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CDL's for driving larger engines? *update 10-19-08*
Our new engine is a sterling cab, wieghs well over 26000 pounds I'm not sure of the excact wieght and has air brakes. At my day job I have to have CDLs to drive an f-750 that wieghs 28000 pounds and has air brakes. Tn law states any vehicle with air brakes or excedes the wieght limit of 26000 pounds you have to have a class b cdl to drive it. But there is an excemption for emergency vehicles that just doesnt make sense to me. does anyone elses dept. require cdls or anyone think they should. I think you should have to have cdls and have evoc tought by a state instructor before you can drive. Just my opinion.
10-19-08 I contacted The Tennessee DMV and they told me that a non cdl driver could drive an engine to an emergency under the excemtion law but would be breaking the law if they drove back to the station to get fuel or was just out driving. The dmv also if a non cdl driver was involved in an accident driving a large truck they would be driving a commercial vehicle without a license and could lose their license or have to do jail time. They also told me all that was needed was a class be cdl in Tn thats only 2 written test and a short on road driving test.
10-19-08 I contacted The Tennessee DMV and they told me that a non cdl driver could drive an engine to an emergency under the excemtion law but would be breaking the law if they drove back to the station to get fuel or was just out driving. The dmv also if a non cdl driver was involved in an accident driving a large truck they would be driving a commercial vehicle without a license and could lose their license or have to do jail time. They also told me all that was needed was a class be cdl in Tn thats only 2 written test and a short on road driving test.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by anne potter on
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My husband is a truck driver been one for 15 years....
has his 100,000 mile patch no accidents....
Yea big problem with CDL's and when I go on the road with him and I see overturned rigs ,and contruction zone 's with major accident because a rig just plowed into some one going to fast.. I guess the CDL did not save that from happening.
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How old again r u lol
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Sears been over 10 years doing it....
I suppose the car that pulled out infront of the truck probally could not had caused a accident ..Speed now anyone can do that...
Maybe just plain old education and training may still not prevented that from happening...
Why are we arguing over this..We both don't want people to get hurt ,we both get up in the middle of the night to help people, put out fires ,bring out bodies .. We probally both have cried over some senseless death..CDL or not....
The main thing is that when we get behind the wheel we both want to get to the fire and back home safe..
Be it you do it with a CDL or I do it with training and yes experience.
We both want to go home and be safe....
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hum..... It so easy for you...
But again I go back to my previous post.
we both want the same at the end of the day.
So on to a new concern, tired of this one..Never going to agree
never going to get each others point across.
Soooooooooooo for real have a nice day/.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOKDsm2rjP8
I think this looks like this man being a city fire CO might have had
His CDL
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Permalink Reply by PFC Harmon on
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I assume you are asking how old I am. I am 24, yeah I am young but I also train and learn every chance I get.
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I meant to say a a class B would be fine with a tanker endorsement but in TN a class B is considered a CDL. I also say while you are getting the CDL take the extra 20 minutes and 5 bucks to get the air brake endorsement.
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DT, I should stop here but I have noticed Anne and another member of her department seem to despise paid departments, young firefighters, training, education and EMT recertifications. With that being said I know I am young but I also understand times are changing and we need to protect ourselves from greedy lawyers and ignorance. With that being said the days of giving an 18 year old probie the keys to the tanker and saying have at it are over. I would assume because I wasn't around but I am sure that someone bitched about having to wear turnout pants and SCBA's.
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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I've spoken before on this one, but it's been going so long I'll say it again. Yes I'm in a different country to most, which means different laws and systems. But. Here in my State, if you don't have the correct large vehicle endorsement you don't drive a fire truck - not to an incident and not home from one. If having no qualified driver turn up means the trucks don't roll, than that's it, they don't roll. That requirement has existed for more years than I know.
Something I'm not sure of, even with all the discussion, is the cost of this sort of thing in the USA. Is the cost simply in gaining the licence, or is there a yearly fee as well? For us, the cost is in obtaining the endorsement - once gained you have it. Within my FRS, the Service will cover the learning, using qualified instructors and then hours of practice with qualified drivers in the Brigade, then will pay for the licence test.
I was a popular recruit when I showed the Brigade Captain (Chief for North America) that I was qualified to drive up to 22 wheeler semi-trailers.
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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I think I saw one of those on a Mel Gibson Mad Max movie... : )
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Permalink Reply by Trainer on
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Hey CB, I think they have them in Wisconsin.
Tony;
Once you get the cert, nothing else required unless you get a ticket then you have to retest the written exam, but I do believe every state is a little different. As for the cost it’s minimal, regular license is $45 (that’s dollars:), my CDL with air brakes and a motorcycle endorsement cost $75 and you only have to renew every 4 years.
I’ve been posting and reading discussions on here for some time now and it absolutely amazes me that some of these depts. can maintain anything with a budget of say less than 20 grand a year. Now before you start poking me with a stick, our dept is all vol, cover 96sqmil with a total population of 1500 soo..well, let’s just say it’s a small town, no industry. I see no way a dept with a budget that small can maintain equipment and training to even a basic standard, hell it cost us $1000 just to service the trucks, we even had a $1300 power bill for one month this winter. I don’t have an answer for them, but if you are that small and maintain a well balanced dept, you have my admiration.
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Thanks mate, unless somebody says something drastically different, I'll assume it's pretty national. Your situation is similar to mine, except the renewal cost for my Car, Heavy Articulated and Motorcycle licence is the same as for someone with only a car licence - lucky aren't we? I certainly wouldn't have been poking any sticks at you, I was after knowledge :-)
The stories of such minimal chances of revenue make me wonder too how many FD's over there can survive, let alone ensure adequate PPE, equipment and training. It sounds very hard and they must be very dedicated.
We also have very small, low population areas with equally small Brigades. Where we are fortunate is that we are a state-wide fire service. This ensures that Brigades do not have to raise funding for necessities such as vehicles, training etc., these costs are all covered by the State HQ. Most finance for the Service is from structural insurance levees - collected and payed over by the insurance companies. Funds raised state-wide are spread out over the State. I know, a totally different situation to probably anything in the USA?
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