can this be done

[bridan]

Today a friend told me, that his company asked him to drive a class A rig on the highway, with no trailer. He's only a class B license. Is that legal??? Class B's can bobtail?

[Uturn2001]

As long as he does not have an air brake restriction it is perfectly legal for a CLASS B driver to operate a bobtail tractor.

The only difference between a CLASS A and CLASS B CDL is the Class A is for combination vehicles.

[Malaki86]

Today a friend told me, that his company asked him to drive a class A rig on the highway, with no trailer. He's only a class B license. Is that legal??? Class B's can bobtail?

Does he have his airbrake endorsement? That would be the gotcha, I believe.

[bridan]

yes he does have airbrakes..
i just called my old teacher and he said no it cant' be done , the state police will inpond the truck and give a big fine to the driver

[AlexJ81]

yes he does have airbrakes..
i just called my old teacher and he said no it cant' be done , the state police will inpond the truck and give a big fine to the driver

98% of the "teachers" are freakin idiots

[harleypiper]

He can drive bobtail under a Class B, which allows 26000 and over and not towing over 10,000 lbs I believe. Bus as already stated he has to have Air Brake endorsement which you stated he does. Your teacher shouldn't be teaching.

[thebaldeagle655]

If it is a bobtail truck, ie. no trailer, a Class B is all that is required. Your old teacher probably misunderstood.

Note that Class A is for "Combination" and Class B is for "Single"


Subpart F — Vehicle Groups and Endorsements

§383.91 Commercial motor vehicle groups.

(a) Vehicle group descriptions. Each driver applicant must possess and be tested on his/her knowledge and skills, described in subpart G of this part, for the commercial motor vehicle group(s) for which he/she desires a CDL. The commercial motor vehicle groups are as follows:

(a)(1) Combination vehicle (Group A) — Any combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) provided the GVWR of the vehicle(s) being towed is in excess of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds).

(a)(2) Heavy Straight Vehicle (Group B) — Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more), or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) GVWR.

(a)(3) Small Vehicle (Group 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).

[Jimbpard]

I asked the state instructor this when I took my test, and he said no, you can not because it technically is/and or easily can be a combination vehicle.

His words, not mine, but does somewhat make sense....I dunno.

[jegzus]

Yes it can be done, it's the same thing as driving a straight truck or a dump truck ect...

Just like when you drive a tri-axle...if you pull an equipment trailer like a 20ton beaver you need a class A license....

Where do these teachers/instructors come from???

[Uturn2001]

You have to ask the right question:

If you ask, can I drive a Class A vehicle with a Class B license then the answer is NO.

However if you ask if you can drive a bobtail semi tractor with a class B license then the answer is yes.

[bridan]

OK maybe I'm asking the wrong question then. Take a rig, with no trailor attached. Does that make it a rig that only a class A driver can drive? I'm talking a rig like the one I drive daily, that the trailor comes off. Can a class B driver get in that truck with no trailor attached and drive it legally?

[Uturn2001]

OK maybe I'm asking the wrong question then. Take a rig, with no trailor attached. Does that make it a rig that only a class A driver can drive? I'm talking a rig like the one I drive daily, that the trailor comes off. Can a class B driver get in that truck with no trailor attached and drive it legally?

Yes. A tractor with no trailer attached may be driven by someone with a Class B license.

My comment about asking the right question was not really aimed at you or anyone else. It was just a general comment.

Sometimes people who are supposed to be in the know will only hear something like CLASS A or semi truck and then Class B license and think the person is asking about a truck with a trailer attached.

[BigDiesel]

OK maybe I'm asking the wrong question then. Take a rig, with no trailor attached. Does that make it a rig that only a class A driver can drive? I'm talking a rig like the one I drive daily, that the trailor comes off. Can a class B driver get in that truck with no trailor attached and drive it legally?

Did you not read any of the answers given ?????

[bridan]

Yes thank you. I'm just amazed that the people I'm asking here on the phone, are saying no it can't be done. Not that I take their word for it, but someone said something about the 5th wheel, so wanted to be sure I was asking the right question here, and that it was understood. The wrong question thing threw me off. Sorry. Thanks for taking the time to explain it. I never have to worry about it because I've only ever had a class A. LOL

[SilverWulf]

Your teachers or whoever else you are talking to either don't understand what you are asking, or are friggen idiots.

As said many times earlier, a bobtail tractor requires only a class B license with an airbrake endorsement to operate.

The ease of hooking a trailer has no bearing whatsoever.

Most straight dump trucks have a pintle hitch so they can pull a pup or an equipment trailer.

If these 'teachers' still misunderstand, I'd get my money back if that's where I went to school.