Trailer Inspection....

[jmra]

When I moved here from La in 2005 I had to have my 30' TT inspected before I could get TX plates. The local trailer dealer was able to do the inspection. They informed me that it was an annual inspection. Never had it inspected again.

[cb1000rider]

I've known people who had several failures trying to pass the Class B non-CDL for a motor home. What you pointed out about the testing varying by location, both written and driving was part of those experiences. I think the underlying problem is that DPS does not do enough of the non-CDL testing to remember exactly what it is supposed to be. And for the actual driving part, I've never known anyone to flunk it. The road failures were all during the pre-trip check. If you don't pass that, some testers will not do any more.

Oh I failed 2 of the 3 written tests I was given initially.. You know, the 2 they shouldn't have given me. I passed the one I studied for. I re-took the second (mostly air-brake stuff) and passed it a bit later and was lucky enough to get the 3rd one thrown out. I agree with you, it's a lack of seeing this issue often enough. However, they should be smart enough to follow their own rules when you bring them their own documentation and I found that not to be the case.

It was interesting, standing in line at the "commercial" DPS location, I had some guy telling me that "truck driving" is where it's at. He told me he was a convicted felon and basically owning a truck was the only way he'd found to be able to make a living. Apparently he'd been driving commercial without a CDL for years and DPS had busted him (unrelated to prior criminal) - they made him sell his truck.. Which he did, to his mom.. He was there to get a proper CDL.


If any of you 5th wheel owners can provide advice around interstate-travel with firearms (particularly storage in cases with kids), PM me. I got it all worked out when I was doing Class-A / Class-C rigs, but now that I'm towing something, I want to be sure I'm doing it right. The exterior storage on a 5th wheel isn't secure enough for my tastes.

[carlson1]

Do you need a Class A to pull a 5th wheel?

I believe that you need more than a Class C drivers license to pull your 5th wheel because of it's weight. I think that the lower limit for that is 10K pounds.

Be very careful. It is my understanding that the Class A and Class B non-CDL tests are actually the CDL tests in disguise. That means that you have to do a pre-trip check following a very specific list and pass a written test which has CDL questions on it. I don't know about the one for 5th wheels but you have so simulate backing a motor home into a loading dock to pass the Class B test for those.

I'm fortunate. Our motor home is below the 26,001 pound limit so I can drive it with a Class C license.

http://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/ ... eues=22156

http://dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/dlClasses.htm

This presents a problem. The State suspended my CDL this year (health reasons) and sent me a class C, but the left my motorcycle endorsement.

So now I wonder if that puts me owning a 5th wheel and Ford diesel truck I can't drive.

[cb1000rider]

There is no health qualification for NON-CDL Class-A.
There may be some other quandary that you're in, but my license currently says "Class AM" with an "R" restriction (need to ride with a licensed driver for Class A or B vehicles).

Again, I've never read about anyone being ticketed for it in Texas, even though it is the law. My concern is liability.

[chasfm11]

Do you need a Class A to pull a 5th wheel?

I believe that you need more than a Class C drivers license to pull your 5th wheel because of it's weight. I think that the lower limit for that is 10K pounds.

Be very careful. It is my understanding that the Class A and Class B non-CDL tests are actually the CDL tests in disguise. That means that you have to do a pre-trip check following a very specific list and pass a written test which has CDL questions on it. I don't know about the one for 5th wheels but you have so simulate backing a motor home into a loading dock to pass the Class B test for those.

I'm fortunate. Our motor home is below the 26,001 pound limit so I can drive it with a Class C license.

http://www.dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/ ... eues=22156

http://dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/dlClasses.htm

This presents a problem. The State suspended my CDL this year (health reasons) and sent me a class C, but the left my motorcycle endorsement.

So now I wonder if that puts me owning a 5th wheel and Ford diesel truck I can't drive.

I agree that the non-CDL licenses don't have that same medical requirement. There are a lot of big motor home drivers whom I doubt could pass the CDL medical either. I would simply go try to get a non-CDL Class A (I think that is what you need) and see what happens. You can always drive the truck on your Class C. It is just the 5th wheel where the problem could be.

I'd guess that there is a fairly large percentage of 5th wheel drivers that don't have the proper class licenses and may not even know that they need one. I think that is true for motor home drivers, too. I was stopped in The Woodlands where the officer chewed on me for nearly 10 minutes for "driving irresponsibly in a 30,000lb vehicle" (it weighs 22K) while he held my Class C license in his hand. I'm pretty sure that he didn't understand RV licenses better than several of the DPS folks that I've talked with. Maybe this new emphasis on inspections will tighten some of that up. Then again...... As was pointed out, the liability aspect could come into play. I put aux brakes on my towed car for liability reasons. It isn't always clear about whether the car is treated as a trailer and subject to the trailer brake requirements in all the States or not.

