I am an officer and I do think the training is beneficial but in most states as well as federally the 26,000 lbs limit for a Commercial Driver's License only applies to a driver operating the truck commercially (not using the truck to haul your own goods or family). Some states do require a non-commercial class of license for large trucks and some make the requirements the same whether driving commercially or not. Check with commercial enforcement officers as I have heard a lot of "I am not sure" answers when I have taken a survey of my coworkers. General consensus does not change or make the law. Read it for yourself so you can be sure as there is a lot of misinformation about it. I can tell you for sure that MI, TN, and Federal Requirements do not call for a CDL for a person using a truck over 26,000 lbs gross to haul stuff for their own use. The person must not be making money at all to not be considered commercial. Below is an excerpt from a post I made about two weeks ago. See it in writing before you make the assumption on the CDL issue. With reciprocity agreements I would be able to drive in any state in the union as long as I was following Michigans rules as I live in Michigan. Look at the bold items for the cliff notes.
257.7a “Commercial motor vehicle” defined.
Sec. 7a. “Commercial motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers,
including the driver; a motor vehicle, having a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds; a motor
vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more including a towed unit with a gross
vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds; or a motor vehicle carrying hazardous material and on
which is required to be posted a placard as defined and required under 49 C.F.R. parts 100 to 199. A
commercial motor vehicle does not include a vehicle used exclusively to transport personal possessions or
family members for nonbusiness purposes.
This is from the state CDL manual in the link above. You could get one from SOS or print it. The applicable paragraph is below.
vi
Are There CDL Exemptions?
The following people do NOT need a Commercial Driver License (CDL):
ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY: Operating military vehicles with military licenses (includes National Guard).
POLICE AND FIREFIGHTERS: Operating authorized emergency vehicles.
FARMERS: Operating vehicles within a 150 mile radius of their farm.
• An F-endorsement is needed by farmers operating combination vehicles whose towing vehicle has a
GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more. A knowledge test, but no skills test, is required to obtain the Fendorsement.
The F-endorsement is NOT a CDL.
• Farmers who carry hazardous materials in amounts requiring placards while operating combination
vehicles whose towing vehicle has a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more, or a single vehicle with a GVWR
of 26,001 pounds or more, need a CDL with a hazardous materials endorsement.
INDIVIDUALS: Operating motor homes or other vehicles used exclusively to transport personal possessions
or family members, for non-business purposes.
This is the paragraph on CDLs look at the bold section
257.312e Group commercial motor vehicle designation; tests; holder of unexpired operator's
or chauffeur's license; qualifications and fees for vehicle group designation and
indorsement; F vehicle indorsement; exceptions; former indorsements; requirement for
certain indorsements to operate school bus; waiver of driving skills test; expiration;
disposition of money collected under subsection (Cool; refund to county or municipality;
compliance with §§ 257.303 and 257.319b.
Sec. 312e. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a person, before operating a commercial motor
vehicle, shall obtain the required vehicle group designation as follows:
(a) A person, before operating a combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001
pounds or more including a towed vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds,
shall procure a group A vehicle designation on his or her operator's or chauffeur's license. Unless an
indorsement or the removal of restrictions is required, a person licensed to operate a group A vehicle may
operate a group B or C vehicle without taking another test.
(b) A person, before operating a vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more,
shall procure a group B vehicle designation on his or her operator's or chauffeur's license. Unless an
indorsement or the removal of restrictions is required, a person licensed to operate a group B vehicle may
operate a group C vehicle without taking another test.
(c) A person, before operating a single vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating under 26,001 pounds
or a vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating under 26,001 pounds towing a trailer or other vehicle and
carrying hazardous materials on which a placard is required under 49 CFR parts 100 to 199, or designed to
transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, shall procure a group C vehicle designation and a
hazardous material or passenger vehicle indorsement on his or her operator's or chauffeur's license.
(2) An applicant for a vehicle group designation shall take knowledge and driving skills tests that comply
with minimum federal standards prescribed in 49 CFR part 383 as required under this act.
(3) The license shall be issued, suspended, revoked, canceled, or renewed in accordance with this act.
