Does your home jurisdiction require air brake endorsement?

ferndaleflyer wrote:
Seems to be some confusion here. A CDL is a Commercial Drivers License. I guess a Non commercial CDL is a non commercial commercial drivers license. Now that makes a lot of sense right there don't it....I have no special license and my DP has air brakes can someone explain why you need an air brake endorsement?I have been stopping for 50+ years with air brakes and have never had this endorsement. Will it make me stop better? Sounds like a user tax to me!

While having the endorsement, may not make a difference in your stopping ability, at least in my case I thought what I learned about the system in a one day course was well worth it.
While the one day course didn't make me an expert, it did give me an understanding off how the system works and that in itself was well worth it.

Also Alberta does require the airbrake endorsement

Oh, yes, you know that an air brake endorsement will make you stop much much better.. JK.. I do know that I've seen many MH drivers out there not really having a clue and driving it as though it was a car.. Those are the ones that shouldn't be out there driving these rigs.. I really am surprised that they don't have some sort of training for some of these drivers. Even some of the large fifth wheels they should have some sort of training, providing the individual is new to the whole pulling driving a large vehicle thing.. I know I would never let my wife drive the MH, she wouldn't want to anyways.. TOO BIG! she says..

Seems to be some confusion here. A CDL is a Commercial Drivers License. I guess a Non commercial CDL is a non commercial commercial drivers license. Now that makes a lot of sense right there don't it....I have no special license and my DP has air brakes can someone explain why you need an air brake endorsement?I have been stopping for 50+ years with air brakes and have never had this endorsement. Will it make me stop better? Sounds like a user tax to me!

For the most part yes.... But the answers you get here will vary wildly. You really only need to meet the registration and licensing requirements for your home location. In general since RV's are not considered "commercial" vehicles drivers are exempt from DOT and CDL licensing requirements. There are some exceptions, and there are some states that have non commercial CDL requirements. You would have to check with the DMV for each state to know for sure. But why? You just need to meet your home state/province requirements anyway...

Quite a bit of info on aaa web site. Don't know how up to date it is.

aaa info on driving laws

s N s wrote:
If you're referring to just an RV then I have to say that MI has no endorsement on air brakes. There are a couple of states that do. I believe CA is one of them. Personally I think anyone with an air brake equipped RV should have an endorsement. It's not a bad idea for anyone driving any type of motorized RV to have a special license in my opinion. I have seen people out there that don't have a clue as to what they're doing.

I have an air brake endorsement in Michigan. It is not listed on your CDL but if you don't have one it will be noted. My license is for driving a bus.

Georgia has no special requirement to operate a RV over 26,000 lbs. or air brakes. Seems a few on this Forum cannot stand that most RV drivers are safe and can handle their rigs without these special endorsements. This subject was beat to death a few day's ago. What I think and want does not matter, only what the law say's. Thank goodness.

06Fargo wrote:
Are there jurisdictions about the continent that allow people to drive air brake equipped vehicles without any type of training or license endorsement?

Many of the western states are requiring Class B license at 26001 pounds & air brakes endorsment. Plus Class A for trailer over 10000 pound. Since some of these laws have recently changed some RVers are unaware of changes. In some states they ae waving the medical. All seem to be different state to state

If you're referring to just an RV then I have to say that MI has no endorsement on air brakes. There are a couple of states that do. I believe CA is one of them. Personally I think anyone with an air brake equipped RV should have an endorsement. It's not a bad idea for anyone driving any type of motorized RV to have a special license in my opinion. I have seen people out there that don't have a clue as to what they're doing.