GAmes

Neither was I. I was talking what is legal. There must have been a powerful magnet to get you to leave TX and move to CA.

And hivoltage is right. The idea proposed by the OP is fundamentally unsound for a few reasons. As I posted previously, a smaller trailer and fewer pallets is well within safety standards and vehicle capabilities. I can't speak about hazmat, never had any occasion to be versed in those laws.

idacal

I was pulling a goose neck trailer and had a combined weight of 28000 lbs and the trailer brakes came unplugged from the truck coming down a hill with a stop light at the bottom. that was one of the scariest times I have had towing trailers. We went through that red light with smoke coming off all four brakes and horn blaring, make sure your plug doesnt move when pushed in. people saw us coming and stopped thankfully. just something to think about that plug can come out. I had made sure everything was safe even done my walk around because I knew I was overloaded. but something in the bed of the truck shifted and worked the plug out. Its totally safe to haul overloaded until there is an unexpected emergency and it doesnt matter carefull you are the odds are against you not having an emergency some time in your driving career.

Busboy

After being directly involved with shipping Hazmat (over 25 years) even before we had to be licensed all I can say is it's a big deal and the fines are big... I mostly shipped by air but explosives and some other items too heavy or materials in too large a quantity had to be trucked. As I was never the "Carrier" I just wonder how someone transports their own hazmat if they are not licensed to ship? Anyone know how?

Valv

Games, I think you should quit playing games and read the regulations for commercial transportation, CDL, and DOT regulations, then talk about hearsay

GAmes

I read them and am pretty well informed. How do you think I got over 625k miles on my Dodge? I've been pulling trailers all over the U.S., most of them rated over 10,000 pounds with a class C non-commercial drivers license. My pick-up has a GVWR of 10,500 which allows me to pull trailers with GVWRs up to 15,500 without a CDL. Maybe you ought to read the regs

rich

not to be a smart *** but you shoul have to have a usdot number and a mc number if you are getting paid to to haul across state lines with those weights for commercial purposes. which would mean you would need a cdl and other major items. not sure because i'm over 26k so i know i have to have those items

GAmes

I do display a USDOT number, have an MC number and go thru weigh stations and pay for permits in NM, AZ, MT, ID and BC. You do not require a CDL to have a USDOT number and haul commercial.

CLASS A - This classification applies only to "combination" vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) exceeding 26,000 pounds, provided the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed exceeds 10,000 pounds.

This ain't rocket science. Why do so many people interpret that to mean a trailer rated over 10,000 pounds requires a CDL?

rich

you mite need to go and read section 383.91 in the dot rulebook believe you fall under group b, why does everyone think you only have to have a class a to be commercial. their is a b and c also. which also means you should be running logs and have an ifta sticker correct

Valv

Let him be Rich, he thinks he's right and knows it all. One of these days he will get pulled over and fined, then he will figure it out. No sense starting a fight over this.

GAmes

Nope, won't be fined. I've had a couple of DOT inspections and even got an atta boy sticker for no faults. I do run a log book, don't need ifta because I'm not over 26,000. The only ticket I've received in 5 years was for not going into a weigh station in Idaho on I90. I would have, but didn't see it. The ticket was written at the scale in Montana when I stopped there for a permit.

From http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/registratio...ng/cdl/cdl.htm

Classes of License:

The Federal standard requires States to issue a CDL to drivers according to the following license classifications:

Class A -- Any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.

Class B -- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds GVWR.

Class C -- Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that does not meet the definition of Class A or Class B, but is either designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials.

As you can see Class B doesn't apply because I am not a single vehicle with a GVWR over 26,000 and class C doesn't apply because I don't carry passengers or hazardous materials.

If you guys are drivng commercial you might read the regs yourselves, or have someone read them to you.

rich

Like I said I was trying to make it a pissing contest, I keep up with what iI have to know since that is what matters to me and my business which is the class A section what the little guys are required is not important to me to have to keep up with since their is plenty of regs in the class a area which change all the time due to interpetation by the dot officers. The guy asked question and what he was driving was in the class a catagory, not anywhere else so i was trying to help him and prevent him from getting into a lot of $$$ trouble when and if he got stopped, not debate the FMCSA rule book.

NickBeek

Fred, all the rest aside. You might want to load your new trailer with whatever you can find locally and drive it around your home area to see about stability and such. I don't believe it is a sound business decision to drive all that way unloaded, then load up to decide if your gonna haul it back or not.

My personal opinion is never tax a truck up to or above it's rated load or towing capacity, but that's just me.

eliminate this

That is 100% true in Cali.

jbone

I have been involved in trucking for over 40 years. I have taken more than my share of chances, and I like adventure. But it seems to me that anyone who will try to run 4k miles with an overloaded single wheel truck hauling possibly hazardous chemicals is not acting like a responsible person. But, there are more things to take into consideration, also. First, the truck will have to be licensed for a minimum of 38k pounds with apportioned plates, will have to be placarded, driver must have CDL class "A" with hazmat endorsement, and must have USDOT and ICC numbers, commercial insurance, and annual DOT inspection on both truck and trailer. Unless you have access to a scale when you load, you will run the risk of being taken out of service at the first scale you cross for being over gross/over axle, if the trailer is not loaded properly. Even if you get your weight right, your truck is too light duty, your brakes are too small, and safety for all concerned is compromised. Accidents can happen to anyone at anytime. Just look at all the 16 year old girls driving and talking on the cell phone. The liability involved in this undertaking would be tremendous. I would strongly suggest that you reconsider using a commercial carrier. I'm not saying you are an unsafe driver, but don't be reckless and irresponsible in your thinking.

jbone

The only way you can do it is if (1) you have no more than 4 axles, and(2) Your gross weight is 26,000 or less. A commercial hauler pulling a 5er with 3 axles must have a CDL. Any commercial hauler with 5 axles, regardless of his weight, must have a CDL.