Going to Canada

[mrsmackpaul]

Well next August I'm going horse riding in the Canadian Rockies 

So I had a thought, rather than flew all the way there, I might just fly to LA and then buy a small truck and drive up and then head across to the east coast after my ride

So my question is, can I drive a truck with getting a CDL or what ever you blokes call it ?

If I can't, how big in weight can I drive without a CDL, was told 26000 lbs

Is this the gross weight of trucks capability or to can I drive a truck that weighs this amount when empty 

It is only a idea, day dream type of deal to drive about

 

Paul

 

[BOBWhite]

Sounds fun! I don't know anything about how you would get a license if you're a non citizen. You shouldn't need a CDL, and as far as I understand anything under 26,000 lbs will not require anything but a license. There isn't much regulations on the small stuff In regards to weight. 

[tjc transport]

under 26,000 registered gross weight can be driver without a Commercial Drivers License

[doubleclutchinweasel]

Yes, even a commercial vehicle less than 26,001# can be operated without a CDL.  That's because so many "commercial" vehicles are actually pickup trucks, cars, and such.  So, there is an exemption for those lighter weights.

26,001# and over requires appropriate class A or B CDL IF used to generate revenue.  If not used to used to generate revenue, there are non-commercial class A and B licenses available (at least in some states).

And, a CDL can be used in place of a "civilian" license.

[mowerman]

Depends on where you are 18000 without air brakes in some places Good luck, Paul.

[doubleclutchinweasel]

59 minutes ago, mowerman said:

Depends on where you are 18000 without air brakes in some places Good luck, Paul.

True.  Some states have air brake rules.  Some don't.  Gotta keep it confusing, otherwise there is no money in it for the states!

[Brocky]

Paul:  Before we came down in 2015 for the ATHS Tour, I went to the AAA service center and got an International Drivers licence. When I asked him if it was good for a big truck, after explaining why we were going Down Under, He got his stamp back out and stamped another box on the form and said you are GOOD to go. Never used it!!!

Instead of buying something up here check into the Camper / Motor Home / Caravan rental companies... The 4 person ones mounted on a F-350 or 3500 chassis would be excellent for touring with just you and the Princess with NO need to worry about licencing and insurance. You might want to check about one way usage???

[mechohaulic]

not sure why you intend on buying a small truck. did you look into or think of a rental truck??  cross country and it breaks down just get on the phone let them know their truck is broke. buy one and YOUR truck is broke. why are you thinking a CDL ?? 26K is alot of weight. another possible idea as earlier stated is a rental of RV. might be few $$ more  but many advantages . renting a toy hauler RV has a back section to put all the acquired junk you find . then there's the question of who is going on this venture ;;;you alone or very understanding mate. 😄

[fjh]

5 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

Well next August I'm going horse riding in the Canadian Rockies 

So I had a thought, rather than flew all the way there, I might just fly to LA and then buy a small truck and drive up and then head across to the east coast after my ride

So my question is, can I drive a truck with getting a CDL or what ever you blokes call it ?

If I can't, how big in weight can I drive without a CDL, was told 26000 lbs

Is this the gross weight of trucks capability or to can I drive a truck that weighs this amount when empty 

It is only a idea, day dream type of deal to drive about

 

Paul

 

It varies even between provinces here ! As we all know they never do away with laws and rules they just Add more of them!! When I got my mechanics trade ticket We were able to attach the Air endorsement to the license That enabled me  to drive any Wheelbarrow / car or bicycle with air brakes! These days you have to take a 15000 dollar coarse to Drive anything over 17300 with air! AND Rightfully so!  as in the passed 5 to 10 years the increase in trucks and loads hitting overpasses has increased 10 fold! At least 5 last year alone in Vancouver area here! That said Safer to ride your horse! as the population increases the dumber they get! 

[other dog]

That's something I always dreamed of doing when I was young. Driving the entire Trans Canada Highway and on up the Alaska Highway to Alaska. In the summer of course. Now that I'm in "the 4th. quarter" it doesn't interest me as much, but it would be a great trip to make. 

