California Non-commercial class A license ***New question***

[AirSupport]

Pretty old topic in general and yes I did use the SEARCH feature here for an answer, but didn’t find one. Any experience/help on this matter is greatly appreciated.

The 5ver I want is a Riverstone Legacy around 18,000+ GVWR. So I know I MUST get a “non commercial class-A license” Here in Cali (no, I can’t move). However, according to DMV literature on their website, it states that I must bring in the truck and trailer I want to be licensed for p, in order to take the driving portion of the class-A test. They say to have a Class-A driver drive my rig for me because I’m not yet licensed.

The question is, how on earth is one supposed to buy a heavy trailer from a dealership and drive it off to one’s storage facility if one can’t find a Class A driver??? The issue is DMV will NOT ALLOW one to take the test without the indeed heavy truck and trailer set-up already in possession.

Bottom line, I can’t get the proper class license without having the trailer first, but I can’t get the trailer without having the proper license. What a PITA!

Anybody else go through this experience? It sure would be nice if DMV gave us a temporary permit to at least pick up the new trailer, drive directly to storage and then don’t drive it again on public roads until the day of the DMV test.

Unless I’m missing a loop hole here on this, how did you all do this process here in CALIFORNIA when you started out with a heavier than 15K lbs 5ver? I suspect many just rolled the dice and drove off the lot with their new rig and did what they had to do.

I’m really confused on what to do. Do I just go get the trailer anyway and bring it to storage and then the day of the DMV test, pay someone with a Class A license to drive it to the DMV for me? I don’t mind finding a driver for one day at the DMV, but going long distance to a dealer when buying it, maybe even out of state and finding a driver would be unrealistic I think. If it’s what I have to do, then so be it I will. But if there’s any other option acceptable with the state that I haven’t discovered, please tell me your secret to this State “mess.”

[Edd505]

Community collage, take one quarter CDL class and they use the collage trucks to test. The commercial CDL will cover most anything you want unless you want tanker, double, hazmat, bus endorsements. I was able to get the CDL with 3 of the endorsement trough the collage. Got really dumb then and bought an 18 wheeler because I had the license. 750K miles later I don't have an issue taking a 35ft 5W any where.

[toedtoes]

This is how it is in most states. It's not just California. Just because YOU don't have connections doesn't make this a problem with California. I know many folks who have managed to do this without all the complaining I see here.

You've been given options. So go do it and then you can stop stressing and fretting over it.

[AirSupport]

toedtoes wrote:
So, you have to:

Or borrow or rent a trailer from a person, dealership, rental to take your test with and then go get your trailer cross country.

How about this... Can I borrow you and your trailer? You seem very helpful and willing.

Aaaaagain sir, finding a simple little car to take a class-C driver's test is super easy. Everybody (friends, family members, driving schools etc...) has one or more cars available everywhere. Basic driving schools for a class-C are everywhere. That's not the issue. The issue is finding a viable source with the equipment to go and take the test. I don't know why you keep brining this "Class-C" comparison up, because it's not germane to the issue at hand of acquiring a non-com class-A.

I like the idea of hiring a driver that others have suggested. Like I said earlier, I do have a Class-A driver that I know, however even paying him for the time to travel across the country or halfway up the state for a California RV dealer is a snafu. I fully admit however that I have no other alternative and I'll just deal with it.

But again, it still sucks how there's no other option. For instance, if one wants a pilot's license, the student pays for lessons, and instructor and for aircraft rental for the FAA check ride. Not so for a non-com Class A license that I have found anyway.

It's a "smoother" journey to get licensed by the FAA than it is for getting a license to pull a heavy fiver in Cali. Hence the reason why I say Cali is "jacked up."

...How much would you charge me for your time and trailer rental???

[big_bird_2]

What does any of this have to do with a 5th wheel RV endorsement?

[toedtoes]

94-D2 wrote:
Non commercial class A in ca only allows an rv greater than 10,000 lbs. that’s it. As a note: a horse trailer with rv quarters is not an rv. It is a horse trailer and horses are not stock. They are pets. There for if over 10,000 lbs, a commercial class A is required. I bring this up because there is always an argument where horses are concerned.

I think you meant horses are stock. They are not pets. Therefore the horse trailer is commercial.

[toedtoes]

AirSupport wrote:

toedtoes wrote:

AirSupport wrote:
Very interesting read everyone. I am going to call AAA tomorrow morning and ascertain if they know of a driving school that's willing to get one a "non-commercial Class-A" license class. I would LOVE to have that license FIRST and before I make the purchase of my new heavy fiver.

