CDL info

Grasshopper

Expert Expediter
If you have a class 8 truck set up with a 24' box, do you need a Class A cdl or can you use a class B license to drive. As a newbie husband/wife team, would it be better to get a class 8 truck or get a 24' straight truck. Thank you for the info.
 

Glen Rice

Veteran Expediter
Class "A" is tractor trailer, "B" is Straight Truck any number of axles. What are you comfortable doing? I came out of 25 years of T/T running and was burned out! I personally loved the straight truck, many more opportunities for site-seeing adventure..and it was FUN!! Great people, good food, no more truck stops except when they would work for me! It's just a matter of what are you comfortable doing? Good luck and remember it's not the size of the truck, but the size of the pure enjoyment your day is packed full of.
 

Dreamer

Administrator Emeritus
Charter Member
I personally
>loved the straight truck, many more opportunities for
>site-seeing adventure..and it was FUN!! Great people, good
>food, no more truck stops except when they would work for
>me! It's just a matter of what are you comfortable doing?
>Good luck and remember it's not the size of the truck, but
>the size of the pure enjoyment your day is packed full of.




Careful Glen.. somebody's gonna get the idea you LIKE this kind of work! :+ :+ :+ :+ :+



Dreamer
 

Grasshopper

Expert Expediter
Thank you for the information. I have been looking at the straight truck because it would be easier for my wife and I to drive. I have prior military experience driving vehicles similar to the straight trucks. Can anyone give some recommendations about which company a newbie and his wife can join as a owner operator. I am retired and have a government check to pay the bills and the children have moved away, so we are free of any restictions of being home. I have just started looking at expediting as a business and am not familar with the companies.
 

mhoy40

Expert Expediter
this is one i can answer easily me and and my boss just went through the same question so i called mich. motor carrier saftey and this is the plain english version of what he said if u want to drive a class 8 straight truck on a class b liscense go for it as long as u are not towing a trailer with a gvwr of 10000lbs or more. there is know laws about the diff. between class 8 and the rest of the straight trucks as long as u dont make it a combo vehicle ie. trailer with a 10000lb gvwr or more. hope this answers your question.this info is what a dot certified off. for the mich. motor carrier safty dept. told me.Hope this answers your question as easy as it did mine when i called mcs,when i got off the phone with the guy after that straight english answer i almost felt stupid but as we all know the only stupid question is the one not asked expesially in this buisness. hope this helped.
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
I am retired and have a
>government check to pay the bills and the children have
>moved away, so we are free of any restictions of being home.

If I were in that situation so I was generating expenses plus discretionary income I would be in a Sprinter van. I'd set it up with living accomodations along the sides as far as tv, microwave, refrigerator, storage etc. and have the bed lower down from the ceiling. I'd have a full size bed and could sleep even under load unless it was a really tall load. For those rare times I'd treat myself to a motel room overnight. I went from t/t to D unit. I like the D unit much more but still find it too large for a lot of places. This truck is brand new and when it gets replaced in 5 yrs. I should be finished paying for colleges. I'll probably go to the Sprinter van then. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Leo
truck 767

Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
 
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