Concerned about whether you need a CDL to drive a box truck? In most cases, the answer is no. The longer response, however, is a bit more complicated and varies based on the dimensions and Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the truck you are operating.
For a variety of different vehicles, including tractor trailers, flatbed trucks, and more, a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is necessary. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), which varies from truck to truck, is actually what determines the CDL requirements for a box truck. It is not necessary to have a CDL holder in order to drive box trucks with a GVWR of less than 26,000 pounds. Of course, it’s essential to confirm the GVWR of your box truck before you drive it to ensure that you are in compliance with the rules of your state.
Continue reading to find out more about box trucks, including who can operate them and how they’re applied to commercial driving.
What is a Box Truck?
A stretched-frame truck with a cargo box on the chassis separate from the cab and a rear roll-up door is known as a box truck. However, depending on the type of box truck you purchase for a particular job, these features may vary.
There are a lot of differences between them and semi-trucks, as is obvious. Semi-trucks are bigger, have more wheels, and have separate cabs from their trailers so that they can attach and detach their loads. The licensing requirements for the two truck types are very different, and box trucks cannot be detached.
What Are Box Trucks Used For?
Because they are manufactured with a range of Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (GVWR), box trucks are manufactured to serve a variety of functions. Although they make excellent delivery and moving trucks, people also use them as service vehicles and in the truck rental industry to provide vehicles to regular people for their own use.
They are a desirable choice for people who don’t necessarily have a lot of truck-driving experience but require something with the storage capacity of a truck.
Do You Need a CDL to Drive a Box Truck?
Most of the time, a CDL is not required to operate a box truck. This isn’t even a question that the average rent-a-box-truck driver would think to ask. Moving trucks carrying peoples’ furniture may have been spotted driving up and down the street. You can drive that truck without a CDL if you can simply walk into a rental store and choose it.
The criteria for determining whether you need a CDL to operate a box truck are actually quite straightforward. You need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to operate a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 26,000 pounds.
The GVWR does not, in fact, refer to the truck’s actual weight, which is an extremely crucial point to remember. It makes no sense to have different licensing requirements depending on the weight of the truck’s cargo. The GVWR, or gross vehicle weight rating, is another way of saying the size of the truck and actually refers to how much weight the vehicle is rated to carry.
You only need to check the truck’s door jam to determine the GVWR. The Gross Axle Weight Rating (GARW) for the front and back axles is listed on the interior sticker. Your GVWR is equal to the sum of those two figures.
Read about How Much Does A Box Truck Cost?
What You Need to Know Before Driving a Box Truck
Even if a CDL is not required, you should take some basic safety precautions before driving a box truck.
These cars and trucks operate very differently from sedans and even pickup trucks, so they should be driven a little more carefully and with a little more respect than other types of smaller vehicles.
Before you leave, don’t forget to check your mirrors. Your mirrors are one of the most important tools in the truck because you won’t be able to look out the back window. Make wide turns and signal early so that cars behind you, especially bicycles and small vehicles, can anticipate your intentions.
Last but not least, if this is your first time operating a box truck, avoid challenging maneuvers like parallel parking unless you have a reliable spotter who can assist you.
Get Your Box Truck CDL at Truck Driver Institute.
Most box trucks don’t need a CDL to operate, but the bigger ones do. What will you do next then? Truck Driver Institute is the best location to obtain your commercial driver’s license. High-quality driver training from knowledgeable instructors has been offered by TDI for almost 50 years.
A Class A CDL allows you to drive almost any vehicle, but most box truck drivers only need a Class B CDL, if any at all. With a Class B CDL, you can drive a number of vehicles including:
- Metro busses
- School busses
- Tour busses
- Passenger vans
- Delivery trucks
- Dump trucks
- Cement mixers
- Box trucks
- Straight trucks
- Tilt beds
- …and more!
You can operate even larger vehicles, like semis and other long-haul and industrial machinery, if you have a Class A CDL.
There is a national shortage of qualified drivers in almost every area of commercial driving, according to Truck Driver Institute, which has 11 locations across the nation. Join the Truck Driver Institute now to get started!
How to Apply for Your Class B CDL in Texas?
