Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Trucker’s Handbook PUB 194 (3-19) www.penndot.gov PAGE 1 CONTENTS Commercial Driver’s License Program . 3 Physical Qualifications of Drivers . 8 Suspensions, Disqualifications, Cancellations and Restorations . 8 Point System . 9 Titles. 10 Insurance Certification . 12 Registration . 14 Apportioned Registration . 17 Dual Registration . 21 Maximum Sizes and Loads . 23 Legal Wheel, Axle, & Gross Vehicle Weights . 24 Bridge Formula . 25 Legal Axle Weights & Gross Vehicle Weights . 27 Farm Vehicles . 36 Implements of Husbandry . 38 Special Hauling Permits. 40 Posted Highway Policies . 43 Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program . 45 Hazardous Materials . 46 HAZMAT Spill - Notification Procedures . 46 Hazardous Waste . 47 Hazardous Materials on the Turnpike . 47 Motor Carriers Road Tax Identification . 47 Weight Enforcement Program . 48 Truck Access . 49 Crash Reporting. 50 Customer Call Center . 51 Intrastate Carriers of Property and Household Goods . 51 Unified Carrier Registration Act . 53 Definitions . 54 Telephone List . 59 PAGE 2 PAGE 3 COMMERCIAL DRIVER LICENSING PROGRAM The Federal Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986, signed into law in October 1986, established a National Commercial Driver’s Licensing Program. Although individual states are still responsible for issuing driver's licenses, their licensing standards must comply with the minimum Federal requirements. The requirements apply to all drivers of intrastate or interstate commercial vehicles and their employers. The law affects anyone who drives a commercial vehicle that: • has a gross vehicle weight rating over 26,000 lbs.; • is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; • is a school bus; OR • is used in the transportation of hazardous materials requiring placarding. There are several requirements for commercial drivers and their employers. They are: • Single license requirement - Commercial motor vehicle drivers may have only one license. A Pennsylvania resident holding a driver’s license from another State is in violation of Federal and State law. If you have a license issued by another State, you must surrender it to the licensing agency of the new state of residence. Destroying a license does not satisfy this requirement. • Violations - Commercial motor vehicle drivers must inform both the State licensing agency (Pennsylvania Department of Transportation), and their employer of any out-of-state moving traffic conviction(s) regardless of the type of vehicle in which the violation occurred. Drivers have 30 days following a conviction to notify both parties. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Bureau of Driver Licensing P.O. Box 68617 Harrisburg, PA 17106-8617 • Suspensions - Commercial motor vehicle drivers must notify their employer if their driving privilege has been disqualified, suspended, revoked, or canceled. This notification must be made by the end of the business day following the day the driver received notice of their disqualification, suspension, revocation, or cancellation. • Disqualification - The Federal act requires all states to record offenses that can disqualify commercial motor vehicle drivers for a specific period of time, depending on the violation, from operating a commercial motor vehicle. Upon receiving such notification, a commercial motor vehicle driver would then be unable to legally drive a commercial vehicle. • Employment - Drivers applying for commercial driver employment must notify their employer of any prior commercial driver employment during the previous ten years. PAGE 4 • Employers - Employers may not knowingly allow an employee to operate a commercial motor vehicle if the employee's driving privilege is disqualified, suspended, revoked, or canceled, or if the employee has more than one driver’s license. Penalties for violating these provisions are severe. For each offense, commercial drivers and their employers could be fined up to $2,500 in civil fines, additional criminal fines up to $5,000 per violation, and/or a prison sentence of up to 90 days. If you have any questions or need additional information regarding any of this information, please contact the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at 1-800-932-4600. Driver Classifications You must have a valid driver's license* for the particular type of vehicle you wish to drive. Pennsylvania law specifies the following classifications: Class A: Class A driver's licenses will be issued to persons 18 years of age or older. A Class A license will be required to operate any combination of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, provided the gross vehicle weight rating of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds. ** Class B: Class B driver's licenses will be issued to persons 18 years of age or older. A Class B license will be required to operate any single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, or any such