Driving test.....in the Deuce

[Gastrap]

Have to have a chauffeurs license in Iowa for 16000-26000# GVWR straight truck unless your a volunteer firefighter. They dont care if its just a toy or not. Got the written test done & will drive test Tuesday in my Deuce. Can't wait to see the womans face when she sees her morning ride Probably pass me just so she wont have to do it again.

Anyone else ever take the test in their MV?

 

[oifvet]

DO bring your camera!

 

[rat4spd]

operating a single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight
rating (GVWR) specified by the manufacturer of
16,001 to 26,000 pounds, except when the operation
by the owner or operator is occasional and merely​

incidental to the owner’s or operator’s principal business.

Now that is open to interpretation, but I may pursue the license anyway. In the meantime, I'll be carrying a copy of this.

 

[jime]

I got it! Once you get your chauffeurs license, you can start a limo service with MVs! Its almost Prom time!

 

[Gastrap]

operating a single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight​

rating (GVWR) specified by the manufacturer of
16,001 to 26,000 pounds, except when the operation
by the owner or operator is occasional and merely​

incidental to the owner’s or operator’s principal business.

Now that is open to interpretation, but I may pursue the license anyway. In the meantime, I'll be carrying a copy of this.

I agree. I got varied answers at a local level so I contacted DOT directly. Told them it was an antique vehicle, strictly for recreational use in parades,etc. They said chauffeurs D-2 required.

 

[roscoe]

I didn't know you had to take a driving test for a chauffeurs license. I'm pretty sure in Indiana you just take written tests for that. If you have to take a driving test anyway, you should just go for the class B or put on a trailer and go for a class A. If you do decide to pull a trailer over 10K, you need an A anyway.

 

[Gastrap]

I didn't know you had to take a driving test for a chauffeurs license. I'm pretty sure in Indiana you just take written tests for that. If you have to take a driving test anyway, you should just go for the class B or put on a trailer and go for a class A. If you do decide to pull a trailer over 10K, you need an A anyway.

They said a CDL-B is the exact same test & cost except for chauffeurs D-2 there is no walk around safety test. dont really need CDL-B , and I dont want a CDL-A, I would get stuck trucking tractors all over for work then which I dont want. I just like wrenching.

 

[Gastrap]

operating a single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight​

rating (GVWR) specified by the manufacturer of
16,001 to 26,000 pounds, except when the operation
by the owner or operator is occasional and merely​

incidental to the owner’s or operator’s principal business.

Now that is open to interpretation, but I may pursue the license anyway. In the meantime, I'll be carrying a copy of this.

I just sent a reply to DOT & pasted that section from page 64 of the drivers manual ( page 66 online , page 64 on paper version) to see what response I get. It would be nice to get out of it, no sense having a more expensive license if I dont need it.

I too have a copy of that in my truck, along with a lighting & reflector requirement paragraph from the truck book.

 

[Sumoman]

Have to have a chauffeurs license in Iowa for 16000-26000# GVWR straight truck unless your a volunteer firefighter. They dont care if its just a toy or not. Got the written test done & will drive test Tuesday in my Deuce. Can't wait to see the womans face when she sees her morning ride Probably pass me just so she wont have to do it again.

Anyone else ever take the test in their MV?

Make sure you DO NOT bring her some ear plugs / hearing protection. Then keep talking to her throughout the test

 

[oilcan]

Have to have a chauffeurs license in Iowa for 16000-26000# GVWR straight truck unless your a volunteer firefighter.

So why are you taking the test for a deuce? I'm pretty sure 13,880 is less than 16,000. I could understand if it was a 5 ton...

 

[Gastrap]

So why are you taking the test for a deuce? I'm pretty sure 13,880 is less than 16,000. I could understand if it was a 5 ton...

Since 1990 they have gone by GVWR, not curb weight for DL requirements, and its considered 23500# GVWR no matter what tonnage I license it for.

