Mdot enforcement officers

[brandon327]

Are there any mdot enforcement or highway patrol here to try to help answer this question. Can you tow a camper with a f-10 tag for your own personal use? What tag is required when your gvw is 25000 lbs? Is there a special license required to tow a camper for personal use. This is all strictly for recreational use. We have been discussing it and have searched the Internet for the answers in the laws but i am coming up empty.

[1010]

Greater than 26,000lbs need class A license if a trailer is used. Class B license if its a bob truck..

But if air brakes are used you will need A or B license depending on the type, Bob truck(B) or trailer(A) even if weight is less than 26,000lbs. Like a school bus driver has to have B license because of the air brakes and he is driving passengers.

IMO you are good to go with the camper at less than 26,000lbs.
As far as tags I have no idea.

[brandon327]

My enterpitation is that no CDL would be required at all even if you are over 26000 lbs bc it is for personal use.

[1010]

This info can be found at MSDPS website.

[1010]

My enterpitation is that no CDL would be required at all even if you are over 26000 lbs bc it is for personal use.

its the weight commercial or not if it weighs 26001LBS you need A or B license.

http://www.dps.state.ms.us/wp-content/u ... Manual.pdf

[K-DUB]

I'm not an enforcement officer, but work as a college instructor over a commercial motor vehicles driver training program. Also a certified Mississippi third party examiner to administer CDL exams.

You will be perfectly legal with just a regular operators license. Since your trailer is recreational use only, you will be alright with a normal tag as well.

Vehicle Decriptions- Commercial/For Hire
Class A- Combination vehicle with GCWR of 26,001 or more pounds, trailer in excess of 10,000 pounds.
Class B- Single vehicle with GVWR rating of 26,001 or more pounds.
Class C- Single vehicle with GVWR below 26,001 pounds. 16 or more passengers or Haz Mat vehicle.

It has always boggled my mind when I see an old retired gentleman in his 70's behind the wheel of a land yacht of a motor home, pulling an enclosed trailer with a car on it, and he doesn't need a CDL. By the way, He just bought it last week. He has never driven anything this big or heavy and his reflexes aren't what they used to be in his 30's and 40's. Most motor homes of that size have air brakes as well, and he is perfectly legal to be cruising to Miami in style, since it is classified as a recreational vehicle.

[MudHog]

so when does the "NOT FOR HIRE" decals come into play that I see on some larger trucks? Is that the techinical means of saying that the setup is not commercial?

[K-DUB]

That's my understanding Mud.

Let's say hypothetically, a gentleman drag races for fun and has a F-350 truck with a large enclosed trailer. He very well could be in the 26,001 pound category (Class A) with the trailers ability to haul more than 10,000 pounds. If he labels it "NOT FOR HIRE", it is for his own personal use. But, if he hauls ANYTHING COMMERCIALLY (gets paid), his rig would require a class A license with a K restriction- which means no air brakes are present on either piece of equipment. He would also be subject to the Hours of Service rules and regulations.

I called the Mississippi Highway Patrol CDL help desk to verify what I was saying is correct- don't want to give out any false or misleading information- and she confirmed my reading of the law is correct. Be forewarned though about our hypothetical scenario, she did say a MDOT enforcement officer might still pull you over to verify that you are not hauling cars for profit. You would have to prove to the officer that it is for personal use only.

Hope this helps you guys out.

[brandon327]

Thanks for the help.

[1010]

Sorry for the wrong info!

[K-DUB]

Thanks for the help.

Glad to help.

[K-DUB]

Sorry for the wrong info!

You're a stand up guy 1010. Don't worry about it.....This stuff confuses me too.

If you are familiar with the FMCSR regulations that they hold our feet to the fire with, then you know they update them monthly and are constantly changing how the rules are interpreted. Crazy stuff trying to keep up with it all.

[driveby]

It has always boggled my mind when I see an old retired gentleman in his 70's behind the wheel of a land yacht of a motor home, pulling an enclosed trailer with a car on it, and he doesn't need a CDL. By the way, He just bought it last week. He has never driven anything this big or heavy and his reflexes aren't what they used to be in his 30's and 40's. Most motor homes of that size have air brakes as well, and he is perfectly legal to be cruising to Miami in style, since it is classified as a recreational vehicle.

^^^^^^^^THIS!!!!
I have a class A CDL and knowing what it's like to drive something that size, it blows my mind too. I have been real close to being run over by the very people you describe a couple times.