Do you have to have Class A's to drive a bobtail tractor?
 

Is it fine to drive a bobtail tractor ( truck without a trailer behind it) with just Class B's, or do you still need Class A's? I'm pretty sure I know the answer would be yes, but sometimes it doesn't hurt to ask questions you THINK you already know the answer to, because sometimes you could get a completely different answer than what you anticipated. :wink:

I don't think you do (not sure) I know guys that drive dump trucks with class B's that have pintle hooks on them for 20 tons tag alongs. But as long as there not hooked to the truck it is a single unit. But dont hold me to it i could be wrong

More than likely it will require a Class A. I base that on the GVWR of the vehicle. Others may disagree, but I would have to say that the "Final Answer" will come from the DMV in your home state.

There is no upper GVWR limit on class B. The only thing that seperates class A and class B is wether the truck has a trailer attached or not. Besides the GVWR of the common highway tractor is only 52,000lbs, way under most dump trucks.

Overloaded is correct.

The only thing that is different between a Class A and Class B vehicle is class A is combonation.

I thought the law was anything over 26k empty required a class A?

Nope.

I had a driver that applied to my company that had only driven for a communications company. He had to get his CDL-A for this company. What they did was go pick up a truck, bobtail it back to their shop, and they would install the Qual-comm system or Eaton VORAD system, or any kind of hefty electrical system on a truck. This leads me to believe you'll have to have a CDL-A to drive bobtail, but I'll have to agree with the "Final Answer" will come from the DMV in your home state.

For the record, just in case you're intersted, Class A is ANY vehicle with gross weight 26,001 lbs or over, whether articulated or not. That means straight truck, tractor with trailer, etc.

That's federal guidlines. Has nothihg to do with state. If state wants its share of federal money, it has to conform to federal guide lines.

However, there are exceptions to the federal guidelines. Look at oil field and Alaska exceptions.

Applying those rules, a bobtail is class B. (less that 26,001 lbs gross weight). Hook it up to a trailer, it's immediately class A (air brakes, articulated, etc).

Per West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles:
Class A-Combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating(GCWR) of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the gross vehicle weight rating(GVWR) of the unit being towed is 10,001 pounds or greater.

Class B-Single vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more and towing any such unit with a GVWR less than 10,001 pounds.

Coundn't be any simpler.