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CF-104 · 11-27-2016, 09:33 AM

My 5th wheel GVWR is 11,000 lbs in Manitoba any vehicle over 10,000 lbs requires a commercial DL class 1. 2 or 3. Class 3 will do for me but seems unnecessary ... my question anyone with a CDL or can we safely ignore this.

Question 2 - since I did study the material - Canadian (MB for sure) requires any vehicle over 10K to report to all truck weight stations - just like the Semi's, I have traveled extensively for 20 + years and don't recall (wasnt looking though) ever seeing a TT, 5th Wheel or even MH at a weigh station. (I have traveled in 9/10 CDN Provinces (not Newfoundland) and about 15/50 States.

Thoughts??

puttin · 11-27-2016, 09:47 AM

In Ca. as long as a mh weighs less than 26k pounds and is less than 40'- all you need is a regular dl. Can't remember the trailer details though, sorry.

jelag · 11-27-2016, 11:15 AM

I've never seen a RV in a scale house except for the guys who transport them from the manufacturer to the dealer... since they are in the trucking business, they have to stop and scale.... I'm sure that once you look through the rules in your province you'll find the exclusion rule regarding private use of those vehicles...

FlyFishn · 11-27-2016, 01:13 PM

"Scale houses", "chicken coops", what ever you want to call them aren't all about vehicle weight. They should call them "inspection stations". I was over the road for a couple years in a hot shot (F350 with a 2 car gooseneck trailer) and those would piss me off. If I knew the routes I would hit state routes that avoided them - usually around state lines. I was under 26,001 lbs and in the state I lived in at the time I could go up to 26,000 on a regular non commercial license. The company I hauled for didn't tell me anything about the regulations so I hit the road hauling just like I was driving my personal truck. I knew I didn't need a CDL and therefore I didn't think I needed to stop at a weigh station. I got pulled over a mile past a weigh station one time and that was that. I got escorted back to the weigh station and they went through EVERYTHING. Fire extinguisher, emergency triangles, brake operation, essentially a complete mechanical inspection of both the tow vehicle and trailer, along with proper load restraint - I even got dinged because I had straps through the wheels on my cars that run that didn't have sleeves over the straps touching the smooth rims. Apparently, regardless of the type of edge/surface your straps are touching, they have to have abrasion protection.... I didn't have a log book, so since I couldn't prove my time on the road vs off (even through I usually had only one or two runs a week) they made me park the truck until my 14 hour off-time was run through, or someone who had not been on the road that day came to pick me up. What a PITA.

As for what Manitoba requires - check the regulations. You may want to check with some of the RV dealers to see what they say, but take what they tell you carefully.

If you have a company name on your tow vehicle or RV at all that turns it in to a "commercial vehicle" in most states, I am assuming Canada is similar. Regardless of the vehicle being over or under 26,001lbs or what ever Canada says - a vehicle with a company name on the side is "commercial", therefore under the same motor carrier laws apply with logging, daily inspections, and... hitting the weigh stations.

paz · 11-28-2016, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CF-104

My 5th wheel GVWR is 11,000 lbs in Manitoba any vehicle over 10,000 lbs requires a commercial DL class 1. 2 or 3. Class 3 will do for me but seems unnecessary ... my question anyone with a CDL or can we safely ignore this.

Question 2 - since I did study the material - Canadian (MB for sure) requires any vehicle over 10K to report to all truck weight stations - just like the Semi's, I have traveled extensively for 20 + years and don't recall (wasnt looking though) ever seeing a TT, 5th Wheel or even MH at a weigh station. (I have traveled in 9/10 CDN Provinces (not Newfoundland) and about 15/50 States.

Thoughts??

I don't know about Canada, but as far as I know, no state in the US requires a commercial license for driving an RV unless you're driving the RV for pay. Some states do, however, require a higher classification license (not commercial) for larger RVs. In the US, if you meet the license requirements of your home state, you do not need a different class license to pass through other states even though those other states have different license requirements.

Also, in the US some states require RVs that are being delivered or that are being driven for hire to enter weigh stations, but private RVs are exempt in all states. We have been in 46 of the lower 48 states and have never pulled into a weigh station.

rskeans · 11-28-2016, 08:55 AM

For CA -
With a vehicle weighing 4,000 lbs.
or more unladen, you may tow a:
– Trailer coach or 5th-wheel
travel trailer under 10,000 lbs.
GVWR when towing is not for
compensation with the standard Class C license.
– 5th-wheel travel trailer exceeding 10,000 lbs. but under
15,0 0 0 lb s . GVWR, when towing is not for compensation,
and with endorsement.