[mrsmackpaul]

Thanks for the replies

At this stage the Princess isn't interested in coming and originally I was just gunna fly into Canada and jump on a bus/train or plane

But then I got thinking

I'll need to no doubt fly to L.A. and then catch at least one more flight to Calgary 

So why don't I buy a vehicle, something I would never get to drive in Australia and extend the holiday by a month or more

First thoughts was a pick up truck with a gun rack, because well, I'll be in America were everyone has a gun and I'm half way there 🤪

But once that stupidness was over I got to thinking

A Peterbilt, Autocar, Western R model and the list goes on

One thing I would like to do is buy some motors and send them back home, types that aren't common in Australia or even that common in the U.S. and fit to some of my projects

Anyway this part is a pipe dream at this stage, the horse ride is a done deal as I have paid the money 

Maybe Im getting greedy and trying to f it to much into ond trip but I don't think I'll ever do it again so I might as well have as much adventure as I can

Think about how much stuff I can carry with a cab over truck and 24 foot tray and a bunk to sleep in

I reckon if I rent like a 6 ton truck and pay motel bills for six weeks it won't take long to chew thru as much as the cost of buying something 

But if I was to buy something and it broke down it is then my problem to fix it, but I figure it is my problem at home anyway and parts etc will be easier to come across in the states than Australia 

As I said, all just a pipe dream at this stage

 

Paul

 

[mechohaulic]

based on your detailed "pipe dream" hopes , a RV toy hauler would give you sleeping quarters ,place to put the acquired stuff. etc. if you bought a big rig; can't drive it home ;LOL have to freight it back. after retirement my pipe dream hope was buying a class A  RV go see the country = that's before the covid crap. wife didn't want the class A idea: settled for buying a diesel pick up expecting to buy a tow RV. short version = didn't get to the RV. sold the diesel and bought a new jeep. nor did I get to cross country see the U S A

[D-Day]

I am lucky to have found part of this B 755 that ran the Al-Can back in the day just parts now but it must’ve been a rough trip running that route 

[mowerman]

13 hours ago, other dog said:

That's something I always dreamed of doing when I was young. Driving the entire Trans Canada Highway and on up the Alaska Highway to Alaska. In the summer of course. Now that I'm in "the 4th. quarter" it doesn't interest me as much, but it would be a great trip to make. 

Oooooooooooooooohhhhhhh I’ll go anywhere long as the old lady is driving 4??????lol bob

[mowerman]

Paul I’m not understanding why you think you have to have a class a license here I would think your Australian ticket would cover the entire entire globe but then again I do not know that for sure I do like your idea about buying engines that’s in genius. Good luck Bob.

[mowerman]

But if you’re thinking about doing that, most of your luck is going to be in the north east New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Maine, Pennsylvania

[mrsmackpaul]

5 hours ago, mowerman said:

Paul I’m not understanding why you think you have to have a class a license here I would think your Australian ticket would cover the entire entire globe but then again I do not know that for sure I do like your idea about buying engines that’s in genius. Good luck Bob.

Bob I don't know that I do need a dertain class license, I know for up to a certain weight all I need is a international permit

 

But I  best to find out before I get there 

Getting into the U.S. the legal way is more difficult than if I go to NewZealand 

I imagine that going from the U.S. to Canada is like going from Australia to NewZealand, relatively simple

I have to apply for visa's and the like and prove I can support myself and probably have medical insurance before I leave Australia, some weeks before hand

So thought I would find out about the other stuff and fill my trip with silliness 

 

Paul 

[Licensed to kill]

21 hours ago, fjh said:

It varies even between provinces here ! As we all know they never do away with laws and rules they just Add more of them!! When I got my mechanics trade ticket We were able to attach the Air endorsement to the license That enabled me  to drive any Wheelbarrow / car or bicycle with air brakes! These days you have to take a 15000 dollar coarse to Drive anything over 17300 with air! AND Rightfully so!  as in the passed 5 to 10 years the increase in trucks and loads hitting overpasses has increased 10 fold! At least 5 last year alone in Vancouver area here! That said Safer to ride your horse! as the population increases the dumber they get! 

