Thanks for remembering - I think what it came down to is that I was insecure about how much money I could make and how much time I would have to be away from my wife. We've got a nice house now and a great dog and those are wonderful things so I can't complain too much. I am always keeping an eye and ear open for opportunities that will pays the bills and get me out on the road but home every night I still get the "Light and Medium Duty Truck" and LandLine magazines to try to keep on top of what is going on too... And I really like those new 4500/5500 trucks.

How is the road treating you??

 

. The trailer puts him over the 10,000 lbs. that makes the log books and medical card required . Any truck pulling the trailer would be subject to the rules . Know the HOS rules . 14 hour a day limit and no more of 11 of that can be driving . Then you have to take a 10 hour break before starting again . You can't just start a log book the first day you start driving . It must show the past 7 days on duty . On duty hours are defined as any compensated pay whether related to trucking or not . You are limited to 60 hours in 7 days if your company operates 6 days a week or 70 hours in 8 days if it's a 7 day a week operation . Several states pay particular attention to duallies . I've seen several of them put out of service at the scales , especially in KY , TN , and AL .

 

If the GVWR of the trailer is over 10000#s do I need a CDL?

 

Anyone know the penalty for not having a log book?

 

No as long as the gvwr of the truck and the trailer combined is not over 26k.

 

Depends on the state, but the hassle they will park you and you can not travel until you are legal. They will also nail you for a med card. The likely outcome would be you sitting until another "legal" driver showed up and finished the trip. I have seen many guys parked, and have had to go p/u a trailer because a driver was not legal to continue. Its not a game worth playing.

 

Does anyone know if the 34 hour restart is still in effect. 34 hrs. off duty you are good for a fresh 70 .

 

Yes, you can still use the 34 hour restart rule.

 

You have to be carefull of that. In Ontario, Canada is the trailer is rated over 10000gvw and you do not have a Class 3 license then you will be shut down on the spot. Now this is where it is a head ache, Class 3 is a commercial license. But you need it to tow a larger fifth wheel. My fifth wheel is 10400 gvw. When I had a 2005 CDT dually, I need a Class 3 license in Manitoba, Canada. In Alberta, Canada I am not sure, just transfered my licence.

I stopped at a weigh scale in Alberta when working out here pulling my fifth wheel and weighed and went in. Asked a few questions, and the basic answer was if I was not hauling the trailers commercially then I did not have to stop at the weigh stations. They have signs before the station saying that if it was a holiday trailer you did not have to stop in.

 

Gotta love log books.

 

Not really relevant since we are talking about the US. Also the law you are talking about applies to Canadian residents, we send drivers into Canada all the time non-cdl hauling over 10k trailers and we are fine.

 

Read the signs...some just say "all trucks"...some say "all COMMERCIAL vehicles"....some leave it to the whim of the guy with the blue lights....

A commercial vehicle is used "in the furtherance of a business enterprise"....
so a lettered vehicle, with numbers, etc, will be considered by most who see it to be a commercial vehicle.

As I "appear" to be commercial but am not, I cross scales as a courtesy so they don't have to chase me down. Never had an issue, but I have the Class A CDL because of GCVWR w/trailer over 10,000#.

Be careful between inTERstate and inTRAstate, and when crossing state lines know the rules of the state you are entering. Easier to prepare in advance than to sit on the roadside waiting.....