When do you need a CDL Heavy (heavy equipment, Tractors ?)

[hobbyfarm]

11 minutes ago, dale560 said:

Most of them are illegal. I didn’t know about the 10,000 lb trailer either until researching law. Makes any hobbiest pulling a medium size tractor around need a cdl.

I think in PA as soon as you register your trailer over 10k gvw you need a cdl to move it down the road.  I have 2 trailers registered down to 10k gvw.  One is in the farm name and  one personal name.  I guess if it is in the farm name moving farm product we would be exempt but with it not registered for it's full capacity we would again be illegal over 10k. If I had registered it up I can't use it for personal use.  The laws are a trap.  All is fine and dandy until you get in a wreck of any kind. 

[TractormanMike.mb]

Another thing to note with a trailer besides requiring a cdl is that you also may need to keep a log book.

[DWF]

Also the weight that enforcement goes by is the manufacturer's rating, not what you have it licensed for.

DWF

[mader656]

31 minutes ago, dale560 said:

Hope you get it done before feb. 7. If you have a permit now you are good. But after feb you need training.

I passed the written so I'm good till the learners expires.

[1066 Peterbilt]

23 minutes ago, TractormanMike.mb said:

Another thing to note with a trailer besides requiring a cdl is that you also may need to keep a log book.

  Local not for hire? You do not need one. I do keep a DVCR book in my 9370 straight truck. Keep out of getting a DOT number if at all possible. Never charge for hauling even your own commodity. If asked it is sold as a delivered commodity. Hauling is free.  

[1066 Peterbilt]

8 minutes ago, mader656 said:

I passed the written so I'm good till the learners expires.

  I saw the power company guys show up with a single axle truck and trailer with air brakes. Day cab and short drop deck, easy peasy.  They left with the same license as folks struggling with a large car and a 53' trailer.

[mader656]

3 minutes ago, 1066 Peterbilt said:

  I saw the power company guys show up with a single axle truck and trailer with air brakes. Day cab and short drop deck, easy peasy.  They left with the same license as folks struggling with a large car and a 53' trailer.

Just taking my 5500 and 25 foot gooseneck...at this point if I need more trailer I'll hire it done.

[hobbyfarm]

8 hours ago, DWF said:

Also the weight that enforcement goes by is the manufacturer's rating, not what you have it licensed for.

DWF

This must vary state to state.  People even play the register down game with pickups here.  

[jeeper61]

2 hours ago, hobbyfarm said:

10 hours ago, DWF said:

Also the weight that enforcement goes by is the manufacturer's rating, not what you have it licensed for.

DWF

This must vary state to state.  People even play the register down game with pickups here.  

That just gets you a cheaper registration fee.

The CDL requirement is still going by the manufacturer's tags.

And then do not go over the registered weight because that is what they will base the over weight limit on.

[Gearclash]

20 hours ago, dale560 said:

Another place people don’t realize you need a cdl. Is pulling trailer behind a pickup. If it is over 10,000 lbs you need a license. That is trailer and load being 10,000 lbs or more. If it is legitimate ag related you can be exempt but hauling your tractor to a show doesn’t fly. That and gooseneck trailer. If pickup , trailer are gvwr combined over 26000 you need a cdl. So unless it is legitimate to raising or selling ag produce you need a cdl. Also campers or motor homes are exempt even a semi pulling a 45 ft camper would be exempt if not used for business just a personal camper.

Pickups and trailers is a big grey area.  Very grey.  In 2011 I got pulled over in PA while driving a pickup towing a tandem dual trailer loaded.  By any calculation my GCWR was well over 26,000.  Actual weight was somewhat over 31,000.  So solidly in CDL territory.  I did get a citation for no CDL but I was not red tagged.  I very highly doubt that would have been the case if I had been driving a Class 8 truck with the same trailer and load.

[m.c.farmerboy]

In Maine on farm plates, you can drive a simi up 69000 gross on a regular license but have to be at list 18 years old farm tractors Min 16 years if you have attended a safety cores pay loaders 18 years and must have a drivers license, BUT a doctor or lawyer or anyone can drive a 60 foot motor home towing a car that they can't see in the mirror on a regular license!

[m.c.farmerboy]

1 hour ago, Gearclash said:

Pickups and trailers is a big grey area.  Very grey.  In 2011 I got pulled over in PA while driving a pickup towing a tandem dual trailer loaded.  By any calculation my GCWR was well over 26,000.  Actual weight was somewhat over 31,000.  So solidly in CDL territory.  I did get a citation for no CDL but I was not red tagged.  I very highly doubt that would have been the case if I had been driving a Class 8 truck with the same trailer and load.