Back when my Dad started "legally" driving commercial, all that was required in Alberta was to go to the DMV, pay $15 and get a "Chauffeur" button (I have two of then sitting on my desk). The buttons I have are for 1954 and 1955. That made you legal to drive anything in the province if I'm not mistaken. I am something of an "old soul", I do not like all the modern stuff and prefer old, that is why I shoot flintlock rifles, drive Ford model A's and am doing up a B-61. A couple things on my "HIGHLY unlikely to fulfil" bucket list are a steam locomotive (I would LOVE to have one as yard art) and a bi-plane. Always threaten to get a bi-plane (easier to come by, use and transport home than a steam loco) and my wife says "You can't fly a plane!!!". I tell her "Sure I can, I have a class 1 license that says I can drive anything except a motorcycle AND I have my "air endorsement". She just rolls her eyed and says "well you won't get me up in it". No worries, I plan on getting a single seater. 

[Joey Mack]

I like the way you think, LTK....

[other dog]

I suppose you could rent a big truck just like you can rent a car, remember the old "Ryder rents trucks!" commercials? Vicki from Florida rented a car in Richmond when they flew in last week and turned it in in Roanoke when they left, a one way rental. Just a thought.

[Brocky]

Buying big parts, engines , cabs, and the like up here either in the States or Canada sounds like it might be a nightmare in exporting???? Especially if you buy in Canada then come thru the States to get to your exporting container.. And what does Australia let you import????  I have driven across both Canada and Alaska a couple of times and still recommend renting a small/midsized motor home (caravan).. 

[fjh]

23 hours ago, other dog said:

That's something I always dreamed of doing when I was young. Driving the entire Trans Canada Highway and on up the Alaska Highway to Alaska. In the summer of course. Now that I'm in "the 4th. quarter" it doesn't interest me as much, but it would be a great trip to make. 

That is a beautiful  trip bro your missing out! We Have done the Alaska Yukon trip twice ! 

[67RModel]

3 hours ago, Brocky said:

Buying big parts, engines , cabs, and the like up here either in the States or Canada sounds like it might be a nightmare in exporting???? Especially if you buy in Canada then come thru the States to get to your exporting container.. And what does Australia let you import????  I have driven across both Canada and Alaska a couple of times and still recommend renting a small/midsized motor home (caravan).. 

I dunno. I was exporting two DMs to a fellow in Nigeria and it didn't seem a big deal at all. two notorized bill of sales signed by both parties is all that was required. I was also going to chain down another complete engine to the frame rails of one of the trucks to save on space. The deal ended up falling through due to shipping costs but the process itself was suprisingly easy. I imagine if your just exporting parts it would be even less red tape.

 

18 hours ago, mrsmackpaul said:

As I said, all just a pipe dream at this stage

Paul, you should really look into flying into the East coast and finding a nice drivable Brockway. Drive it to the Canadian Rockies. Do the horseback thing (I would ask for a mule. No horse can match the comfort and sure footedness of a mule). Then drive the Brockway to a West Coast port for export. If Brockways are as rare as you say in AU then this is your chance to bring one over. Just a thought. 

[Brocky]

The above sounds good. Do not know what your horseback dates are, BUT the Brockway weekend in Cortland NY is the second weekend of August..

[mrsmackpaul]

Brocky I looked into importing a whole truck a coupke of months ago

It can be done but a whole truck is very challenging, especially if it's older 2015 

As far as parts go, this isnt a problem, especially for road going vehicles, farm machinery and earth moving equipment are a lot harder but are also do-able, quarantine into Australia is really strict on these two as we already have enough accidental imports like prickly pare and grasses and fruit flies and so on

There are a few people I know that I just pay per square meter on the floor of the shipping container 

Funny enough most of these people export out of Chicago??? and not the west coast which seams really strange but it is apparently cheaper

I have bought a lot of tractor parts (farm tractor parts) and dozer parts in  over the years for my own use

I would get up real early in the morning and call the U.S. and place the order, then go to town and wire the money across and then wait a few months and things arrived

These days I just google it, pay with a debit card and if it isn't heavy it is hear with in 14 days

At times it is quicker to get stuff in from overseas than it is the same part in Australia, Most times it's half the price or there abouts

 

Paul