Florida's drivers license changes

[Tom]

Years ago I had a Chauffeur's license.  I had to take a test and pay more money.  I've paid more money for lots of years now.  When CDL's were required, they changed the chauffeur's license to a class D.

I accidentally found myself on the Fl. DOT site and there, in black and white, it says that all Florida D licenses were changed on July 1, 2005 to E licenses.

The D license allowed a non-CDL driver to drive an under-26001 GVWR truck.   All trucks in Florida, as far as I know, above one ton are considered commercial and must be tagged as such.

I'm not sure where this leaves me with my truck and business.  But, it sounds as if I might have to go get a CDL when this license runs out....... or quit.

I'm almost afraid to go to a DOT office and ask.  Most every time I've ever done that I get answers that would make me an Over-the-road driver. :-\   I suppose that it is inevitable
though. 

Maybe one of you other Florida drivers can look at it and tell me what's up.

http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/ddl/dlclass.html

They're going to get stuff so federalized that we will be looking for a Federal citizenship instead of belonging to a state.  Did you know that you have to hail from a state?  You can't just be a United States Citizen. 

[BW_Williams]

I know how ya feel Tom.  Back when the CDLs came in our company said we'd be "grandfathered" in and not have to get CDLs, I laughed at the Safety Director that was telling us that, he didn't care for me much anyhow.  So a couple years later we all had to take the new CDL test and that was no problem as that's what we did and the company let us do it on thier time, but now new folks have to get it on thier own dime and time, which I think is wrong and have said so to the wrong people, (if y'all haven't figured out yet, I'm not too politically correct). And with me moving to a wussy desk job, I've had to foot the bill not only for the CDL, but the physical.  One thing the new CDL system helped was the OTR trucker having several different state liscences, they would put the ticket on one and get insurance with the other.  I can't believe FLA makes all 1 ton and up be commerical.  You can always get around it by claiming you rig is an RV!  Now theres an area where they could us a little regulation!   Good luck, BWW

[Fla._Deadheader]

  Tom, why do you think there are so many 1 ton Duallys hauling cars on them 3 car trailers??  Even with a load of wet logs, our truck is rated NON-commercial. Not sure about ones FOR hire. Most state on the truck NOT FOR HIRE.

  Them State dudes gonna be susprised when I renew and put CR for the state.  8) ;D ;D :D :D

[Murf]

Tom, sounds like you should check your ankles for finger-prints.

Up here in Kanader, a 'regular' car driver's licence is good for almost that weight, 24,200 pounds to be exact.

The next step up is our Class "D" which has no weight limit on it all. However, here's a strange twist, with a "D" lic. even though you can drive as big a truck as they allow on the roads, you still can't pull a trailer any bigger than a car licence allows, which is 10,120 pounds.

But then again, trying to make sense of something involving a Government..............

[Engineer]

Don't go mentioning RV's.  You oughta have a special license for one of them.  I can't tell you how many people I see driving one of those buses down the road and haven't the faintest clue of their surroundings, what they just ran over, or where other drivers are.

[SwampDonkey]

Try following one of them things with a touristie slow poke behind the wheel and no clear view to pass on a road with the ditches all brushed in.  :

[Tom]

Well, if it's one thing we have experience with down here it Tourists.   :D

I don't mind their camper and busses.  These folks are just enjoying life and God Bless'm.   I just stay back a ways and give them plenty of room in case they need it.  There are too many wild, aggressive, fast, "in-your-face" drivers on all the roads now.  It's not just the tourists.  Life doesn't have to be led as fast as these people think and they are missing half of it by not sharing the day with other folks.  When it comes to rudeness, I think this new batch of "professional" drivers hatched by the CDL's tops the cake.  It used to be that we looked for a truck driver to ride with when we were on vacation because we knew that he would look out for us if something were to happen.   Now everybody is just plain mean.  That's cars, trucks and all.


