can this be done
 

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?

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.

Re: can this be done
 

Originally Posted by 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?

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

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

Originally Posted by 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

98% of the "teachers" are freakin idiots

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.

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).

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.

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??? :roll:

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.