I was at Iowa 80 with a load on a 53' step deck coming home from an auction in NE. and a cop was giving me the look over and a guy pulling out gets on the radio and said son, Iowa sands for I outa Went Around I never forgot that one

[maxxum 140]

21 hours ago, dale560 said:

Another place people don’t realize you need a cdl. Is pulling trailer behind a pickup. If it is over 10,000 lbs you need a license. That is trailer and load being 10,000 lbs or more. If it is legitimate ag related you can be exempt but hauling your tractor to a show doesn’t fly. That and gooseneck trailer. If pickup , trailer are gvwr combined over 26000 you need a cdl. So unless it is legitimate to raising or selling ag produce you need a cdl. Also campers or motor homes are exempt even a semi pulling a 45 ft camper would be exempt if not used for business just a personal camper.

We live in South Dakota and we purchased a mx135 loader tractor for our farming operation from a dealer in North Dakota.  We were hauling it home got about 6 miles from the state border and got pulled over.  Ended up getting put out of service, a fine for no medical card, and warnings for no cdl or dot number.  I asked the trooper since we were close to the stateline if we could unload the  tractor and drive it across the line and then load it back up?  He said wouldn't matter because even though trailer would be empty it and the pickup could still haul 26001 and since we crossed statelines it becomes federal and farmers are not exempt from that have to have cdl the cross statelines if you rig can legally haul over 26001lbs.

[m.c.farmerboy]

another old law in Maine is all farm machinery has the right of way I have seen many folks from away get ticketed for cutting off or doing something stupid when passing farm equipment a guy flipped me the bird once as he passed me pulling a chopper and dump wagon and the cop behind him pulled him over I could not keep from laughing when I passed him and the cop as I turned into the field and the cop gave me a big wave, I'm sure the cop had worked on a farm at one time

[m.c.farmerboy]

6 minutes ago, maxxum 140 said:

We live in South Dakota and we purchased a mx135 loader tractor for our farming operation from a dealer in North Dakota.  We were hauling it home got about 6 miles from the state border and got pulled over.  Ended up getting put out of service, a fine for no medical card, and warnings for no cdl or dot number.  I asked the trooper since we were close to the stateline if we could unload the  tractor and drive it across the line and then load it back up?  He said wouldn't matter because even though trailer would be empty it and the pickup could still haul 26001 and since we crossed statelines it becomes federal and farmers are not exempt from that have to have cdl the cross statelines if you rig can legally haul over 26001lbs.

I don't have the law book handy but farm plates are good any where in the U.S. with no cdl however you have to obey all fed dot rules log book med. card dot number and fuel permits also hours of service and you can only haul your own stuff can't haul for other people I told a cop once after he asked me, is all this yours? I said till I get paid for it. he said correct answer

[dale560]

48 minutes ago, m.c.farmerboy said:

I don't have the law book handy but farm plates are good any where in the U.S. with no cdl however you have to obey all fed dot rules log book med. card dot number and fuel permits also hours of service and you can only haul your own stuff can't haul for other people I told a cop once after he asked me, is all this yours? I said till I get paid for it. he said correct answer

Only 150 miles from your farm. That is why I am getting all my endorsements while I can. Just in case you ever need to go anyplace should be good.

[dale560]

1 hour ago, maxxum 140 said:

We live in South Dakota and we purchased a mx135 loader tractor for our farming operation from a dealer in North Dakota.  We were hauling it home got about 6 miles from the state border and got pulled over.  Ended up getting put out of service, a fine for no medical card, and warnings for no cdl or dot number.  I asked the trooper since we were close to the stateline if we could unload the  tractor and drive it across the line and then load it back up?  He said wouldn't matter because even though trailer would be empty it and the pickup could still haul 26001 and since we crossed statelines it becomes federal and farmers are not exempt from that have to have cdl the cross statelines if you rig can legally haul over 26001lbs.

You actually have reciprocity in North and South Dakota. I know we can go into Mn also. That 150 mile mark is the big thing. But if they put you out of service it is a big deal. And I suppose you should have the pickup registered with farm plates not regular.

