Speed Limit for Class A

[CAPKELLY]

I would like to know from state to state what the speed limits on interstate roads are. Do I need to follow the truck limits and car limits? I do know some states post a speed limit for RVs pulling a trailer or just RVs. Thanks for your advice. Kevin

[banditrider776@gmail.com]

I would like to know from state to state what the speed limits on interstate roads are. Do I need to follow the truck limits and car limits? I do know some states post a speed limit for RVs pulling a trailer or just RVs.

Put the cruise on at 60mph and you'll be ok in 49 of 50 states.

[absolutelyranita]

Please use the following link which shows both the car and truck speed limits in each state:

http://www.motorists.org/speedlimits/home/...ed-limit-chart/

As you can see, in most states, cars and trucks have the same speed limit. Hope this helps.

[Guest Wayne77590]

That answers part of the question.

Now, what do motorhomes qualify as, truck or car?

[Guest 2driftrs]

A motorhome is a passenger vehicle, not a truck. The truck designation implies commercial license plates, not passenger plates. I'm not aware of any State that requires commercial plates on a motorhome.

[banditrider776@gmail.com]

That answers part of the question.

Now, what do motorhomes qualify as, truck or car?

I would have to say that unless specifically listed on a sign, as they are in Indiana, a motorhome would follow the car speed limit.

[Eagle]

I would have to say that unless specifically listed on a sign, as they are in Indiana, a motorhome would follow the car speed limit.

A couple of years back we were stopped by CHP in California and was informed that motorhomes followed the same rules as trucks.

[kalynzoo]

In California Trucks and anything towing a trailer are limited to 55mph. A motorhome with 2 axles is not a truck and may travel at the higher posted speed. It is my understanding from seminars with CHP that buses and motorhomes are not limited to 55mph. Since I do not travel over about 62mph and usually at 55mph in my MH I really don't sweat the details.

Therefore, if you like to go faster, you'll find me in the right hand lane, just wave as you pass.

Happy Trails.

[tbutler]

California is 55 MPH if you have a toad. The toad qualifies as a trailer. Illinois is posted 55 for motor homes. There are other states that may be posted specifically for motor homes but those are two that I encounter frequently. I make it a practice to follow the truck speed limits just because I would rather travel a little slower and I figure I'm a larger vehicle like a truck. I also follow the truck restrictions for left lane that you encounter on some hills and in some cities. I figure if those working guys can slow down and follow the rules, I can too.

I too will be in the right lane most of the time. It minimizes the lane changing and makes driving so much more relaxing. The exception would be in city driving. I prefer to be one lane over from the right lane to allow entering and exiting traffic to get on and off without having to maneuver around me and vice versa.

[2008monaco]

Been trying to find the answer to speed laws in Washington. The speed laws in Oregon, follow truck laws, in California, 3 Axles or anything towing, 55, Washington has no laws for Motorhomes, I have had calls in to WSP and talked to officers and cannot find a law pertaining to motorhomes. Buses (auto stages) trucks, cars, not motorhomes.

[2008monaco]

Please use the following link which shows both the car and truck speed limits in each state:

http://www.motorists.org/speedlimits/home/...ed-limit-chart/

As you can see, in most states, cars and trucks have the same speed limit. Hope this helps.

A class A Motorhome is not classified as a car or a truck. There are, so far, no laws, that WSP can find pertaining to a Class A Motorhome.

[hermanmullins]

This brings a point I thought of on our last trip. In a lot of large Metropolitan areas you will see "No Truck In left Lane". Now since the last post says "A class A motor Home is not Classified as a car or a truck" does that mean I can drive in the left lane when posted No Trucks?

When on a three lane divided highway I always try to stay in the middle lane and on 4 or more lanes I try to stay in the second lane from the right. This way I don't impede vehicles entering or exiting the freeway. On 2 lane divided roads I stay in the right lane. I try to not have every one out there thinking, there is another one of those big buffoons that thinks they own the road.

Be safe.

Herman

[tbutler]

What is this thing we call a motor home? Is it a car or a truck? The answer is of course neither. So if the signs say truck, that doesn't apply to us. If the signs refer to vehicle weight (bridge weight limits) then our weight is in question, not classification as a truck. Similarly, if signage specifies vehicles with trailers, e.g. California, it would apply to us if we have a toad or a trailer.