vehicle towing a vehicle not in excess of 10,000 pounds. ** Class C: A Class C driver's license will be issued to persons 18 years of age or older. A Class C license will be required to operate any single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 26,001 pounds if the vehicle is transporting hazardous materials requiring placarding ***, is designed to transport 16 or more passengers including the driver, or is a school bus. ** * Drivers of commercial motor vehicles over 10,000 pounds in interstate commerce or 17,000 pounds in intrastate commerce must also possess a valid medical examiners certificate. ** Drivers must be 21 years of age to drive a commercial vehicle interstate. *** Drivers of placarded hazardous materials must be 21 years of age. In addition to the driver’s license classes, if the vehicle is a commercial motor vehicle, the driver is required to possess a commercial driver's license (CDL) with appropriate endorsements and restrictions to operate specific vehicles. They are: Q - Requires the driver to wear corrective lenses while driving a commercial motor vehicle. Y - Requires the driver to wear a hearing aid(s) while driving a commercial motor vehicle. A - Restricts the driver to only drive within an exempt intracity zone (49 CFR § 391.62). PAGE 5 G - Indicates the driver is qualified medically by operation of 49 CFR § 391.62. V -Indicates the driver is qualified and has been issued a medical variance. (Medical variance documentation must be carried at all times when operating a commercial motor vehicle.) H -Required to drive a vehicle transporting hazardous materials requiring placards. (Must be 21 to qualify for this endorsement) N -Required to drive a tank vehicle. T - Required to drive double and triple trailers. P - Required to drive a vehicle carrying 16 or more passengers including the driver. S - Required to drive a school bus. L - Restricts the driver to vehicles not equipped with air brakes. X - Represents a combination of hazardous materials and tank vehicle endorsements. (Must be 21 to qualify for this endorsement) B - Passenger endorsement restriction-Cannot drive Class A buses. C -Passenger endorsement restriction-Cannot drive Class A or B buses. Out-of-State CDL License Transfers All new residents with out-of-state CDL’s must surrender them within 30 days of establishing Pennsylvania residency. To apply, a commercial driver must appear in person at one of our Driver License Centers. You will need to complete the necessary forms with the correct classification(s) and endorsements(s) and take a vision-screening test. The DL-180RCD will be provided at the Driver License Centers or you may download it at www.dmv.state.pa.us. You will need to bring your valid CDL from your prior state, your social security card as well as other identity and residency documents. When you are issued a Pennsylvania CDL, the CDL from your prior state must be surrendered to the examiner. Information regarding how to obtain an initial license is addressed in the Pennsylvania’s Commercial Driver’s Manual. Manuals are available at our Driver License Centers or you may get additional information on the internet at www.dmv.state.pa.us. License Renewals You will receive your Invitation to Renew your commercial driving privilege approximately 60 days prior to the expiration date of your current driver’s license. The completed form and required fee should be returned to the Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing, P.O. Box 68272, Harrisburg, PA 17106-8272. If, for any reason, you do not receive an application to renew your driving privilege before your current driver’s license expires, you should contact the Department of Transportation and request a Commercial Driver's License Renewal Application (Form DL-143CD) or you may download this form at www.dmv.state.pa.us. PAGE 6 After you submit the renewal application, the Bureau will send you a camera card, which when signed and accompanied by your photo license, is valid as a temporary license for 60 days. During that time, you must have your picture taken at any of the Photo License Centers located throughout the State. (A list of Photo License Center locations and their hours of operation is available on PennDOT's website at www.dmv.pa.us.) Remember to take another form of identification with you to the Photo Center. A list of acceptable forms of identification is contained on the Driver License Center flyer, mailed with your Commercial Driver’s License Photo Card. After your picture is taken, the license will be produced within minutes. Although the camera card will enable you to get a photo license beyond the specified 60-day period, the camera card is only valid as a temporary driver's license for the specified 60-day period. If, for any medical reasons, you temporarily cannot travel to have your picture taken within the 60-day period, you may keep the camera card and have your photo taken anytime within the four-year validation period of the new license.