[cb1000rider]

My 5th wheel is 11,500 empty. I have never had it inspected. Is this a new law? Do regular inspection stations inspect trailers? What are they inspecting?

Carson, you may need to do nothing... it's going to depend on two things:
1) The GVWR of your truck (gross weight)
2) The GVWR of your trailer (gross weight)

When I was buying a truck, I believe if I *ordered* one, I could get it stickered at a GVWR of 10k. So if your trailer's gross was under 165001 and your truck's gross was at or under 10k, then you're fine. However, buying a truck of the lot, the GVWR of the truck was 17.5k and the GVWR of the trailer was 16.5k.

My trailer empty weight is 12.4k, so I'm about the same size as you. It's a toy hauler, so it may have a higher gross... With a dual wheel truck and going across states, I'm not taking chances.

I've read about tickets out of Houston and east Texas, but they're rare.

Trailer inspection was always required. It was largely ignored (even by DPS), but now you won't be able to register your trailer unless it's inspected... Basically the same deal as your car. Most regular inspection stations an do a trailer and it's pretty bare minimum, but I'd call before you trust what I'm telling you. If they're a state vehicle station, they should be able to do it. You may have to read them the rules... They're inspecting the following:


1. Brakes (system) (If gross weight exceeds 4,500 pounds)
2. Tires
3. Wheel Assembly
4. Safety Guards or Flaps (if four tires or more on rearmost axle) Pole trailers exempt.
5. Tail Lamps (2)
6. Stop Lamps (2)
7. License Plate Lamp (1)
8. Rear Red Reflectors (2)
9. Turn Signal Lamps
10. Clearance Lamps
11. Side Marker Lamps
12. Side Reflectors
13. Side Marker Lamps and Reflectors (30 feet or more in overall length)
(Refer to Reference Section as per lighting diagrams and as applicable to the particular trailer being inspected.)
14. Serial or Vehicle Identification Number

[Setxjeff]

We have been getting our big horse trailer (34 ft) inspected for several years.

[chasfm11]

My 5th wheel is 11,500 empty. I have never had it inspected. Is this a new law? Do regular inspection stations inspect trailers? What are they inspecting?

Carson, you may need to do nothing... it's going to depend on two things:
1) The GVWR of your truck (gross weight)
2) The GVWR of your trailer (gross weight)

When I was buying a truck, I believe if I *ordered* one, I could get it stickered at a GVWR of 10k. So if your trailer's gross was under 165001 and your truck's gross was at or under 10k, then you're fine. However, buying a truck of the lot, the GVWR of the truck was 17.5k and the GVWR of the trailer was 16.5k.

My trailer empty weight is 12.4k, so I'm about the same size as you. It's a toy hauler, so it may have a higher gross... With a dual wheel truck and going across states, I'm not taking chances.

I've read about tickets out of Houston and east Texas, but they're rare.

Trailer inspection was always required. It was largely ignored (even by DPS), but now you won't be able to register your trailer unless it's inspected... Basically the same deal as your car. Most regular inspection stations an do a trailer and it's pretty bare minimum, but I'd call before you trust what I'm telling you. If they're a state vehicle station, they should be able to do it. You may have to read them the rules... They're inspecting the following:


1. Brakes (system) (If gross weight exceeds 4,500 pounds)
2. Tires
3. Wheel Assembly
4. Safety Guards or Flaps (if four tires or more on rearmost axle) Pole trailers exempt.
5. Tail Lamps (2)
6. Stop Lamps (2)
7. License Plate Lamp (1)
8. Rear Red Reflectors (2)
9. Turn Signal Lamps
10. Clearance Lamps
11. Side Marker Lamps
12. Side Reflectors
13. Side Marker Lamps and Reflectors (30 feet or more in overall length)
(Refer to Reference Section as per lighting diagrams and as applicable to the particular trailer being inspected.)
14. Serial or Vehicle Identification Number

In an earlier post, he said that his GVW for the trailer was 11500. As I understand it, that puts him into a range to need a higher class license. I thought that it was a Class A but I could be wrong.