(4) Except as provided in this subsection, all of the following apply:
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www.legislature.mi.gov
(a) If a person operates a group B passenger vehicle while taking his or her driving skills test for a P
indorsement, he or she is restricted to operating only group B or C passenger vehicles under that P
indorsement. If a person operates a group B school bus while taking his or her driving skills test for an S
indorsement, he or she is restricted to operating only group B or C school buses under that S indorsement.
(b) If a person operates a group C passenger vehicle while taking his or her driving skills test for a P
indorsement, he or she is restricted to operating only group C passenger vehicles under that P indorsement. If
a person operates a group C school bus while taking his or her driving skills test for an S indorsement, he or
she is restricted to operating only group C school buses under that S indorsement.
(c) A person who fails the air brake portion of the written or driving skills test provided under section 312f
or who takes the driving skills test provided under that section in a commercial motor vehicle that is not
equipped with air brakes shall not operate a commercial motor vehicle equipped with air brakes.
(5) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle, shall obtain required vehicle indorsements as
follows:
(a) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle pulling double trailers, shall procure the
appropriate vehicle group designation and a T vehicle indorsement under this act.
(b) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle that is a tank vehicle, shall procure the
appropriate vehicle group designation and an N vehicle indorsement under this act.
(c) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle carrying hazardous materials on which a
placard is required under 49 CFR parts 100 to 199, shall procure the appropriate vehicle group designation
and an H vehicle indorsement under this act.
(d) A person, before operating a commercial motor vehicle that is a tank vehicle carrying hazardous
material, shall procure the appropriate vehicle group designation and both an N and H vehicle indorsement,
which shall be designated by the code letter X on the person's operator's or chauffeur's license.
(e) A person, before operating a vehicle that is designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the
driver but is not a school bus shall procure the appropriate vehicle group designation and a P vehicle
indorsement under this act. An applicant for a P vehicle indorsement shall take the driving skills test in a
vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver.
(f) Effective October 1, 2004, a person who does not currently possess a P indorsement, before operating a
school bus designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, shall procure the appropriate
vehicle group designation, pass the knowledge tests for the P and S indorsements, and procure the P and S
vehicle indorsements under this act. An applicant for an S vehicle indorsement shall take a driving skills test
in a school bus designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, that represents the same
type of vehicle that the applicant intends to operate as a school bus.
(g) Effective October 1, 2005, a person who currently possesses a P indorsement, before operating a school
bus designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, shall procure the appropriate vehicle
group designation, pass the knowledge test for an S indorsement, and procure an S vehicle indorsement under
this act. An applicant for an S vehicle indorsement shall take a driving skills test in a school bus designed to
transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, that represents the same type of vehicle that the
applicant intends to operate as a school bus.
(6) Until September 30, 2005, the secretary of state may waive the driving skills test for an applicant for an
S indorsement if the applicant certifies, and the secretary of state verifies, that during the 2-year period
immediately prior to applying for the school bus indorsement the applicant met all of the following
conditions:
(a) The applicant holds a valid driver license with a vehicle group designation and a P indorsement.
(b) The applicant has not had an operator's, chauffeur's, or commercial motor vehicle driver license
suspended, revoked, denied, or canceled.
(c) The applicant has not been disqualified by the United States secretary of transportation from operating
a commercial motor vehicle.
(d) The applicant has not been convicted of any disqualifying offense listed in 49 CFR 383.51(b) while
operating a commercial motor vehicle.
(e) The applicant has not been convicted of any disqualifying offense listed in 49 CFR 383.51(b) while
operating a noncommercial motor vehicle that would be a disqualifying offense under 49 CFR 383.51(b) if
the applicant had committed the offense while operating a commercial motor vehicle.
(f) The applicant has not had more than 1 conviction for a serious traffic violation as defined in 49 CFR
383.51 while operating any type of motor vehicle.
(g) Except for parking violations, the applicant has not had any conviction for a violation of any state or
local motor vehicle traffic control law involving a vehicle accident and has not been found at fault in a vehicle
accident.
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(h) The applicant has been regularly employed as a school bus driver for the past 2 years and has, for those
2 years, operated a school bus representing the type of school bus that the applicant intends to operate, and the
applicant provides satisfactory evidence of that employment to the secretary of state.
(7) An applicant for an indorsement shall take the knowledge and driving skills tests described and
required pursuant to 49 CFR part 383.
