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Old 10-14-2013, 12:11 AM   #15
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Thumbs up Towing/Class of License

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chiefrocka View Post
I have a Class C ....
Richard,
The long or short of it is this:

IF your 5er weighs more than 10K lbs, but less than 15K lbs, you MUST an RV Trailer Endorsement on your CLASS C license.

IF you want to pull DOUBLES (5er & boat or toad) then you MUST have a CLASS A CDL w/ Double and/or Triple Endorsement. No Exceptions.

Everything is basically WEIGHT based. You can go to the link on my previous post, as with everything else in California, it will leave you more confused than when you began reading it!
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Old 10-14-2013, 08:18 AM   #16
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Bummer, I liked the original post better !

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Old 10-15-2013, 08:31 AM   #17
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Is that weight based, or WEIGHT RATING based? I know most dot regulations goes off of weight ratings, not the actual loaded weight. So you would need to add the GVWR rating of your truck, your RV and your boat trailer or whatever you towing.

We ran into this problem at my company. Basically we had some trucks with GVWR's just under 10,000lbs. But we had to tow some small trailers that weighed about a thousand pounds loaded, however the axle rating was 3500lbs. So basically even though our fully loaded weight put us well under 9,000lbs on the scales, our ratings put us at 13,500lbs which meant that we had to follow DOT regs and get class A licenses. And before anyone says you only need that over 26,000lbs. It's actually over 10,000lbs if you are pulling a trailer that is not for recreational use, it's 26,000lbs GVWR with no trailer. Also requires a medcard for any non-RV over GVWR or GCVWR over 10,000lbs.
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Old 10-15-2013, 11:37 PM   #18
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Weight

[QUOTE=gggplaya;1767315]Is that weight based, or WEIGHT RATING based? I know most dot regulations goes off of weight ratings, not the actual loaded weight. So you would need to add the GVWR rating of your truck, your RV and your boat trailer or whatever you towing.

We ran into this problem at my company. Basically we had some trucks with GVWR's just under 10,000lbs. But we had to tow some small trailers that weighed about a thousand pounds loaded, however the axle rating was 3500lbs. So basically even though our fully loaded weight put us well under 9,000lbs on the scales, our ratings put us at 13,500lbs which meant that we had to follow DOT regs and get class A licenses. And before anyone says you only need that over 26,000lbs. It's actually over 10,000lbs if you are pulling a trailer that is not for recreational use, it's 26,000lbs GVWR with no trailer. Also requires a medcard for any non-RV over GVWR or GCVWR over 10,000lbs.[/QU

Please refer to the link in my previous post. It specifically, for 5er's, refers to the weight OF THE TRAILER, for the Class C license, the driver MUST have an RV TRAILER ENDORSEMENT. It also states, that if towing MORE THAN ONE TRAILER, then the driver MUST have a CLASS CDL w/ Double/Triple endorsement, which also of course requires the Medical every 2 years. The weight is not address here as it not specific to the RV umbrella, as they are not being towed for COMMERCIAL use. IF, they are for commercial use, and I can't think of a reason they would be, THEN it becomes WEIGHT RATING, which brings in the CLASS A CDL.

As I said, it all gets very confusing because the PRK (Peoples Republic of Kalifornia) can't do ANYTHING the simple way! I think, and I could be wrong, that the original post here was concerning the pulling of two trailers, be it pull trailer/boat, 5er/boat, either/or and another vehicle, and the book is very specific that it requires a CLASS A COMMERICAL DL. And having lived in CA for most of my life and haven driven big rigs for about 9 of those years, I can count on my two hands the number of times I've seen an RV combo like that in question in CA. Now is the rest of the "normal" States, I've seen a lot. Of course, this is all open to interpretation and the mood the of the CHP officer that might stop you just to see what kind of license you have! Their Commercial Enforcement officers would probably be the ones that would do that.

