Do I need a CDL?

[Oldfart]

Will I need a CDL to drive an old R series Mack? I've never driven a big rig just a dually pick up. I can use a manual, hell I learned on one and ride motorcycles with clutches. I'm in Ohio if that makes a difference.

[Dusty Vic]

I’m not sure how it works in Ohio but in PA when a vehicle is licensed as an antique it no longer has a “gross weight” reliving the CDL requirement. The slippery part is depending on the arresting officer you could be charged with not having your air brake endorsement, however you can’t get your airbrake endorsement without your CDL. The DOT officer that gave me this information said that up to the point he gave me the information no one had appealed the no airbrake endorsement charge so he didn’t know how that would turn out in court.  Hope this helps.  

[Oldfart]

Yes that helps. Do the R series from the 70s have air brakes?

[67RModel]

Just about every R model you will find will have air brakes. There may be some R400s floating around that have hydraulic brakes but they would have to be extremely rare.

[Joseph Moody Jr]

You need an Pennsylvania CDL when you operate the following vehicles:

CLASS A – Applies only to “combination” vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) more than 26,000 pounds, and the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is more than 10,000 pounds. A driver with a Class A CDL (plus any appropriate endorsements) can also operate all vehicles included in Class B, C, and D (below)

CLASS B – Includes single or combination vehicles where the GVWR of the single vehicle is more than 26,000 pounds. The vehicle being pulled must not be more than 10,000 pounds. A driver with an Pennsylvania Class B CDL (plus appropriate endorsements) can also legally operate all vehicles in Class C or D.

CLASS C – Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that meets neither the definition of Group A nor that of Group B as contained in this section, but that either is designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, or is used in the transportation of materials found to be hazardous for the purposes of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and which require the motor vehicle to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR part 172, subpart F).

CLASS D – Private passenger, regular operator.

[67RModel]

9 hours ago, Joseph Moody Jr said:

You need an Pennsylvania CDL when you operate the following vehicles:

CLASS A – Applies only to “combination” vehicles with a Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) more than 26,000 pounds, and the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is more than 10,000 pounds. A driver with a Class A CDL (plus any appropriate endorsements) can also operate all vehicles included in Class B, C, and D (below)

CLASS B – Includes single or combination vehicles where the GVWR of the single vehicle is more than 26,000 pounds. The vehicle being pulled must not be more than 10,000 pounds. A driver with an Pennsylvania Class B CDL (plus appropriate endorsements) can also legally operate all vehicles in Class C or D.

CLASS C – Any single vehicle, or combination of vehicles, that meets neither the definition of Group A nor that of Group B as contained in this section, but that either is designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, or is used in the transportation of materials found to be hazardous for the purposes of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act and which require the motor vehicle to be placarded under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR part 172, subpart F).

CLASS D – Private passenger, regular operator.

This is not 100% accurate. In Pennsylvania there are Class A, B, (maybe C), and D licenses. There are also Class A CDL, class B CDL, class C CDL licenses. There is a distinction, however it is not well known. You technically need a class B license to drive a motorhome with a GVW/GVCW of greater than 26,000, however most people I would suspect do not obtain one. They just roll with their class D passenger car license. You need a CDL when you are operating any of the above classes of vehicle for ANY type of commerce including farming. The class A/B CDL license exam vs the class A/B license exam is very different and also very lenient for the regular class A/B  license type. Basically you need a CDL if you are making money with the vehicle. You need a class A or B license if your vehicle / combination meets the above requirements but you are hobbyist / using for recreation. Another example of this is all the large gooseneck horse trailers you see going down the road. They all generally have a GVW of grater than 10,000 pounds so technically the people pulling them need a class A license (not class A CDL), but most do not have one. Also in Pennsylvania any tow vehicle pulling a trailer with a GVW of 10,000 or more needs to be registered in combination whether its for recreation or commerce, but most people pulling large recreation trailers never do this and the penalty for not doing so is usually a slap on the wrist.