Do you need an air brake endorsement under 26 000

Excuse me, Mr Driver, but YOUR truck is already upside down, mine isn't. So, why should I let you tell me how to upright it??

Wade200

4,157

4,000+ Posts

Oct 17, 2007#32007-10-17T19:43

There is no such thing as an "air brake only" endorsement. If the vehicle is under 26,000 GVWR and you are not towing anything over 10,000 lbs you don't need a CDL.

I still consider it a grey area.

Daniel Wade

RIGGIOTOWING

209

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Oct 18, 2007#42007-10-18T01:58

Jim I have a letter from the massachusetts state police on their letterhead, stating that if the vehicle is under 26001 with air brakes a cdl or air brake endorsement is not needed. Call me at my shop and i'll be glad to fax it to you. My number is 781-275-3307.

The best way to answer this question is to go online for the state driver's licensing dept. as I'm not sure if it is different between states. In Washington state you do not need a CDL for vehicles 26,000 gvw or less. I have a dump truck that is 28,000 with air brakes, but have it licensed as a farm vehicle so I don't need the CDL either. Sometimes they may require an "air: endorsement although, but it will all be spelled out on the license site. Adding to answer: Under 26,001 lbs, you can operate the vehicle on a standard Class C whether air brake equipped or not. There is no "L" restriction on a Class C. Air restrictions only apply to CMV's (vehicles with a GVWR of, or an actual weight of 26,001 and greater) I put that in bold because, if you're operating a truck with a 26,000 GVWR, but with a load you actually are say 26,500 and get pulled over and weighed, you're gonna get slapped for operating a CMV on a Class C.

References: FMCSA §383.5 Definitions.Commercial driver's license (CDL) means a license issued by a State or other jurisdiction, in accordance with the standards contained in 49 CFR Part 383 , to an individual which authorizes the individual to operate a class of a commercial motor vehicle. Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle- (a) Has a gross combination weight rating of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds); or (b) Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 11,794 or more kilograms (26,001 pounds or more); or (c) Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or (d) Is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials as defined in this section. FMCSA §383.95 Air brake restrictions.(a) If an applicant either fails the air brake component of the knowledge test, or performs the skills test in a vehicle not equipped with air brakes, the State shall indicate on the CDL, if issued, that the person is restricted from operating a CMV equipped with air brakes. (b) For the purposes of the skills test and the restriction, air brakes shall include any braking system operating fully or partially on the air brake principle.

To all respondents of this post. I have encountered this problem in the past on a few instances. The last cost a fleet owner leased onto our company a good driver. That driver just could not live with the uncertainty of how each law enforcement official he encountered would interpret the regs. He left to drive a non-cdl vehicle without airbrakes. The problem exists because many of the law enforcement officials are not propperly trained or do not understand the regulations. This applies to both roadside inspectors and persons employed within the state or federal governmental offices. The posts on this thread clearly show discrepancies in the interpretation of the regs. Listed below are definitions that are posted the the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website, which contains all of the regulations and their definitions. The address for this website is http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rulesregs/fmcsr/regs/383.5.htm

The following definitions were pulled from the webiste for your convenience:

Commercial driver's license (CDL) means a license issued by a State or other jurisdiction, in accordance with the standards contained in 49 CFR part 383, to an individual which authorizes the individual to operate a class of a commercial motor vehicle.

Commercial motor vehicle (CMV) means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles used in commerce to transport passengers or property if the motor vehicle --
(a) Has a gross combination weight rating of 11,794 kilograms or more (26,001 pounds or more) inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds); or
(b) Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 11,794 or more kilograms (26,001 pounds or more); or
(c) Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or
d) Is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials as defined in this section.

Endorsement means an authorization to an individual's CDL required to permit the individual to operate certain types of commercial motor vehicles.

Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) means the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle.

Non-CMV means a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles not defined by the term "commercial motor vehicle (CMV)" in this section.

By the definitions listed above, especially the last definition, a vehicle having a GVW of 26,000 lbs. with air-brakes, that has only 2 axles, is a NON-CDL vehicle provided it is not used to transport placardable amounts of hazardous materials. I see them as being legally operated by a person without a CDL. That is my opinion. We all know that my opinion may not be the same as the law enforcement official who issues you a citation.

That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

HotFr8Recruiter
John Mueller, CDS

Hello and Season's Greetings to all. I just joined today, and I did so because I was also looking for an answer to this question. I can't post a link to the CA DMV CDL handbook, but in this last year's version (2014 - 2015), you can find a separate chapter on Air Brakes (Chapter 5). Right at the top section, it defines the three components of an air brake system, then it goes further to say that this system will have two things.. a gauge system and a low pressure warning system. Then, it goes on.. I quote the manual:

"If the vehicle you use for your driving test does not have these components, your vehicle will not be considered as having an air brake system and you will have a “No Air Brakes” restriction on your CDL"

I think this is the definitive answer and should settle any questions. It seems that there is no special endorsement for air brakes, but if you show up for your California CDL test in a truck without air brakes, that your license will have the above mentioned restriction ON the license "No Air Brakes". If you wanted to get this restriction lifted, you'd have to re-test in a vehicle WITH air brakes, and you'd have to show proficiency and knowledge about your truck's air brake system.

I've been doing a lot of research on these things, because my husband and I bought a '96 IH 4700 one year ago, and I just found out about the "soot filter" requirements and otherwise the need to file for a 1,000 mile exemption from ARB (CARB). The truck is pretty much up to me, now, because my husband had a stroke about 3 / 4 mos after we bought the truck. Our plan was to use it to help us move out of state. Tricky, but I've managed to figure out a way around all the obstacles which threatened to stop us, before we got started. I've driven the truck (6 speed manual) and I love that truck! All the jitters are gone after two trips out on local streets and learning to shift it properly, etc. Wild horses couldn't tear me away from it, and I've already done some small repairs to the electrical (broken lights, bypassed fuses for auxiliary use, etc).

But, there are a lot of things.. legal things.. to know and a pretty steep learning curve for a beginner. My best advice for those seeking answers about state laws is to go online and download their CDL Handbook. That's where you will get really accurate answers.

As for Jay Leno's rig, I think the nature of the game now is to get as much truck as you can while staying within the limitations. Most non-commercial owners who want a big truck are going to want it to haul their toys, and it's not a bad idea to go for the air brake option, if available, but there is no restriction for people using a truck with air brakes if they have a C license (most common type).

Most states are not going to have as many rules and restrictions as California. Long story, but the Federal agencies which typically provide the framework for administrative rules only require a minimum compliance per state to qualify for Federal grants to state agencies. But, the Feds most likely will have language in the Federal law to say that states are able to write their own laws which EXCEED the Federal requirements. There is probably no tougher state in the Union to know and comply with all of it's laws than California. I would suggest that if you plan to go through CA, that you take a current copy of their CDL handbook, just in case you have to show the inspector or Chippie where you think you know your rights (being polite, of course!)

Do you need an air brake endorsement under 26000 in NY?

Do you need an air brake endorsement under 26 000 in Illinois?

Do you need a CDL for air brakes in VA?

What is the heaviest you can haul without a CDL?