Traveling on I-70 in PA returning from the Cincinnati Concours d'Elegance where I showed one of my cars which was in a 24 ft enclosed trailer.
Came upon a slow moving car with a trailer in tow and checked the camera view which shows me the vehicles behind the trailer. Signaled to move to the left lane and the car immediately sped up to close the gap. That vehicle was a state trooper who stopped me and stated that I had cut him off.
Subsequent conversation ensued where he then asked what was in the trailer and where we were coming from and going to and if I was involved in any commercial activity like selling T shirts etc. He then asked if I had seen him and I pointed out that I had seen him on my camera. Conversation then changed to his observation that my license, Class D in MA, has a 26,000 lb maximum and with me towing a trailer, he stated that I did not have the appropriate license/
Told him I had investigated that when I initially purchased the coach. He stated that could not be as with the GVW of the coach being 33,000 and the trailer being 10,000, along with the fact that the Freightliner had air brakes, that it was clear to him I should have a CDL. When I told him I am not conducting commercial activity, he said it was clear that my license stated the max limit should not exceed 26,000 lbs.
This stop took about 45 minutes in all and the officer was very polite and respectful and when I had told him I had done my due diligence even providing a printout from the MA RMV stating the class D was sufficient, he then said he had to call MA. When he came back he said that MA laws make no sense and he could not find a reason to cite me. At that time,he also stated that he could have been courteous and simply let me in so he wasn't going to cite me for cutting him off.
Today I called the MA RMV and escalated my request for clarification of the need for a CDL to two supervisors. After a half an hour, I was told that MA has no requirement for a CDL when one is driving an RV over 26,000lbs and that per the FMCSA, it is stated that "some"states may not require a CDL to operate a vehicle over 26,000 lbs with a 10,000 lb trailer in tow.
So the message is: be prepared to have the scope of any stop changed to accommodate any potential citation that could possibly create revenue and justification for the stop and do your homework and due diligence beforehand so you are prepared for the inevitable search for something wrong. Be polite and courteous!
Came upon a slow moving car with a trailer in tow and checked the camera view which shows me the vehicles behind the trailer. Signaled to move to the left lane and the car immediately sped up to close the gap. That vehicle was a state trooper who stopped me and stated that I had cut him off.
Subsequent conversation ensued where he then asked what was in the trailer and where we were coming from and going to and if I was involved in any commercial activity like selling T shirts etc. He then asked if I had seen him and I pointed out that I had seen him on my camera. Conversation then changed to his observation that my license, Class D in MA, has a 26,000 lb maximum and with me towing a trailer, he stated that I did not have the appropriate license/
Told him I had investigated that when I initially purchased the coach. He stated that could not be as with the GVW of the coach being 33,000 and the trailer being 10,000, along with the fact that the Freightliner had air brakes, that it was clear to him I should have a CDL. When I told him I am not conducting commercial activity, he said it was clear that my license stated the max limit should not exceed 26,000 lbs.
This stop took about 45 minutes in all and the officer was very polite and respectful and when I had told him I had done my due diligence even providing a printout from the MA RMV stating the class D was sufficient, he then said he had to call MA. When he came back he said that MA laws make no sense and he could not find a reason to cite me. At that time,he also stated that he could have been courteous and simply let me in so he wasn't going to cite me for cutting him off.
Today I called the MA RMV and escalated my request for clarification of the need for a CDL to two supervisors. After a half an hour, I was told that MA has no requirement for a CDL when one is driving an RV over 26,000lbs and that per the FMCSA, it is stated that "some"states may not require a CDL to operate a vehicle over 26,000 lbs with a 10,000 lb trailer in tow.
So the message is: be prepared to have the scope of any stop changed to accommodate any potential citation that could possibly create revenue and justification for the stop and do your homework and due diligence beforehand so you are prepared for the inevitable search for something wrong. Be polite and courteous!
