CDL vs. Non CDL Car Hauling – Why you need a CDL

Our perspective on CDL vs Non CDL

When it comes to car hauling there are Non CDL and CDL drivers.

  1. CDL (Commercial Drivers License)
  2. Non CDL (Non Commercial Drivers License)

We wanted to write this article outlining the advantages and disadvantages of both. However, we will keep it 100% and let you know that there is 1 true winner that has more advantages than the other. And that winner is the CDL.

This article is written from the perspective of a car hauler dispatcher and our observations that we have made throughout the years of dispatching many drivers. This article should be treated as a matter of professional opinion.

Respect the Authority

One of the first questions our dispatchers will ask a prospective client is, “does the driver have a CDL?”. This question is a screening question because at Ninja Dispatch, we do not accept drivers that do not hold a Commercial Drivers License – unless they are hauling 2 car hard enclosed trailers.

At the beginning of our dispatching journey we initially accepted Non CDL drivers. We worked with many different companies and eventually came to a conclusion. It’s a better idea to only dispatch CDL drivers. Here’s why.

Car Hauling Dispatch

As car hauler dispatchers we find the best paying cars. We need the best loads so our drivers can be happy. But, what happens when your driver is put out of service?

Non CDL drivers are “hunted” by the road authorities. Those authorities are the DOT, highway patrol and police.

The 3 Car Hauler – Non CDL

If a car hauler has a 3 car trailer, there is a chance they may be Non CDL. The authorities know this. Furthermore they know that 3 vehicles will always come short of 26,000 pounds of GVW. For those that don’t know, that means that the truck, trailer and vehicles need to all be under 26,000 pounds. Basically, the entire moving entity that’s rolling down the highway.

Because the officers know that a lot of drivers may require a CDL, but don’t have one, they pull over 3 car haulers. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Eventually, you’ll find one that is over weight.

So, let’s say the driver gets pulled over, gets a weight violation and is put out of service. What now?

First you’ll need to contact the brokers and dealers that the delivery is delayed. Do you want to do that? When you tell them the reason the truck is delayed, they’ll think you’re not professional. Why would you haul cars commercially, but have a normal drivers license? You’re literally calling them to tell them that your truck is stopped because the driver isn’t actually allowed to drive hauling cars.

Not only will you piss off the brokers and dealerships you work with, but you’re also losing money. As dispatchers, we lose money because the truck is not rolling. The carrier is also losing money. However, the carrier is losing even more money because he just got a ticket for violating the law! Not only does he have a ticket, but now his insurance is going to go up on his next quote.

Nothing but trouble

If you think that the above situation is exaggerated, think again. Every driver we’ve ever worked with that was Non CDL had the above situation happen to them.

It’s nothing but trouble to try and run a 3 car hauler without a CDL. The situation up above also WILL NOT HAPPEN if you have a CDL. The Highway Patrol and DOT respect drivers that took the time to get their CDL. We also side with the DOT and prefer only CDL drivers if they are hauling 3 or more cars.

What about a 2 car hauler?

If you want to haul cars with a Non CDL setup, then get yourself a 2 car hard enclosed. As car hauling dispatchers we have had great success working with this type of a setup. It’s nearly impossible to be overweight.

CDL vs. Non CDL Car Hauling – Why you need a CDL
Here are two beautiful Non CDL hard enclosed trailers. Use our Car Hauler dispatch service to get these trucks rolling!

The cars pay more money too because they’re enclosed. You’ll end up hauling fancy cars like Bentley’s and Corvettes!

CDL vs. Non CDL Car Hauling – Why you need a CDL
Here is a nice Corvette that Ninja Dispatch got for a driver.

We wrote this article outlining why you should get a CDL, however if you want to drive without one, this is the setup you will want to have.

CDL vs Non CDL – The answer is in the name

So, if you’re asking yourself whether to go with a CDL or a Non CDL, you need to ask yourself something else first.

Are you a professional?

If you’re a professional, then get yourself the CDL. The CDL is the proof that you invested your time and energy to become a commercial driver.

Your stress will go away while driving and worrying about being pulled over. You also can book any vehicles you like without worrying about the gross vehicle weight!

Best Car Hauler Dispatch Service

Call Ninja Dispatch today and experience probably the best car hauler dispatch service in the world. We treat our clients like business partners, and look forward to making money together! Email us at office@ninjadispatch.com to learn more.

9 thoughts on “CDL vs. Non CDL Car Hauling – Why you need a CDL

  1. James says:

    So if the truck is 11,000 gvwr trailer 12,000 that means it’s 23,000 gvwr. So I only have 3,000 left to haul ? Or as long as the truck trailer n load don’t go over gvw 26000 I should be good non cdl ?

    • The Ninja says:

      Best way to think about it is TOTAL WEIGHT WHEN HAULING/DRIVING. So if you get stopped at a weight station and you’re hauling a load, your total weight of everything that is moving on the road has to be <26,000. This includes truck, trailer and load.

  2. Rick says:

    well as a CDL car hauler for 25 years hauling with 10 car open rack 7 car high mount and enclosed Kentucky lift gates I call BS. I gave up my CDL and the road because of DOT and the FMCSA the rules and regulations and corporate BS and never had 1 claim or accident. I got pulled into more inspections for weight and heights and overhangs than I care to count which I never received 1 ticket for because I am a professional driver. ask why drivers get shut down. poor equipment bad dispatchers and corporations. oh you can haul 1 more line. forced to overload overhang go around scales. I can tell you my csa score is impeccable and if I book a Ferrari or McLaren auction car what ever you bet your ass my price will be high but that customer is going to get superior service from A to B and anything in between. there may be bad non cdl drivers out there but there are good ones too. so before you open your mouth Mr Dispatcher know your not making your company look any better. I may not have a cdl but I do have a perfect csa score both with my company and myself. and I can tell you driving and dispatching my own truck is better than any company I have ever hauled for. so before you put the non cdl guys down remember some of us have had our cdl and we like hauling for the fun of driving down the open road. And I invite any DOT to inspect my equipment eld license and permits.

    • The Ninja says:

      Hi Rick and we’re glad to hear that you are doing great without a CDL. As we stated in the beginning of the article it is a matter of “professional opinion”. We never put down the driver, we only stated that drivers that try and haul a 3 car hauler will cause trouble because they eventually will be overweight.

      What kind of a trailer do you use? As we also said in the article we work with 2 car haulers. All the best and drive safe!

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