Even though hear in the "far north" we can operate an air brake equipped rv with a passenger car license with an "air brake endorsement" (which is 16 hours of schooling) I have a CDL so my family and I are safe. The course taught me the proper way to pretrip and inspect the vehicle. This happens way before getting in and starting the engine. Brake check is very important and my buddy who runs the NHRA circuit doesn't even know what a slack adjuster is, let alone how it should be adjusted-try stopping at the bottom of an 8% grade if the brakes were out of adjustment-see the run away lane?
Driving/operating everything safely, within my experience, should be the deciding factor, not a government's decision.
BTW my CDL cost me over $2500 to get and an extra $100 every 5 years at relicensing time. Oh yeah and every 2-5 years they throw a full medical at me too. Don't suggest that the doctor is free either-lol.
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