Accept me, of course.  I'm wonderful.  :D :D

I guess what gets my goat is the rules changing without knowing that they are changing unless you just happen to luck up on the info.  They.....whoever "they" is.....  are sure making it difficult for a man to have a business.  If you own a sawmill they make no distinction between an Alaskan mill or a Giga board foot production mill.   If you have a truck, they make no distinction as to whether you are crossing state lines with commercial loads or have a 5 ton just because you want one.  They don't care what your rig weighs, you are ticketed for what it could weigh.  It doesn't make any difference if you have been driving for 50 years, they just want the money for the license.  The people  making all of these rules don't drive trucks.  Me and my truck are a lot different than the joe blow that gets hired to run freight for a big truck line that is owned by a million people.

It sure is frustrating.

Have you every heard the song "Life gets tegious, Don't it?"  That's kind of how I feel.  It seems like it is an uphill battle just to exist.  I got folks after my road access and driving privileges, after my sawmill just 'cause I have it, after my tractors, after my Agricultural Tax incentives, (The Fla. greenbelt was created once to help farmers), wanting more taxes because I built a deck on the front of the house, threatening a tax if I fix my roof (and let them know),  push a ditch, build a fence......     Did you know that I can put an 8 foot chain link fence around my property and they don't care, but, if I build a 4 board fence get taxed for an improvement?

Where did all of this intimidation come from?   Why?  It makes me want to build a palisade and get out the guns and cannon.

I know, we are all in the same boat.  But, it feels good to complain sometimes. :D :D

[Murf]

Tom, yer right on the money, sometimes a little belly-achin' or hollerin' just does a soul good.

There's an old feller up near my summer place an I try ta git in ta see him anytime I git up there. He's 102 this year, still keeps his own house & drives, lost his wife eons back and does everything himself.

When he was turning 100 the local paper came to interview him, when the reporter said "You must have witnessed some remarkable changes over the course of your life, tell us about some of them." his reply was "Telephones & electricity are handy things sometimes." When questioned about things like the changes he's seen in towns & cities, like Toronto (the nearest 'big' town) his reply was "I don't know, I've never been there. Why would I, there isn't anything there I can't buy here is there?" (referring to the town of 600 people nearby).

I learn a lot from listening to him and his stories.

One of his favourite sayings is "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but when you get there you usually find that's because the Bull S___ is deeper there also.".

He may just have a point.  ;)

[Fla._Deadheader]

   _grin _grin _grin

  Right on, Murf  :D :D :D

[DonE911]

Tom,

Just fyi....  back when they went to a special motorcyle license and then to the CDL garbage.... when you went in to renew your license you could be "grandfathered in" ( no pun intended )....

"I've been riding a motorcycle for years" ( grandfathered license no test required )  same with commercial vehicles....  don't know if they will buy it these days but they (FHP) aren't going to run the query to see if you actually have a commercial vehicle registered to you.   I can tell you that the query could take up to 12 hours to come back to see what vehicles are registered to you.  I used to run that query all the time when I was still in public safety.

Just go renew your license .... even if it's not due yet... 

[Tom]

I was grandfathered into the new Motorcycle license too.  The same with my Chauffeur's license.  That's what the class D was supposed to be.    The July 2005 date has already passed, so if I renew my license now, I will be given a class E instead of the class D and that "non commercial" classing is what has me a little concerned.  The State considers my truck commercial regardless of its use.  The class D let me drive it but I'm not so sure about the class E because it is a non commercial license.  Something tells me that they are trying to do away with the old Chauffeur's license once and for all.   If my truck weren't a commercial truck, the class E would allow me to drive it.  But, the designation is weight related.  It's just got me confused. 

Since my license is good until the end of 2007,  I think my best bet will be to ride it out.  I'll remain a class D driver until I renew.

[DonE911]

Tom,

Were you notified of the change prior to that date??  Your license still says class d so don't sweat it until you license expires....  the cops wont be told about the change either. 

[Sawyerfortyish]

Tom don't know if you can but if you can get farm license on your truck theres a lot of grey areas you can get around that way. Works for me.

[Tom]

That might be a option later.   I'm just a little concerned about the 150 mile limitation.

[DonE911]

Tom.... they just want your money....  so they came up with a test that they can charge for.

When I moved to Ga the DMV was happy to exchange my license for a GA license, but I could not have a CDL even though I had one in FL.....  for the CDL I had to take a test and pay them some $$$.

So now I have just a regular license.... oh well....  I'm not driving anything over the weight limit anymore anyway.

