying she was in a hurry and so sorry. I calmed her down and called the cops.
The police never said a word about length, doubles, or anything. The report was written as it happened and her insurance fixed my trailer. This happened in TN on Hwy 52 near Portland.

Towing double trailers is as safe as the driver. I know my limitations and never cross them. I have brakes on both trailers and it is amazing how fast I can stop if I have to. I am never closer than 5 seconds to the vehical in front of me. The only other trouble I ever have is somebody passing because of the gap and slowing down. 

       

I have a class A CDL with double/triple endorsement, Utah issued license, I have my CDL for my job. I know you don't have to have a CDL in Utah to pull doubles (recreational equipment), max length is 65 feet. I have read you have to have different license or endorsements per different state, California being the strictest. My rig is 62 feet long, tv, 5er, and utility trailer with ATV. I am well under my weight limits for my tv. I am wondering where I am legal to pull my rig, do other states recognize Utah CDL's, I would think they would since I am legal to drive a semi interstate. I also have insurance for my rig as described, so that should not be an issue either.

The issue isn't that other states won't recognize your Utah CDL, they will.  The problem is that the consist may not be legal in all other states.  You can pull a triple in Utah but not in most other states.  It has nothing to do with your CDL.

I know that my tv, 5er have nothing to do with my CDL, but it sounds like some states that do not allow double towing unless you have a class A licence with endorsement, like California. Would I be able to pull my rig into california with the license I have.

Each state has its own rules, I don't know the specifics of the CA regs.  We have some members here that do know the CA regs quite well and will probably join in here with more information.  If the consist is legal in a state, then I would expect you could drive it with your CDL as the licenses is recognized reciprocally by the other states.

Check out this site www.doublehitch.com  it is neat don't know if you can run this set up in all states.but it is cool.