CDL DRIVERS EXEMPT OR NOT,Inspections

[ff emt-p bleve]

What does your state require for drivers of fire trucks<br />Does your state inspect your trucks .In Ky your exempt only on emergency calls and a gray area pops up when operate on non emergencies such as a parade,maintance,maybe returns to the station.No vehicle inspection are required by the state .Many trucks in rural ky are 20 plus years old over weight and have poor in house maintance.<br />I feel we should be exempt from CDL with a approved in house drivers training program howevere vehicle inspection should be mandated and carried out for the protection of the firefighter and the ciziten we meet while enroute to calls.

[dragonfyre]

Pennsylvania requires that all vehicles including fire trucks undergo a yearly safety inspection. Lights, brakes, windshields, tires etc.

Drivers can be exempted from CDL requirements if the fire chief signs off on a form we have to keep in our wallet with our driver's license.

Hope that helps.

[HOTDOG]

Virginia law requires our fire apparatus to be inspected yearly same as all motor vehicles.

Drivers of fire apparatus are exempt from CDL requirements as stated in the Virginia Motor Carrier book. In Virginia, fire apparatus are the only exemption.

We have our own driver certification program at our department. You must pass the certs in order to drive apparatus. We also do our own inspections on our rigs periodically. Although we are not required, we feel you cannot inspect your rig often enough.

Hope this helps. <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

[MFD14C13]

Here in New Hampshire it is pretty much the same way as HotDog described it for Virginia. We are also exempt by state law from having to posess a CDL to drive fire apparatus. But it also says for an emergency responses. The gray area is for all the other situations like returning from a call for example. I have read it, but I have not had any success locating the NH RSA to include it here.

We also have a driver certification program in our department. Even though our SOG's don't specify it, it is a pretty much a requirement for that certification. But it boils down to this; even though the State says we don't need a CDL, our department strongly recommends having it, along with any necessary endorsments, ie; air brakes, tank, etc.

Look at it this way, if your licensed by the State as opposed to having your chief or some other authority signing you off as "trained", it gives the sharks....er lawyers one less thing to crucify your department with when the fecal matter hits the rotating device.

These opinions are purely my own and do not represent the views of my department.

[Chris309]

In NY, fire apparatus are exempt from state motor vehicle registration and inspection requirements. Drivers are also exempt from the state CDL requirement. You need only possess a NYS Class D (passenger car operator) license to drive fire apparatus.

[the7tower]

Everyone who drives is CDL, no exceptions. All apparatus in all stations are truck terminals and inspected 4 times yearly and can be imeditely red tagged.

Why should the fire service be exempt?? We are not exempt from the laws of gravity. EVOC is no replacement for a CDL. Look at all the accidents and deaths, how can we call ourselves professionals if we ask for exemptions for everything pros are required to do?

[Dalmatian90]

CT:<br />-- Drivers must have a "2Q" (Fire-truck only) or CDL license.<br />Essentially, there's only two differences -- to get a CDL, you need to take the written test in addition to the road test, and you can't use a fire truck in the CDL road test. My department *strongly* encourages the CDL and arranges to borrow a Town Highway Department dump truck for the road test.

-- Not sure on State requirements for inspections. My department sends the trucks through a normal commercial truck inspection annually at a local heavy truck garage.

-- While Apparatus doesn't have to be registered, it isn't neccesarily exempted from all regulations, such as weight regulations. Doesn't mean you can't have an overweight fire truck, just legally you need an overweight permit from the State DOT specifying which State & Local bridges you may and may not cross.

[truckie_ladderco_147]

Ok semantics ya'all.All fire trucks should be exempt from CDL guidelines.However the state of Illinois has a NON-CDL license.This is issued to those driving heavy vehicles that do not fall under the CDL guidelines.If you want to drive a fire truck in this state you need this license.Under no condition should fire trucks be classified as Commercial vehicles.You are not transporting products for hire.There should be a requirement but not the same as the CDL. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

[Rescue101]

Exempt from cdl? And we all have 50-70 yr old folks driving 30-45 foot motorhomes on our highways who never drove anything bigger than a caprice until they retired.They're exempt fron cdl regardless of weight so what's with this?Most heavy vehicle "accidents" had a exempt vehicle involved in them either as a contributor or causal factor.My observations are based on 35 yrs in the towing and recovery trade.T.C.

[DenverFarmboy]

...Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations(FMCSR)(1999)Part 390 - :390.3(f) EXCEPTIONS. ...do not apply to - (2) Transportation performed by ... a State, or any political subdivision of a State, ...; ...(4) The transportation of ...sick or injured persons; (5) The operation of fire trucks and rescue vehicles while involved in emergency AND RELATED OPERATIONS."

[firecat1524]

In SC no non-commercial vehicles are inspected anymore. <br /> Sc State law does not require CDL to drive fire apparatus, however if the GVW is over 24,000 lbs you are required to have a SC Class E dl.

[gunnyv]

In Michigan, firefighters are exempt from CDL requirements, as long as the department maintains "an approved driver's training program". What that means I'm not so sure, but we do the "rodeo" style skills test every couple of years.<br />When we bought a tractor trailer style Special Ops rig, there was much discussion over whether it qualified for exemption. It worked out that if it has FD on the side, you're exempt.<br />We do have a few guys (self included) who have CDLs from previous jobs, and the dept. helped one guy get his so he can go pick up new trucks out of state.