NA - Thinking about a bucket truck

[RJM62]

Aren't moving violations more expensive when you have a cdl? Or points higher? Does the cdl require an additional physical? Doesn't the cdl require an additional road test when renewing license to maintain, unlike the regular which is pay the fee and get the new license? There are downsides to having a cdl, correct?

I don't know about any cost difference for violations and points because I never had any while I had a CDL. I suspect it varies by state. I do know that it's easy to lose a CDL for moving violations.

I was told that the BAC goes down to 0.04% if you have a CDL no matter what you're driving, but I never bothered to check on it. A friend who worked for DMV told me that, but he'd only worked there a few months at the time. I know the lower limit applied when driving a CMV. I also read somewhere that they were thinking about lowering it further.

The CDL does require a physical from an authorized DOT Medical Examiner. It's almost identical to the FAA Third Class, but the examiner has more discretion in certifying an individual. Diabetes requires a waiver, but it's pretty easy to get. Some states waive the medical card for intrastate use.

No additional road test is required to renew a CDL. A vision test is always required to renew. An additional written test is also required to renew a HazMat endorsement, as is another TSA clearance. It also requires re-fingerprinting (at least in New York), which I think is ridiculous, but they didn't ask my opinion.

The license and renewal fees are higher for a CDL. It also may have two renewal dates: One for the CDL, and other for the HazMat if one had that endorsement. HazMat always expires in five years, regardless of the CDL expiration date.

The reason I downgraded was that when mine came due, I was still living in The City; and renewing it would have required three trips to DMV (figure a day wasted each time), a trip to the Medical Examiner to get the medical renewed, a DM2 waiver from DOT (which would have required a trip to my PCP and another trip to the lab to have some blood work done), and a trip to the State Police to get fingerprinted yet again.

So all told it would have meant six trips and between $600.00 to $800.00 -- all to renew a license I no longer needed. It just wasn't worth it. The only reason I had it was for work I no longer did (installing stationary EVDO antennas), and I hadn't done that work in years.

Rich

 

[MIFlyer]

I don't know about any cost difference for violations and points because I never had any while I had a CDL. I suspect it varies by state. I do know that it's easy to lose a CDL for moving violations.

I was told that the BAC goes down to 0.04% if you have a CDL no matter what you're driving, but I never bothered to check on it. A friend who worked for DMV told me that, but he'd only worked there a few months at the time. I know the lower limit applied when driving a CMV. I also read somewhere that they were thinking about lowering it further.

The CDL does require a physical from an authorized DOT Medical Examiner. It's almost identical to the FAA Third Class, but the examiner has more discretion in certifying an individual. Diabetes requires a waiver, but it's pretty easy to get. Some states waive the medical card for intrastate use.

No additional road test is required to renew a CDL. A vision test is always required to renew. An additional written test is also required to renew a HazMat endorsement, as is another TSA clearance. It also re-fingerprinting (at least in New York), which I think is ridiculous, but they didn't ask my opinion.

The license and renewal fees are higher for a CDL. It also may have two renewal dates: One for the CDL, and other for the HazMat if one had that endorsement. HazMat always expires in five years, regardless of the CDL expiration date.

The reason I downgraded was that when mine came due, I was still living in The City; and renewing it would have required three trips to DMV (figure a day wasted each time), a trip to the Medical Examiner to get the medical renewed, a DM2 waiver from DOT (which would have required a trip to my PCP and another trip to the lab to have some blood work done), and a trip to the State Police to get fingerprinted yet again.

So all told it would have meant six trips and between $600.00 to $800.00 -- all to renew a license I no longer needed. It just wasn't worth it. The only reason I had it was for work I no longer did (installing stationary EVDO antennas), and I hadn't done that work in years.

Rich

thanks. I researched my state's requirements and there are some truths.

DUI goes down to .04%
CDL can be suspended for two moving violations (specific ones) including talking on a cell phone.
overall, i'm hoping to just avoid needing the CDL, and I'm likely to pick on that is under 26,000 lbs just so I don't have to deal with it

 

[Ted]

thanks. I researched my state's requirements and there are some truths.

DUI goes down to .04%
CDL can be suspended for two moving violations (specific ones) including talking on a cell phone.
overall, i'm hoping to just avoid needing the CDL, and I'm likely to pick on that is under 26,000 lbs just so I don't have to deal with it

I would agree that getting a CDL just to have is probably not something you want to go through unless you have a reason for it.

When I had the semi I looked into it. The way the rules worked as I found it were basically that as a non-commercial use I was able to not have a CDL so long as I stayed within certain boundaries. Each state is different, but in most coastal states the max gross weight is the big thing.

If I decided at some point that I needed a semi again, then I would get a CDL. What I found was that not having one when driving a semi added too many complexities, even though I legally didn't need it. But for what you're doing, getting something where you won't need a CDL is probably the way to go.

 

[TCABM]

...non-commercial use I was able to not have a CDL so long as I stayed within certain boundaries. ...

In Texas, one can have a non-CDL Class A or B for exempt vehicles with a GCWR >26,001 lbs.

As you mentioned, exempt vehicles can come with restriction.

 

[Ted]

In Texas, one can have a non-CDL Class A or B for exempt vehicles with a GCWR >26,001 lbs.

As you mentioned, exempt vehicles can come with restriction.

It's interesting how many differences there are from state to state. If you're just staying local to your state, it's not a big deal. Even here being in KC, though, it can become a problem since we so regularly cross over into Missouri, and reciprocity for certain things is not always a given.

 

[RJM62]

In Texas, one can have a non-CDL Class A or B for exempt vehicles with a GCWR >26,001 lbs.

As you mentioned, exempt vehicles can come with restriction.

New York used to do something along those lines, mainly for farmers. I'm not sure exactly how it worked, but they stopped it a few years ago. I don't know why, but this being New York, it probably had something to do with revenue.

Rich

 

[weilke]

It's interesting how many differences there are from state to state. If you're just staying local to your state, it's not a big deal. Even here being in KC, though, it can become a problem since we so regularly cross over into Missouri, and reciprocity for certain things is not always a given.

In some of the Ag states you can drive any weight vehicle for farming purposes within 150 miles of the farm with a regular drivers license. Let's just say the beet campaign is a scary time to be on the back roads.

 

[flyingron]

Hi have one an Upright Lift similar to the one Dtuuri shows. Mostly I use it indoors (and it does get loaned out to the neighbors). Great thing about it is that it goes through standard doorways. I bought it because my hangar (and attached workshop) have 17' ceilings and changing the bulbs and such is a bit rough otherwise. You can get them dirt cheap, but the problem is you have to find one you can go get as shipping them is cost prohibitive.

One of my neighbors has a rough surface boom lift. I'm going to have to stay on better terms with him.

 

[MIFlyer]

It's interesting how many differences there are from state to state. If you're just staying local to your state, it's not a big deal. Even here being in KC, though, it can become a problem since we so regularly cross over into Missouri, and reciprocity for certain things is not always a given.

we have a farm rule too, within 150 miles and intrastate, but since I get to pick the rig, i'm just going to pick something under 26,000 so I don't have to worry. enough come up for sale, that i'm sure I can find one.