The one I want is almost $8,000 less in another state, than here in crappy california. Only thing is, I would need to drive across the country to get it and I need my non-com class A!! My catch-22 is that I can't get my non-com CDL unless I show up with the heavy fiver and my truck!!! Many I HATE California!

Ahhhh, cali is sooooooo jacked up!

Not sure how that is jacked up... in order to take the driving test for driving a big 5er, you need to have a big 5er to take the test with.

Not any different than having to have a car in order to take the driving test to get your standard license. Or to have a motorcycle to take the driving test in order to get your motorcycle license.

Somehow I think that's the same in every state. In order to get a specific driver license you have to have the specific vehicle with which to take the driving test.

It’s jacked up because of a catch-22 situation.

1). I can’t get a non-com Class-A unless I provide the appropriate trailer. However I can’t go out and buy the trailer and take it to the test unless I possess a Class A.

2). I know of no school in SoCal that offers a Non-com class-A course which would allow me to pay a rental fee and use the school’s vehicles for the test.

3). If I try to rent a big trailer for the dmv test, the rental place mandates that I already possess a class-A (commercial or non commercial).

4). comparing this situation with a regular class C drivers test is like comparing apples to Zebras. Not everyone has access to vehicles that fall into the non-com Class-A mandate. However literally all of us can go rent a car or have family that already owns a car to take to the DMV for a test. I have zero contacts nor resources of anyone that owns, let alone allow me to borrow their big trailer that meets the non-com class A license requirement.

5). The trailer I want is available across the country at a price that is almost $8,000 less than if I bought it in Cali. How do I go and pick it up and bring it back to Cali legally and use it for the DMV test if I can’t get the Class A to begin with?

Again, this is the government “helping” us subjects. It would be very simple if trucking schools offered a non-commercial class -A course and vehicle rental for the day of the test, but they don’t. I called three in the LA area and all three said no.

So yeah, the process of wanting to be in compliance with the California law is indeed jacked up.

Again. No different than any other driving test requirement.

As for non-commerical class A being different than a regular class C - nope.

In order to rent a car to take the test with you have to have a valid class C license.

Or you try to find a friend who has a car and will let you use it to take the test.

Or you try to find a dealership or school to help you out.

And California doesn't control driver training businesses and tell them not to offer non-commercial class A training. It's simply a matter of economics - there isn't enough money to offer such classes.

The problem is that you want it all your way:

Buy the trailer across country
Drive it back to California yourself
And be able to get your non-commercial class A without having to take the driving portion of the test before you get your trailer

The last is not going to happen. You WILL have to take the driving portion of the test before you can legally drive the trailer.

So, you have to:
Buy the trailer locally and ask the dealership to deliver it to the DMV office for your test;
Buy the trailer cross country and pay to have it delivered to the DMV office for your test;
Or borrow or rent a trailer from a person, dealership, rental to take your test with and then go get your trailer cross country.

At this point, you have hashed all this out and you still want to say it can't work. That it's an evil plot of California to keep you from doing what you want.

The truth is California doesn't care enough about you to set this up as a catch 22. It is nothing more than a logical system (you must prove you can handle the vehicle before they license you to drive the vehicle). It is your responsibility to obtain a vehicle to test with. Just like every other driver in most anywhere is required to do.

[94-D2]

Try googling rv driver training and you should get several hits in your area. That should put you on a path to the assistance you are looking for.

[ford_truck_guy]

*** OR ***

Did you try and talk to a local RV dealer? Some of them have their own employees that are licensed for 1 reason or another...

Perhaps you could pay one of them on the side to help you with the driving portion..

AND as far as saving $8K from buying it across country.. do that, pay to have it delivered to you by an RV mover.. I paid $1k to have mine moved half way.. that still puts you up $5-6K depending on the quoted price . . .

[discovery4us]

Driving school is going to be a tough find as their equipment meets the standards/definitions for a commercial class A and not the non-commercial class A. Most rental trailers will be stamped with a GVWR of 9,999 lbs. to avoid the hassle of a special license. The only CA license I am aware of that doesn't require you to be accompanied by a licensed driver is the class M.

The driving schools may not be available for the training but they are in the business of making money so they may have someone that will accompany you for a fee or possible do a side job of training. Stop by in person and one of the instructors might be able to help. I have also heard of people stopping by a local truck terminal and finding a licensed driver that will help for a small cash fee.

[ford_truck_guy]

Its the same everywhere.... Cant drive a class A without a class A license.. need a class A vehicle to get the license.... Find a good soul close by that would go with as the training driver for a small fee..

I would do that for folks near me if given the chance...