[mader656]

5 hours ago, maxxum 140 said:

We live in South Dakota and we purchased a mx135 loader tractor for our farming operation from a dealer in North Dakota.  We were hauling it home got about 6 miles from the state border and got pulled over.  Ended up getting put out of service, a fine for no medical card, and warnings for no cdl or dot number.  I asked the trooper since we were close to the stateline if we could unload the  tractor and drive it across the line and then load it back up?  He said wouldn't matter because even though trailer would be empty it and the pickup could still haul 26001 and since we crossed statelines it becomes federal and farmers are not exempt from that have to have cdl the cross statelines if you rig can legally haul over 26001lbs.

Leave tractor and trailer...get a gooseneck mover for 3pt load truck on trailer continue on your merry way....

[DirtBoyz07]

Here in Minnesota the DOT is terrible , if you have a pickup with a gooseneck trailer and your truck is rated for 10,000 lbs and your trailer is rated for 20,000 lbs your over 26,000 lbs now your a commercial Vehical , DOT inspections on your pickups , gooseneck trailer , 5 lb fire extinguisher, heath card , US DOT number , enroll in DOT drug and alcohol testing program , have record keeping on your Vehicles . If you want to run farm plates you can but then you can’t go out of state , 120 air miles miles from home address 😳🤬🤬 

I sound like I work for the DOT , it’s suck a crock , I keep all my stuff in perfect shape , tie everything down , flag my over width , move my dozer after rush hour times or on weekends when there not working just to avoid the DOT guys . The state patrol officers are dual officers , police /DOT . They have cameras and scales in the hwy now just north of Rochester MN hwy 52 at Oronoco , they can weigh you and take picture of your truck so they have your DOT number , speed and weight 😳 they have cameras on every bridge between Rochester and the twin cities , these are the ones I know about 😕🤬

Its getting harder and harder to go outside the area especially going to Red Power , these states are out to get us guys running commercial trucks .

Danny 

[m.c.farmerboy]

4 hours ago, DirtBoyz07 said:

Here in Minnesota the DOT is terrible , if you have a pickup with a gooseneck trailer and your truck is rated for 10,000 lbs and your trailer is rated for 20,000 lbs your over 26,000 lbs now your a commercial Vehical , DOT inspections on your pickups , gooseneck trailer , 5 lb fire extinguisher, heath card , US DOT number , enroll in DOT drug and alcohol testing program , have record keeping on your Vehicles . If you want to run farm plates you can but then you can’t go out of state , 120 air miles miles from home address 😳🤬🤬 

I sound like I work for the DOT , it’s suck a crock , I keep all my stuff in perfect shape , tie everything down , flag my over width , move my dozer after rush hour times or on weekends when there not working just to avoid the DOT guys . The state patrol officers are dual officers , police /DOT . They have cameras and scales in the hwy now just north of Rochester MN hwy 52 at Oronoco , they can weigh you and take picture of your truck so they have your DOT number , speed and weight 😳 they have cameras on every bridge between Rochester and the twin cities , these are the ones I know about 😕🤬

Its getting harder and harder to go outside the area especially going to Red Power , these states are out to get us guys running commercial trucks .

Danny 

Danny get farm plates and a dot # and play dumb They will leave you alone and if they ask for a log book tell them you don't haul logs

[m.c.farmerboy]

4 hours ago, DirtBoyz07 said:

Here in Minnesota the DOT is terrible , if you have a pickup with a gooseneck trailer and your truck is rated for 10,000 lbs and your trailer is rated for 20,000 lbs your over 26,000 lbs now your a commercial Vehical , DOT inspections on your pickups , gooseneck trailer , 5 lb fire extinguisher, heath card , US DOT number , enroll in DOT drug and alcohol testing program , have record keeping on your Vehicles . If you want to run farm plates you can but then you can’t go out of state , 120 air miles miles from home address 😳🤬🤬 

I sound like I work for the DOT , it’s suck a crock , I keep all my stuff in perfect shape , tie everything down , flag my over width , move my dozer after rush hour times or on weekends when there not working just to avoid the DOT guys . The state patrol officers are dual officers , police /DOT . They have cameras and scales in the hwy now just north of Rochester MN hwy 52 at Oronoco , they can weigh you and take picture of your truck so they have your DOT number , speed and weight 😳 they have cameras on every bridge between Rochester and the twin cities , these are the ones I know about 😕🤬

Its getting harder and harder to go outside the area especially going to Red Power , these states are out to get us guys running commercial trucks .