I've had zero luck finding inspection stations that will do RVs. The problem with the basic inspection is that hardly pays them to look at it, let alone look at all of the things on the list. I pay $40 for the passenger vehicles and $15 for the motor home inspection. They can do two cars in the time that it takes them to do one MH. My camping friends with trailers have had similar stories. Most of the inspection stations have a license which requires them to do travel trailers. Many of them will not, claiming that they have noone on duty is qualified and since you cannot make an appointment, the story is the same every time you show up. When I did happen to find one, I just keep going back. It will be interesting this coming year because my registration is up in January. That means that the inspection can be done in November. There is no way that I'm taking a motor home out icy roads like we had last year.

[Setxjeff]

problem with the basic inspection is that hardly pays them to look at it, let alone look at all of the things on the list. I pay $40 for the passenger vehicles and $15 for the motor home inspection.

We pay $7.50 at the station then $7 at the tax office. $40 for a passenger vehicle?

[chasfm11]

problem with the basic inspection is that hardly pays them to look at it, let alone look at all of the things on the list. I pay $40 for the passenger vehicles and $15 for the motor home inspection.

We pay $7.50 at the station then $7 at the tax office. $40 for a passenger vehicle?

Passenger vehicles require an emissions inspection, at least where I am in Texas. That is $39.95. Diesel engines, like the one in our motor home, don't have the emissions requirement....yet.

[Charlies.Contingency]

So I have to go get all of my farm trailers inspected? Does this mean when it comes around for registration, I have to tow each of my trailers to town to get them inspected so their registration stays up to date? I bet Obama's not excited about all the diesel I'll be wasting to tow them, and all the carbon waste I'll be emitting to comply with this law, all for trailers I use once or twice a year.

[carlson1]

Does anyone have a copy of the law on this "non-CDL license" and pulling trailers? I spent an hour today talking to a License and Weights Lieutenant from DPS about pulling my 5th wheel. Everyone is correct that the inspection sticker was always the law, but they ignored it until they thought "they found a solution" to enforce it.

The drivers license issue according to him is directed at motor homes and the class of motor homes, but not trailers.

All this stuff has my head spinning. The people who inspect my vehicles are already complaining that inspecting vehicles is costing them money because of the printer, ink, and paper. They are considering to discontinue inspections. If this is how everyone else operates this could be a problem.

The only place I can find in the Tyler area that will inspect my 5th wheel is Tyler RV.

[krieghoff]

So I have to go get all of my farm trailers inspected? Does this mean when it comes around for registration, I have to tow each of my trailers to town to get them inspected so their registration stays up to date? I bet Obama's not excited about all the diesel I'll be wasting to tow them, and all the carbon waste I'll be emitting to comply with this law, all for trailers I use once or twice a year.

If less than 34,000 lb.gross weight and if it has a farm plate on it, it's exempt from a state inspection. I too would be burning up a lot of fuel to inspect 5 trailers since it's about a 40 mile trip to do so!!

[chasfm11]

Does anyone have a copy of the law on this "non-CDL license" and pulling trailers? I spent an hour today talking to a License and Weights Lieutenant from DPS about pulling my 5th wheel. Everyone is correct that the inspection sticker was always the law, but they ignored it until they thought "they found a solution" to enforce it.

The drivers license issue according to him is directed at motor homes and the class of motor homes, but not trailers.

All this stuff has my head spinning. The people who inspect my vehicles are already complaining that inspecting vehicles is costing them money because of the printer, ink, and paper. They are considering to discontinue inspections. If this is how everyone else operates this could be a problem.

The only place I can find in the Tyler area that will inspect my 5th wheel is Tyler RV.

I only have the link that I posted earlier regarding the non-CDL licenses. Even for motor homes, many of the DPS testing stations don't seem to understand A or B non-CDL.

You are lucky to find one station to do your trailer inspection. That is all that I could find, too, and I spent 3 days driving from station to station (I probably visited at least 50 of them), asking if they would do a motor home. I keep telling my guy at the station that I use that he cannot retire until I decide to sell my motor home. I'm guessing that one of the chief reasons that noone has been getting their trailers inspected is that they cannot find anyone to do it.

The good news is that Texas is a lot better on RVs than many States. We think that there is a patchwork of laws on concealed carry but I often wonder if the RV related laws aren't worse. Luckily, most States don't bother with RVs unless they think that they are involved in drugs, etc. Taking an RV into Canada and back can also be a real adventure.

[carlson1]

I have only ventured into Oklahoma, Louisana, Mississippi, and Alabama. I have not actually personally pulled my 5th wheel since 2012. It is almost enough to make me want to sale it.