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  1. #11
    Setting Up Camp
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    Steve
    How difficult was the driving portion of the non commercial class A texas DL?

  2. #12
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Itchy44 View Post
    Steve
    How difficult was the driving portion of the non commercial class A texas DL?
    It was very easy, took about 25-30 minutes. This was at the DPS mega center in Pflugerville, an Austin suburb. After checking my paperwork, (vehicle safety inspection reports truck and trailer, insurance cards), they checked to make sure all exterior lights were working(stop,turn, tail, clearance), they had me back up in a straight line for 50 feet. Then we went out on mostly 4 lane divided streets making a series of right and left turns at stop lights, changing lanes, then on a two lane street through a neighborhood.

    Don't sweat the driving test, it is easy. You start out with a total of 32 points, each infraction deducts points. What they will be looking for during the test is how well you make turns, DO NOT speed, stop behind crosswalks, using turn signals, using your mirrors, not hitting curbs on turns. They will deduct points for driving too slowly. I did not use my exhaust brake during the test, some cities do not allow the use of exhaust brakes. I didn't know the local city ordinance so I just left it off. My score was 30, I lost two points on a right turn from a 4 lane divided street onto another 4 lane divided street. I stayed in my lane before the turn, but when I made the right turn onto the next street I turned into the left lane so I would miss the curb which is ok but I continued in the left lane. The instructor said what I should have done was, after the turn into the left lane, then move over into the right lane. That is the kind of stuff they are looking for.
    Last edited by Steven@147; 10-01-2019 at 08:21 AM.
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
    Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - www.youtube.com/@tsrvadventures3219/videos, Nonprofit Channel

  3. #13
    Setting Up Camp
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    Steve
    Thanks very much. That puts my mind at ease. I live in a small town in west texas that they only test once a month

  4. #14
    Fireside Member
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    Holy cow…I’m looking at a used 2019 2930RL and they wanted $53,000 but they said they would come down to $50,000. I’m thinking it’s not such a good deal after seeing what they wanted to give you off of MSRP when it was new. NADA low retail is more then that. Hmmmm

  5. #15
    Setting Up Camp
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steven@147 View Post
    It was very easy, took about 25-30 minutes. This was at the DPS mega center in Pflugerville, an Austin suburb. After checking my paperwork, (vehicle safety inspection reports truck and trailer, insurance cards), they checked to make sure all exterior lights were working(stop,turn, tail, clearance), they had me back up in a straight line for 50 feet. Then we went out on mostly 4 lane divided streets making a series of right and left turns at stop lights, changing lanes, then on a two lane street through a neighborhood.

    Don't sweat the driving test, it is easy. You start out with a total of 32 points, each infraction deducts points. What they will be looking for during the test is how well you make turns, DO NOT speed, stop behind crosswalks, using turn signals, using your mirrors, not hitting curbs on turns. They will deduct points for driving too slowly. I did not use my exhaust brake during the test, some cities do not allow the use of exhaust brakes. I didn't know the local city ordinance so I just left it off. My score was 30, I lost two points on a right turn from a 4 lane divided street onto another 4 lane divided street. I stayed in my lane before the turn, but when I made the right turn onto the next street I turned into the left lane so I would miss the curb which is ok but I continued in the left lane. The instructor said what I should have done was, after the turn into the left lane, then move over into the right lane. That is the kind of stuff they are looking for.
    Steven- what will this endorsement allow you to do that a regular DL won't?
    2015 Solitude 320x
    2023 GMC 3500HD SRW Duramax long box
    B&W companion hitch non-slider

  6. #16
    Long Hauler
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    Quote Originally Posted by onespeed View Post
    Steven- what will this endorsement allow you to do that a regular DL won't?
    Be legal. As I understand it, Texas and several other states, require you to have a modified CDL license if your GCVWR, not actual weights but GCVWR, exceeds 26,001 lbs.
    Howard and Peggy
    2019 Momentum 351M, and 2018 RAM Cummins dually 6-speed.
    His: 1999 Honda Interceptor
    Hers: 2013 Spyder ST-S

  7. #17
    Setting Up Camp Bubblehead_688's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hoopy Frood View Post
    Be legal. As I understand it, Texas and several other states, require you to have a modified CDL license if your GCVWR, not actual weights but GCVWR, exceeds 26,001 lbs.
    Truth. ^^ And it's not so much the State Troopers I'm concerned with... but rather the back office insurance folks whose job it is to find any excuse to refuse coverage in case of an accident... no matter who is at fault. (I'll be scheduling my TX Class A license test soon.)

    Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

  8. #18
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by onespeed View Post
    Steven- what will this endorsement allow you to do that a regular DL won't?
    Its not an endorsement on a regular DL, it is a different drivers license. What the others said is true, allows you to drive/tow legally. Texas has a law for vehicles licensed and registered in Texas, that if the combined weight of the listed GVWR of tow vehicle and trailer exceeds 26001# and the trailer itself is over 10001# then you must have a Class A Non-CDL drivers license. GVWR Truck + GVWR Trailer = GCVWR. In our case GVWR Ram Truck 14000 + GVWR RV 16800 = 30800.

    All that needs to happen for what ever reason is law enforcement looks at the GVWR sticker on the truck door jam, adds that to the GVWR listed on the sticker on RV left front, if sum over 26001# and RV by itself is over 10001#, the license is required, Class A Non-CDL. Now is that likely to happen that law enforcement is on the look out for RVers over weight, probably not. But don't kid yourself law enforcement and others do know about it.

    In the case of a motorhome GVWR over 26001# same rule applies but it is a Class B Non-CDL drivers license.
    Last edited by Steven@147; 01-25-2022 at 07:03 AM.
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
    Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - www.youtube.com/@tsrvadventures3219/videos, Nonprofit Channel

  9. #19
    Setting Up Camp
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    Steven- thank you for the detailed information. It is something that I need to prioritize for sure. I see now that my home state, Iowa, also has the same requirement. I don't here it talked about much here though.
    2015 Solitude 320x
    2023 GMC 3500HD SRW Duramax long box
    B&W companion hitch non-slider

  10. #20
    Long Hauler
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    You don't hear much about it because it would seem to be a non-issue, with the exception of "what could happen". Missouri has the same regulations as Texas, and several other states, and I was stopped a couple years back due to expired license plate on the truck. I had the new one, just forgot to mount it, but had the paperwork in the truck. He mentioned that he was glad to see I had tags for the weight I was hauling, but never mentioned the fact I actually needed the modified-CDL license to be 100% legit. I've never had that license because I had never heard of it. Now that I've heard of it, I still don't plan on getting it.

    Dealing with the DMV is always a PIA, and especially with something that rarely comes up, like the modified-DMV license. JMO of course.
    Howard and Peggy
    2019 Momentum 351M, and 2018 RAM Cummins dually 6-speed.
    His: 1999 Honda Interceptor
    Hers: 2013 Spyder ST-S

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