Danny 

If you have farm plates and a federal inspection sticker or your state sticker is the same as a fed sticker and you follow all the other dot regs you can go any where in the U.S.A. I have been doing it for years just make sure you only haul your own stuff

[m.c.farmerboy]

I run Federal Inspection stickers on all my trucks and trailers as long as they will pass, 90% of the dot cops will let you go, I carry photo copys of the Fed sticker laws and Farm plate laws with me at all times if you show the cop they let you go if everything is safe, I do inspections for a large sod farm out of CT. They have 16 tractor trailers on the road and farm in 3 states and deliver sod to 8 states all on farm plates. If the cop don't know the laws show him a copy some guys I know carry a copy of the dot rule book on them  

[DirtBoyz07]

Thats interesting on the farm plates , I better ask about that again , the biggest problem is I haul my big dozer , I’m over width but I do mainly all farm work and they would have a hard time proving different . The going out of state deal gets tough and let me tell you they have more rules and I’m a private carrier because I haul just my own stuff but if you get stopped you better have trip permits or there going to hold you . I am sick of all this DOT stuff , it’s crazy trying to keep up with all of it to only put less than 5000 miles a year on my semi and the two pickups pulling trailer is less than 5000 miles on both of them too .

Im with you guys , each guy that would stop you don’t even know the law that there trying to write you a ticket for . If you have a currant sheet of the law you would be more up to date than them . I had our local DOT officer tell me I can run all 48 states as long as I’m not for hire and the only thing they would jam you up on is fuel permits . Well I have been stopped at the scale in Wisconsin/ Beloit scale 😳 what a joke and he could answer the stuff I ask him and tried to tell me I was wrong for driving through his state with no permits . It’s to long of a story but all I can say is stay away from scales and make sure you have a guys place your going to and that’s why your where you are . Have your stuff clean , everything working , don’t speed , don’t do anything wrong and you can sneak around .

Danny 

[m.c.farmerboy]

47 minutes ago, DirtBoyz07 said:

Thats interesting on the farm plates , I better ask about that again , the biggest problem is I haul my big dozer , I’m over width but I do mainly all farm work and they would have a hard time proving different . The going out of state deal gets tough and let me tell you they have more rules and I’m a private carrier because I haul just my own stuff but if you get stopped you better have trip permits or there going to hold you . I am sick of all this DOT stuff , it’s crazy trying to keep up with all of it to only put less than 5000 miles a year on my semi and the two pickups pulling trailer is less than 5000 miles on both of them too .

Im with you guys , each guy that would stop you don’t even know the law that there trying to write you a ticket for . If you have a currant sheet of the law you would be more up to date than them . I had our local DOT officer tell me I can run all 48 states as long as I’m not for hire and the only thing they would jam you up on is fuel permits . Well I have been stopped at the scale in Wisconsin/ Beloit scale 😳 what a joke and he could answer the stuff I ask him and tried to tell me I was wrong for driving through his state with no permits . It’s to long of a story but all I can say is stay away from scales and make sure you have a guys place your going to and that’s why your where you are . Have your stuff clean , everything working , don’t speed , don’t do anything wrong and you can sneak around .

Danny 

I hear what your saying and I know it's a pain in the Azz, one thing we have in state is a privet company called Maine Motor Carrier Association it's run be ex state Troppers and DOT cops cost $160. a year and they will do all the paper work and get you up to speed on all the Regs. they have a lawyer also and they keep the DOT cops in line had them help me once, when we got done the judge told the cop, I don't want to see Your name and Mr. Faulkners name on the same ticket ever again! Maby your state has something the same I'd check it will save a lot of headaches, what a lot of the guys going to tractor shows do is have a slide in camper on the goose neck put the tractor on the back and reg. the pick up as an RV its a gray area and cop don't bother them 10 or 20 of them in my area and they go to tractor shows all over  wish it was not so hard, Beat of luck to you

[m.c.farmerboy]

2 minutes ago, m.c.farmerboy said:

I hear what your saying and I know it's a pain in the Azz, one thing we have in state is a privet company called Maine Motor Carrier Association it's run be ex state Troppers and DOT cops cost $160. a year and they will do all the paper work and get you up to speed on all the Regs. they have a lawyer also and they keep the DOT cops in line had them help me once, when we got done the judge told the cop, I don't want to see Your name and Mr. Faulkners name on the same ticket ever again! Maby your state has something the same I'd check it will save a lot of headaches, what a lot of the guys going to tractor shows do is have a slide in camper on the goose neck put the tractor on the back and reg. the pick up as an RV its a gray area and cop don't bother them 10 or 20 of them in my area and they go to tractor shows all over  wish it was not so hard, Beat of luck to you

On the dozer if your hauling it to do work on your farm your all good sometimes you have to be a little creative when I'm doing custom work I tell the cop I'm renting the field