Just call it a perpetual state of confusion in the Golden State!
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Old 04-23-2014, 09:23 PM   #19
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Anyone else care to chime in ???
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Old 04-25-2014, 10:27 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chiefrocka View Post
Anyone else care to chime in ???
The only way you are going to know for sure is research the Ca.Vehicle Code and read all the DMV handbooks and in the case of recreational towing it may involve commercial, non commercial drivers license requirements, vehicle weights, vehicle GVWs vehicle registrations, the length and weight of the combination, hitches, required safety equipment and how all the components meet Ca. & Federal safety requirements. I probably forgot something (someone will point it out I am sure), oh lets not forget all the hoops you have to jump through to obtain an endorsement or new class of drivers license. Most CHP Officers are not familiar with recreational vehicle drivers license requirements, and that includes the commercial officers. DMV employees are for the most part unfamiliar with recreational vehicles but they have the ability to locate the information and somewhere all these requirements are written down in an informational format or are codified. That being said if you are going to tow a fifth wheel with a trailer behind it you had better have all your ducks in a row because it most likely will peak the interest of an officer.
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Old 04-25-2014, 11:12 PM   #21
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Back when I had a 5r I also owned a bass boat. I so wanted to have both at the lake so I started the process of getting a doubles license. At the time I had a CDL b so upgrading to an a CDL with doubles was not a big deal. I took the written test and scheduled my driving test at the Sacramento DMV. I had my DW tow the bass boat to DMV and I showed up with my 5r. The inspector saw my rig and stated " you can drive that rig with a class c licence and no driving test was done. The examiner gave me the vehicle code and for the life of me I cannot find it but According to the sac DMV examiner, you can tow a boat only behind a 5r only with a class c. This is old info (2003) and things may have changed!! I did read in an rv mag about that time and it had a doubles towing guide state to state printed in it.
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Old 04-26-2014, 03:44 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chiefrocka View Post
Anyone else care to chime in ???
I've been pursuing the doubles set-up for few years now, and am in the process of setting my 5er up for a hitch on the rear to tow my boat.

Over the years, I have asked alot of questions of DMV, CHP, forums. The best legal information I received came from a Commercial CHP Sgt. who responded to my email regarding doubles towing when I contacted CHP.

The only way you can legally tow doubles in California is you need to have the doubles/triples endorsement. The only way to get that endorsement is to obtain a Class A license. That is my understanding, and, that is the path that I took so I would be compliant.

There are a several DMV offices around the Sacramento area, but, there is a DMV Office in West Sacramento that is for Commercial driver testing. The lot is layed out for doing the pre-trip, straight line backing, offset backing left/right, alley dock, and parallel parking. There are also personal light duty trucks with 5ers and trailers waiting for testing, as well. It's a DMV office but caters to the upgraded licenses.

Find out if there is a Commercial DMV testing facility in your area. These DMV folks may be more tuned into the type of questions for the non-normal driver's out there.

Contact the CHP via email and they will forward your questions to the Commercial Division CHP.

Those two ideas are worth a shot.

Good luck,

Rich
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Old 04-26-2014, 03:47 AM   #23
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stink View Post
The inspector saw my rig and stated " you can drive that rig with a class c licence and no driving test was done. The examiner gave me the vehicle code and for the life of me I cannot find it but According to the sac DMV examiner, you can tow a boat only behind a 5r only with a class c.
Dave,

I'm curious.

Since the examiner cleared you from taking the driving test for the Class A doubles/triples endorsement, did you end up towing doubles? And if you did tow doubles, how long did you do that for?

Thanks,

Rich
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Old 04-26-2014, 04:17 AM   #24
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Edit to my post 22

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chiefrocka View Post
One did mention to contact the CHP, which I did, the local office. They referred me to the Commercial office the next town over

(Ya, we are finally getting somewhere !!!)

The office there informed me that all I need to do is add the "doubles Endorsement" to my existing class C.

I said "ARE YOU SURE I DONT NEED A CLASS A ??!?!"

He said as long as your not over 15,000 lbs (which I wont be)

I've searched the DMV online VC's, and it doesn't say you can, but it doesn't say you cant either.
After re-reading your first post, my post 22 experience is different than yours.

Try contacting Commercial CHP via Email, print a copy of the officer's answer, and save it for the traffic stop or court (hopefully you won't need it). I deleted the Email I had but I should have saved it.

Good luck,

Rich
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Old 04-26-2014, 04:38 AM   #25
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Another thing you could look at "if" you are caught. What is the fine and is it a moving violation (probably yes)? It the final outcome cost worth getting the second trailer to where you will use it?
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Old 04-26-2014, 11:53 PM   #26
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Originally Posted by r___r View Post
Dave,

I'm curious.

Since the examiner cleared you from taking the driving test for the Class A doubles/triples endorsement, did you end up towing doubles? And if you did tow doubles, how long did you do that for?

Thanks,

Rich
I set up the rig towing the boat behind 5r and DW said "I'm not riding in that!! ". I did take rig to Rollins lake with that set up.
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Old 04-27-2014, 06:58 PM   #27
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Here is a manual for RVs in California (revised in 2011): https://apps.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl648/dl648.pdf
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Old 04-27-2014, 07:45 PM   #28
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You can tow doubles in Ca but you do need an edorsement on your license and your boat trl should have brakes. Do not go to Or with doubles only comm vech are allowed to pull ,that is why you see so many campers up here.
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