[AirSupport]

toedtoes wrote:

AirSupport wrote:
Very interesting read everyone. I am going to call AAA tomorrow morning and ascertain if they know of a driving school that's willing to get one a "non-commercial Class-A" license class. I would LOVE to have that license FIRST and before I make the purchase of my new heavy fiver.

The one I want is almost $8,000 less in another state, than here in crappy california. Only thing is, I would need to drive across the country to get it and I need my non-com class A!! My catch-22 is that I can't get my non-com CDL unless I show up with the heavy fiver and my truck!!! Many I HATE California!

Ahhhh, cali is sooooooo jacked up!

Not sure how that is jacked up... in order to take the driving test for driving a big 5er, you need to have a big 5er to take the test with.

Not any different than having to have a car in order to take the driving test to get your standard license. Or to have a motorcycle to take the driving test in order to get your motorcycle license.

Somehow I think that's the same in every state. In order to get a specific driver license you have to have the specific vehicle with which to take the driving test.

It’s jacked up because of a catch-22 situation.

1). I can’t get a non-com Class-A unless I provide the appropriate trailer. However I can’t go out and buy the trailer and take it to the test unless I possess a Class A.

2). I know of no school in SoCal that offers a Non-com class-A course which would allow me to pay a rental fee and use the school’s vehicles for the test.

3). If I try to rent a big trailer for the dmv test, the rental place mandates that I already possess a class-A (commercial or non commercial).

4). comparing this situation with a regular class C drivers test is like comparing apples to Zebras. Not everyone has access to vehicles that fall into the non-com Class-A mandate. However literally all of us can go rent a car or have family that already owns a car to take to the DMV for a test. I have zero contacts nor resources of anyone that owns, let alone allow me to borrow their big trailer that meets the non-com class A license requirement.

5). The trailer I want is available across the country at a price that is almost $8,000 less than if I bought it in Cali. How do I go and pick it up and bring it back to Cali legally and use it for the DMV test if I can’t get the Class A to begin with?

Again, this is the government “helping” us subjects. It would be very simple if trucking schools offered a non-commercial class -A course and vehicle rental for the day of the test, but they don’t. I called three in the LA area and all three said no.

So yeah, the process of wanting to be in compliance with the California law is indeed jacked up.

[AirSupport]

CumminsDriver wrote:

AirSupport wrote:
Very interesting read everyone. I am going to call AAA tomorrow morning and ascertain if they know of a driving school that's willing to get one a "non-commercial Class-A" license class. I would LOVE to have that license FIRST and before I make the purchase of my new heavy fiver.

The one I want is almost $8,000 less in another state, than here in crappy california. Only thing is, I would need to drive across the country to get it and I need my non-com class A!! My catch-22 is that I can't get my non-com CDL unless I show up with the heavy fiver and my truck!!! Many I HATE California!

Ahhhh, cali is sooooooo jacked up!

You don't have to take the test with a 5th Wheel over 15k GVWR. A Travel Trailer over 10k GVWR qualifies for the Non Commercial A test also. If you know someone who has a Travel Trailer over 10k GVWR, ask if you can use their trailer for the test.

That’s good to know. I will check in that. Thank you.

[94-D2]

Non commercial class A in ca only allows an rv greater than 10,000 lbs. that’s it. As a note: a horse trailer with rv quarters is not an rv. It is a horse trailer and horses are not stock. They are pets. There for if over 10,000 lbs, a commercial class A is required. I bring this up because there is always an argument where horses are concerned.

[sayoung]

94-D2 wrote:
I used a 5 ton flat bed with six speed manual and air brakes coupled with a 12k flat bed trailer for my commercial class A. I paid $400 to an instructor who provided the equipment and 4 hours of training for the road test and walk around. I trained on big rigs independently and passed everything the first time. It was challenging but lots cheaper than a full blown truck driving school which is about $5K.

It is my understanding that DMV will require 40 hours of accredited training from a certified instructor this next year or so for a commercial license.

Is the Ca. Non-CDL "A" specifically for RV's ? In my state it is not just for RV's but any 26000+ non-commercial vehicle. If you have a truck you could rent a heavy trailer .

[94-D2]

I used a 5 ton flat bed with six speed manual and air brakes coupled with a 12k flat bed trailer for my commercial class A. I paid $400 to an instructor who provided the equipment and 4 hours of training for the road test and walk around. I trained on big rigs independently and passed everything the first time. It was challenging but lots cheaper than a full blown truck driving school which is about $5K.

It is my understanding that DMV will require 40 hours of accredited training from a certified instructor this next year or so for a commercial license.