You might be wondering how to obtain your CDL and acquire all the skills required to drive a box truck safely if you intend to do so. Fortunately, most people find it to be a simple procedure.
You will need to take the following credentials to your local DMV:
- Proof of United States citizenship (resident card, birth certificate, or passport)
- Your social security card
- Proof of Texas residency (two types – a valid voter registration card, Texas motor vehicle registration, or mortgage statement)
- A medical examiner’s certificate
- Proof of your identity (a Texas driver’s license)
- Proof of insurance
- Texas vehicle registration evidence
The next steps include paying an application fee, passing a vision test, giving your thumbprint, and getting your picture taken. A CDL test is also needed, which might include some of the following information:
- General knowledge
- Texas commercial rules
- Endorsements
- Airbrake
It’s important to read the requirements before applying because not everyone will be qualified to get their Class B CDL in Texas to operate a box truck. You might not be eligible if you:
- Don’t have a clean driving record
- Aren’t at least 18 years old to drive intrastate
- Aren’t at least 21 years old to drive interstate
Why Don’t Box Trucks Require Commercial Licenses?
A box truck with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,000 pounds or less can be rented in the US by someone without a commercial driver’s license (CDL). The maximum weight, including cargo, that a vehicle can carry and still function is known as the GVWR. Any truck or van with a weight capacity of at least 26,001 pounds needs to have a Class B CDL. A commercial driver’s license might be necessary for some vehicles, though, with GVWRs under 26,000. For instance, drivers need a CDL in order to operate buses and other for-hire vehicles.
Rentable vehicles with a GVWR below 26,000 pounds include the following:
- Pickup trucks
- Box trucks
- Cargo Vans
- Utility Trucks
A commercial license is not necessary to operate a box truck if it is smaller than a certain size, unlike a semi-truck, which requires extensive safety training, a CDL, and practical experience. This typically means that a person can rent a truck that is between 22 and 26 feet long in the United States without any prior experience. In other words, a large box truck might be a person’s first experience driving a vehicle larger than a sedan.
Who is Responsible for a Box Truck Accident?
Usually, the driver of the truck and the business that permitted the careless driver to operate it are both at fault in a box truck accident. Businesses are required to confirm that they are renting out their vehicles to responsible people. A rental company may be held accountable for an accident if they failed to exercise caution and prevent a careless or unlicensed driver from operating one of their vehicles. Additionally, rental companies are in charge of performing routine maintenance on the truck, such as tire and oil changes, to ensure that it is safe to operate.
The responsibility to ensure safe vehicle operation falls next on the shoulders of box truck drivers. It’s straightforward: if a person lacks the self-assurance, driving expertise, or desire to operate a vehicle safely, they shouldn’t be in charge of one that is bigger and heavier than most others on the road.
All drivers of box trucks should:
- Watch their surroundings
- Drive slower to account for longer stopping times
- Use their mirrors to check for smaller vehicles
- Reverse slowly and safely
- Respect their box truck’s need to make wide turns
- Avoid attempting maneuvers they are not comfortable with
Who Can Drive a Box Truck?
Box trucks, as was already stated, can be categorized under a few different headings, but that doesn’t mean that they are limited to those headings. Who can operate a box truck depends on its specific GVWR, and box trucks come in all shapes and sizes.
The majority of box trucks don’t require an auxiliary license to operate. So when you think of the typical box truck, you probably think of things like:
- Moving trucks
- Delivery trucks
- Service trucks
- Rental business trucks
Box trucks are utilized by a ton of businesses because they are easy to operate and drive very similarly to other large vehicles with which people are familiar.
In reality, box trucks require some driving skill, and accidents frequently occur when inexperienced drivers transport their furniture or other belongings in big trucks they are unable to handle or control on the road.
So the question should really be, “Who should drive a box truck?”. The answer is someone knowledgeable enough who is familiar with the truck’s capabilities, braking ability, and weaknesses in case of an emergency.
Conclusion
In other words, whether or not someone can drive a box truck safely, they are taking on the responsibility by renting one. So, if someone is unsure of their driving abilities, they should think about hiring a professional driver or enlisting the aid of someone who is qualified to drive a big, heavy vehicle! To drive a box truck, you don’t necessarily need a CDL, but you should exercise caution when driving.