I got a confirmation email from DOT yesterday about the text from the above post about "occasional operator" exemption. They said it does not apply to me even if I were to just use it for parades & had limited use plates. I would like to know who it does apply to

I'll be taking the test after all.

 

[steelandcanvas]

Since 1990 they have gone by GVWR, not curb weight for DL requirements, and its considered 23500# GVWR no matter what tonnage I license it for.

I got a confirmation email from DOT yesterday about the text from the above post about "occasional operator" exemption. They said it does not apply to me even if I were to just use it for parades & had limited use plates. I would like to know who it does apply to

I'll be taking the test after all.

I would also like to know who that would apply to.

 

[rat4spd]

Since 1990 they have gone by GVWR, not curb weight for DL requirements, and its considered 23500# GVWR no matter what tonnage I license it for.

I got a confirmation email from DOT yesterday about the text from the above post about "occasional operator" exemption. They said it does not apply to me even if I were to just use it for parades & had limited use plates. I would like to know who it does apply to

I'll be taking the test after all.

I understand this is the DOT you have been emailing, but if they are only giving you yes or no and not citing code, or giving clarification on why we fail to meet the requirements for occassional use, then I'm going to go by it until a LEO or DOT officer shows me why I fail to meet it. And come on, now unless you are doing something egregious with your deuce, you sure aren't likely to be pulled over for speeding.

 

[Gastrap]

Well, I took the driving test today & passed easily. I got the woman everyone said was mean and she was really nice & all smiles as she climbed in.

I asked her if she had ever given a test in any MV & she said this was a first, I think she's been there over 25 years. She was commenting on my ratty windshield seals & wobbly side glass & said "Jeez, I wonder what their helicopters look like" with a smile.

It was real easy. Had to back up to a dock & then drove around town about 8 miles. No cones, no pre-drive check, no medical card. Even if I was to never get pulled over I feel better having it. This office also said it was required unless for direct farm use. They said even privately owned school busses over 16000 GVWR now need D2 unless it has kitchen, toilet & 115 volt wiring. These laws make no sense!

 

[rat4spd]

Good deal! I'll probably relent in time, but I still think there need to be actual clarification on their part.

 

[bigmike]

Nice to hear you passed. I also took my CDL test in my deuce. I had to do the whole thing...walk around, air brakes etc. My test person was ex-marine and loved driving around in the deuce. I offered to let him drive and he thought about it for a few minutes and said he better not. We drove around a bit while he told deuce stories. I agree that once you have the CDL you just feel more secure driving around.

 

[Gastrap]

Nice to hear you passed. I also took my CDL test in my deuce. I had to do the whole thing...walk around, air brakes etc. My test person was ex-marine and loved driving around in the deuce. I offered to let him drive and he thought about it for a few minutes and said he better not. We drove around a bit while he told deuce stories. I agree that once you have the CDL you just feel more secure driving around.

If I would have done the walkaround check I could have got a CDL-B, but I didnt want to chance a failure for a license upgrade that wouldn't do me any good. I stuck with the chauffeurs D-2 for simplicity. No air brake endorsement required under 26000 Lbs here. Believe it or not the manual does state "air over hydraulic included" for air brake endorsement requirement in heavy class, so a 5 ton would be CDL-B with airbrake minimum in Iowa.

I drove right in front of a DOT officer tonight set up in a trap, and yes, I felt more relaxed having it. I figured he would at least pull me over to see why I didn't have plates but he just watched me go by. He had a dually with livestock gooseneck pulled over a bit later doing a full check, they're not just after the semis around here.

 

[rat4spd]

You dont have plates yet? Was that deuce from GL or private?

 

[roscoe]

CDL is worth it if you want to pull a trailer, or someone decides to let you drive their 5 or 10 ton truck. Its not that hard to get.

 

[Wild Horse Hans]

Glad it went well for you and yes it is a bit of a comfort to have the CDL even if you don't need it. I got my CDL A about 15 years ago and even though I don't drive for a living anymore I keep it up as a just in case.
Plus you made a new friend of MVs with the examiner. That is a good thing!