Who's running CDL?

CCC

New member
Been seeing a lot of nice (and heavy) trailer setups around here. Utah (and some other states I've researched) mandate a CDL for any trailer over 10k GVW.

How many of you are carrying one or having your operators carry one? How did it affect your insurance rates (commercially and personally)? How difficult was it to get? Any other input?
 
I have never let mine expire. I have doubles and triples trailer endorsements as well as Tanker endorsement.

It did not affect my personal insurance at all.
It was not difficult to get. Although if you don't have access to the vehicle for the driving test itself, it could be an issue. The written test was not hard, but can vary by which endorsements you are applying for.

Oh yeah, then there is the physical so be healthy. lol.

There are very few obsticles in getting licensed.

I do not actually drive the big rig for my company, but, I keep the license current , because you never know.

Also, the application fee is a little more than reg. license.

Good luck, they are great to have.
 
Ashley, I have often wondered about guys carrying around over 125 gallons of chlorine on their rig. That would require a hazmat ensorsement. I wonder if they even think about it. Not only do you have to have a hazmat endorsment, you have to have placards on your tank if it is an open trailer and on your trailer if it is an enclosed trailer. I really don't think they want that fine. Oh, one more thing. Don't get caught with that on your trailer and not coming to a complete stop at a RR crossing. That is automatic suspension of your drivers licence. I actually drove a truck for about 7 years. I have all my endorsements. I keep it valid just in case. It only cost me $50 to renew. The last time I did it that is what is was anyway.
 
I have the CDL Class B for driving my Big Bucket Truck. It was not that hard to get. You have the computerized or book type tests then the driving.

I have thought about the X-endorsement for hauling hazardous cargo but am still thinking about it. If I get some very huge jobs to bid on then I might go for it but right now I do not see the need. I believe that for the X-endorsement they do the background check but I am sure I will pass that.
 
Chris, you can get HazMat endorsement and run 12% to those who don't have easy access to it and make a killing in mileage and fuel surcharges.
Then you would have 101 businesses to run instead of 100.
 
I carry a class A cdl, and have since the inception of the CDL. I drove a commercial rig of one sort or another for a living, until April of 04.

I still carry a nearly fully endorsed CDL, I reapplied for a lapsed HAZMAT endorsement just this afternoon. X and H endorsements (x is tanks and hazmat) require a background check and fingerprinting. Cost for check and prints is $89 and some change. The test isn't too difficult, read the manual and try it out.

Motor vehicle compliance is easy enough to warrant the fees and time for me, and the fines for non-compliance are steep.

The only endorsements I haven't had are the bus endorsements, I don't haul anything that walks off the truck. No bullracks, no people-wagons. If I had to choose I'd pick a bullrack over a bus, cattle are easy to get along with.;)

This will be an issue of growing importance in the industry as states look for revenue, fines and fees on companies (especially small operations) are too tempting to lawmakers, and it is easy to scapegoat us as non-compliant businesses trying to get away with endangering children by hauling dangerous chems without a piece of paper saying we know how to be safe.

Another important point in this topic is inspection and logging-paperwork. Motor carrier enforcement is notoriously bad at standardizing statute interpretation, so find out how your state interprets the laws, and how they expect you to comply. Then comply.

This is serious CYA in today's litigious society, and we need to manage our risks aggressively, and intelligently.
 
I have full endorsements, except for the P endorsement. I have not driven for 11 years now, but keep my license current.

As for driving, I prefer tanks (Chemical, not Gas) and flats. Anything I could be certain I would not have to touch.
 
Utah (and some other states I've researched) mandate a CDL for any trailer over 10k GVW.

How many of you are carrying one or having your operators carry one? How did it affect your insurance rates (commercially and personally)? How difficult was it to get?

Hey Brandon,
That is actually a Federal Law that some states are just now figuring out that they can enforce, Minnesota being one of them. I tried to "nudge" fellow mobile washers about this a few months ago. It focuses on vehicles who's COMBINED weight is 10,000# or greater, not just the trailer only. So this means that 1 ton trucks like K & J and many other mobile washers use pulling a decent trailer set up for pressure washing falls under this law even though they may still weigh less than 26,000#. Once they meet this criteria they fall under ALL of the guidelines pertaining to a commercial vehicle. All drivers MUST have a health card; BOTH truck AND trailer must be inspected and appropriately labeled by a licensed inspector each year, EACH driver must have a CLASS "A" LICENSE and must have all other endorsements necessary. Both units must be inspected before and after operation EACH DAY, and you must have completed inspection reports showing this to be the case. Do you travel out-of-state or greater than 150 miles from homebase to perform your service? This opens up a whole bunch more regulations you now fall under. They must submit to random inspections, including secured equipment, safe transportation of flammables and hazardous substances, etc. If found to be breaking any laws you must fix the items in question immediately and may be tagged "out-of-service" until it is fixed. If these are ignored, a person is hauled to jail, license suspended, and severe fines follow. This usually is all that is required to put a person out of business and worse. It is not something to be taken lightly. The sad part is that most trailer manufactuers are aware of this yet continue to tell buyers that this is the safe and discreet method of running a pressure washing business, which is an outright lie to sell their equipment. Once the money's in their hands, what do they care? And with state finances being tight, it is just a matter of time before they all figure out how to get some more money out of this group as well...:(
 
Hi Blaine,
Thanks for the reply. Are you sure of everything in your post? What I was told by Utah DOT officer and confirmed in the book was that they were adopting Fed regs and it meant anything over 26k combined or over 10k trailer needed class A. Anything over 10K combined needed a health card always and log books if traveling more than 150 miles from home base, but a normal license was fine. This means every guy pulling a lawnmower with a pickup is subject to this if they are doing it in business. I just want to know the ultimate truth, because if I need a CDL (my trailer is only 7K rated, total setup at 23k) I'm in trouble since I can't get one.
 
I have never let mine go either, I carry a CDL with Double/Triple's/Tanker/Haz-Mat
 
Once you loose your CDL it's a pain to get it back. I'm only 35 and have had mine since I was 19. I started off hauling golf carts, moved to heavy duty tow truck then onto transporting heavy construction equipment.

My power washing truck/trailer combo requires me to have my CDL along with the rest of the bull that goes with being a owner/operator of a rig that requires a CDL.
 
I have a class A from my days of running a dumptruck/bobcat. Its worth me keeping it...You never know when you might need it in a pinch.
 
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