(Cool The holder of an unexpired operator's or chauffeur's license may be issued a vehicle group designation
and indorsement valid for the remainder of the license upon meeting the qualifications of section 312f and
payment of the original vehicle group designation fee of $25.00 and an indorsement fee of $5.00 per
indorsement, and a corrected license fee of $18.00. A person required to procure an F vehicle indorsement
pursuant to subsection (10) shall pay an indorsement fee of $5.00.
(9) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (10) and (11), this section does not apply to a driver or
operator of a vehicle under all of the following conditions:
(a) The vehicle is controlled and operated by a farmer or an employee or family member of the farmer.
(b) The vehicle is used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery, farm supplies, or a combination
of these items, to or from a farm.
(c) The vehicle is not used in the operation of a common or contract motor carrier.
(d) The vehicle is operated within 150 miles of the farm.
(10) A person, before driving or operating a combination of vehicles having a gross vehicle weight rating
of 26,001 pounds or more on the power unit that is used as described in subsection (9)(a) to (d), shall obtain
an F vehicle indorsement. The F vehicle indorsement shall be issued upon successful completion of a
knowledge test only.
(11) A person, before driving or operating a single vehicle truck having a gross vehicle weight rating of
26,001 pounds or more or a combination of vehicles having a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or
more on the power unit that is used as described in subsection (9)(a) to (d) for carrying hazardous materials on
which a placard is required under 49 CFR parts 100 to 199, shall successfully complete both a knowledge test
and a driving skills test. Upon successful completion of the knowledge test and driving skills test, the person
shall be issued the appropriate vehicle group designation and any vehicle indorsement necessary under this
act.
(12) This section does not apply to a police officer operating an authorized emergency vehicle or to a
firefighter operating an authorized emergency vehicle who has met the driver training standards of the
Michigan fire fighters' training council.
(
13) This section does not apply to a person operating a motor home or a vehicle used exclusively to
transport personal possessions or family members for nonbusiness purposes.
(14) The money collected under subsection (Cool for a vehicle group designation or indorsement shall be
deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general fund. The secretary of state shall refund out of the
fees collected to each county or municipality acting as an examining officer or examining bureau $3.00 for
each applicant examined for a first designation or indorsement to an operator's or chauffeur's license and
$1.50 for each renewal designation or indorsement to an operator's or chauffeur's license, whose application
is not denied, on the condition that the money refunded shall be paid to the county or local treasurer and is
appropriated to the county, municipality, or officer or bureau receiving that money for the purpose of carrying
out this act.
(15) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a person operating a vehicle described in
subsections (9) and (10) is subject to the provisions of sections 303 and 319b.
History: Add. 1978, Act 139, Eff. May 1, 1979;¾Am. 1980, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Jan. 25, 1980;¾Am. 1980, Act 123, Imd. Eff. May 21,
1980;¾Am. 1980, Act 174, Imd. Eff. June 23, 1980;¾Am. 1987, Act 232, Imd. Eff. Dec. 28, 1987;¾Am. 1988, Act 346, Eff. Jan. 1,
1990;¾Am. 1989, Act 280, Imd. Eff. Dec. 26, 1989;¾Am. 1989, Act 299, Imd. Eff. Jan. 3, 1990;¾Am. 1990, Act 67, Imd. Eff. Apr.
27, 1990;¾Am. 1990, Act 181, Imd. Eff. July 18, 1990;¾Am. 1991, Act 100, Eff. Jan. 1, 1993;¾Am. 2000, Act 158, Imd. Eff. June 14,
2000;¾Am. 2002, Act 534, Eff. Oct. 1, 2002;¾Am. 2002, Act 652, Eff. Jan. 1, 2003;¾Am. 2003, Act 152, Eff. Oct. 1, 2003;¾Am.
2004, Act 362, Imd. Eff. Oct. 4, 2004.
Compiler's note: Section 2 of Act 346 of 1988 provides:
“(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, this amendatory act shall take effect October 1, 1989.
“(2)
If you read the CDL manual without finding the paragraph above it would seem like you need a CDL for anything over 26.000lbs but this is not the case. The paragraph above is the only paragraph us non-commercial driver's need to know out of that manual.