If the 5th wheel is greater than 15,000 lbs a Class A non-commercial license is required.

Gordon Dewald · 11-28-2016, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CF-104

My 5th wheel GVWR is 11,000 lbs in Manitoba any vehicle over 10,000 lbs requires a commercial DL class 1. 2 or 3. Class 3 will do for me but seems unnecessary ... my question anyone with a CDL or can we safely ignore this.

Question 2 - since I did study the material - Canadian (MB for sure) requires any vehicle over 10K to report to all truck weight stations - just like the Semi's, I have traveled extensively for 20 + years and don't recall (wasnt looking though) ever seeing a TT, 5th Wheel or even MH at a weigh station. (I have traveled in 9/10 CDN Provinces (not Newfoundland) and about 15/50 States.

Thoughts??

BC does route all traffic through weigh scales occasionally (friend got pulled in and ended up paying a fine and impounded until a larger truck was procured. Said it cost him $800.00.).

Alberta will pull you in if you attract the attention of a transport officer. Never seen it personally.

Nebraska has signs at their weigh scales that "all pickups towing trailers must report when scale open". Have only seen the signs but none of the scales were open.

I believe all states and provinces can pull you in if they consider you to be a hazard or unsafe. Have seen pickups and TT/5er stopped on the side of the road by transport officers (no idea what the issue, if any was or the officer was just assisting a stranded motorist).

SpaceNorman · 11-28-2016, 09:16 AM

In Michigan - a "standard" operator's license is all that's required to drive any motor home (including those with air brakes). The Michigan CDL rules explicitly state that a CDL is NOT required for "Individuals operating motor homes or other vehicles used exclusively to transport personal possessions or family members, for non-business purposes."

The only "special" license requirement - is the Michigan "Recreational Double "R" Endorsement" which is required in order to pull a 5th wheel AND another trailer (toad, boat, motorcycle, jetski, snowmobile trailer, etc.)

IC2 · 12-01-2016, 10:56 AM

In NY with the 'standard' Class D drivers license, you are limited to 26,000 pounds GVWR and is specifically spelled out for RVs. Looks like I have about a 5000 pound cushion with our combo

.

I have yet to see an RV of any sort at a NY weigh point including the one about 3 miles away on I-87 but I'm sure that there are cases. Come to think about it - nor have I seen an RV anywhere in the US or CA stopped for a weigh in and that's several more states and provinces then I show on our current visited map.

Isaac-1 · 12-01-2016, 12:47 PM

One gray area that I am aware of is if the RV is not being used in a traditional private residence situation. I know of a case locally where a guy had bought a Class A motorhome and was using it as a mobile business. a portable vinyl lettering and sign shop, he would set up at festivals, boat shows, etc. He had kept the bedroom for sleeping but gutted much of the living area installed counter tops, computer station, etc. For tax purposes it was registered in the business name, and therefore he ended up in a big mess when it came to CDL license requirements, and also he had to pay MUCH higher insurance rates.

CF-104 · 12-01-2016, 03:27 PM

Thanks for all the reply's up to this point ... so I went to the people who SHOULD KNOW. Thanks MPIC - Manitoba Public Insurance Corp the only licencer (is that a word ?} and ensurer in Manitoba ... so I asked 3 different MPI people and got 3 answers

conflicting. Still searching for the definitive answer.

jtbuilds · 12-01-2016, 10:35 PM

BC requires a heavy trailer endorsement (Class 3) over 10,400lbs.

Just For Fun · 12-02-2016, 04:07 AM

In New Mexico it's a Class "E" non-commercial vehicle license upgrade for operating a vehicle over 26,000 lbs- simply sign the form and go.

Timon · 12-02-2016, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puttin

In Ca. as long as a mh weighs less than 26k pounds and is less than 40'- all you need is a regular dl. Can't remember the trailer details though, sorry.

Youre half right, only length matters on a MH not weight. So you can drive a 40' 60,000 pound MH with a tag on a Class C license and even pull a trailer that weighs less than 10,000 Pounds.