I don't think you'll have a problem driving your truck.  Now if you have a accident some smart Lawyer will use the license issue against you..... your insurance company will probably roll over anyway... most of them do.

[WeeksvilleWoodWorx]

Tom,

I think you are fine with the E. They make these rules so confusing by using different meanings for the same terms.

By your (correct) interpretation anything over 5000 lbs needs a "commercial tag". They are doing this to get MONEY. They rightfully assume the heavier you are the more damage you cause to the roads the more you pay for plates.

But a "commercial tag" does not make it a "commercial vehicle".

From linked site:

CLASS C: Any motor vehicle that has a GVWR of less than 26,001 LBS. when endorsements "H" or "P" would be required on the driver license OR any combination of motor vehicles where the towing vehicle is less than 26,001 LBS. GVWR and the towed vehicle has a GVWR of 10,000 LBS. or less, but together they weigh 26,001 LBS. or more.

"H" is HazMat.
"P" is transport of more than 16 people.

If it doesn't require a CDL it ain't "commercial".

From linked site:

CLASS E: Any non-commercial motor vehicle with GVWR less than 26,001 LBS.

By their confusing terminology the above statement ain't possible

They corrected this problem in NC by changing the heavier tags designation from "Commercial" to "Weighted".

Brian

[wiam]

I stopped at a Dot stop on interstate 91 with a 68 F600.  They did not have any scales.  He was just asking where I was going.  I asked him if it was true that if you did not have to have a CDL to drive a rig that you did not have to stop at a dot check.  He very politely told me that any vehicle registered over 9,999 was commercial in VT and WOULD STOP at a dot check.

Another time I was stopped for trailer light issues and in the discussion was told that if I went across state lines I needed a CDL if registered over 9,999.  That included the K2500 and small trailer I was driving.

Will

[Fraxinus]

Don't go mentioning RV's.  You oughta have a special license for one of them.  I can't tell you how many people I see driving one of those buses down the road and haven't the faintest clue of their surroundings, what they just ran over, or where other drivers are.

You got that right.  And you ought to see it in Florida.  It's much worse there than here. :'( :'(

[Tom]

That's because it is the congregation of all the tourists in the 50 states.  It's seldom you find a "Floridian" in Florida.  Many will announce that they are "Floridians", or, from Florida, but, you can tell, as soon as they open there mouths an speak, that, "They ain't from around  here".  :D

That's why most of us who have lived here since birth, ignore  a tourists lolly-gagging, ogling and lack of attentiveness on the highway.  They are having a good time, that's good, and we are safer just staying out of the way.

[Fraxinus]

I've been there enough times to see them in action.  Staying out of their way must be a full time job. : :

[Tom]

Yeah, you're right.  They have us pretty much outnumbered.  :D :D

[DanG]

It ain't as bad as it used to be.  I remember about 40 years ago, before I-75 was completed, downtown Tallahassee would be clogged with Chrysler New Yorkers pulling 30 foot Airstreams.  Their bumpers would be almost dragging the pavement, and they had these humongous trailer hitches that were supposed to equalize the weight.  RIGHT!  I'd hate to see one that wasn't "equalized!"  Funny thing, almost all of them had Michigan plates. ???  Maybe it was because U.S. 27 goes right up through the heart of that great State, and also through the heart of Tally-town.  It takes a hard left hander right in front of the State Capital building, and those Chryslers were always in the far right lane!   They were NOT going to miss that turn, either.  We got to where we would give a wide berth to anything bearing Michigan plates.

[Murf]

When I was down there in April I spotted a bumper sticker on the back of a pick-me-up-truck.

"When I get old I'm gonna move up north and drive slow in the left lane!!!"

It was a good job I was in the drive through at Sonic at the time 'cause I was laughin so hard I couldn't have seen ta drive for the tears in my eyes.  :D

[DanG]

 :D :D :D ???  :-\ :'( :( >:( >:( >:(

Whaddaya mean "when you were down here in April?"  Ya mean ya was down here in April and ya didn't even stop by and say "Howdy" or blow the horn on yer way by, or NUTHIN?  Ya was probbly too busy drivin' slow in tha left lane! >:(

[Furby]

He was farther South I belive. ;)