Unfortunately, there are times when the signs leave us totally in mystery. Several years ago we were traveling through Sault Ste. Marie from the US to Canada. As we approached the Canadian Customs entrance there were a series of exits but no way to see what each entry point looked like. There was a sign for trucks. I passed that sign. Then there was a sign for cars. I hesitated, trying to get through a car size entrance can be impossible with our height and width. Should I have used the truck entrance? With a toad I wasn't going to be backing up, so I continued on expecting that there would be another choice. The next choice and the only one remaining was buses so that is where I ended up. The agent who came to check us wasn't pleased but I explained that there was nothing to tell me where they wanted RV's to go.

There are frequently times when I will follow rules and directions for trucks. Sometimes signs direct trucks to drive in a certain lane, especially in work zones. In those cases I'll line up with the trucks and leave the other lane for the smaller more nimble vehicles. It may have to do with the strongest part of the road that will support heavier loads or it may have to do with vehicle clearances, either way, it is to my advantage to be in that lane. When it is specified that there should be no trucks in the left lane, the purpose is to allow cars a way to pass the truck traffic. As a large vehicle I will follow the no trucks directive. This is voluntary on my part, not required by the signage. Following the truck directive in this case is being considerate of other drivers who are trying to pass larger and frequently slower vehicles.

I understand that we are a very small percentage of the vehicles that travel on our roads and highways. Clearly some people don't even think of us when they are planning signage. One of the challenges of road travel is the fractured nature of the administration of our roadways. There are 50 different states with different ways of engineering roads, building roads and putting us signage. There are 50 different legislatures and traffic safety departments determining the rules of the road and enforcing those rules. Add in a myriad of local governments administering local roads and traffic laws and you have a constantly changing set of road and traffic patterns, speed limits, restrictions and enforcement. For the average citizen that drives only in their local area, this is of no concern. For those of us lucky enough to be mobile and moving throughout the country, this presents a constant puzzle to be solved.

[jlandon13399]

I like Herman's and Tom's post. I too drive like Herman in the lanes he indicated. Why someone driving a motorhome would question the higher speed limits for cars and trucks baffles me. I set the cruise for 58 MPH and let everyone pass. At that speed the coach is a dream to drive and we get great fuel mileage. We like to travel no more than 300 miles a day so that gives us about 6 hours travel time before stopping for the night.

[wayne77590]

That answers part of the question.

Now, what do motorhomes qualify as, truck or car?

A motorhome is a passenger vehicle, not a truck. The truck designation implies commercial license plates, not passenger plates. I'm not aware of any State that requires commercial plates on a motorhome.

Let me throw this into the fire. In Texas any vehicle over 26,000 pounds is a commercial vehicle. Although a CDL is not required to drive a motorhome. State law. Read the CDL-2 form.

[wolfe10]

Yes, the proper driver's license in Texas for a motorhome over 26,000 pounds GVWR is a "CDL Class B Exempt".

http://dps.texas.gov/DriverLicense/dlClasses.htm

[hermanmullins]

My license issued by the State of Texas is an "Operators Class B". You do however have questions on the test that come from the CDL manual. I can not legally operate any type of commercial vehicle with this license, just non commercial.

Herman

[wolfe10]

Yup, the Texas CDL Class B Exempt is a lot less expensive than a "real" CDL, does not require doctor's certificate, etc.

As Herman said, the written test DOES have a number of truck/tractor questions-- Chapter 14 of the Texas CDL book if I recall correctly.

It seems the driving part of the test varies by office. I know in Texas City where I took the written test and then scheduled and did the driving test, you back the coach straight back 200', then parallel park the coach as well as the actual on-road driving part. PLENTY long space to parallel park (same one used for 18 wheelers), but not a maneuver that one does very often in a motorhome.

[wayne77590]

Let me throw this into the fire. In Texas any vehicle over 26,000 pounds is a commercial vehicle. Although a CDL is not required to drive a motorhome. State law. Read the CDL-2 form.

My mistake. If the vehicle weighs 26,000.5 pounds just a regular license is required but if it gets to 26,001 pounds or more a Class B or A is required depending on what is being towed. (Don't y'all love technicalities!)

I had a Class A CDL. There is no forgiveness if a person obtains a ticket and they have a CDL. No deferred adjudication, no defensive driving. Pay the fine or go to court (and pay the fine). Since I was not driving commercially anymore I converted it to a Class A drivers license.

Searches on the subject of the higher class licenses, A or B, and reading up on it, the commercial drivers license manual is the one that the Class A or B licenses is tested. Granted, many items are left out of the standard Class A or B testing questions, but if one really wants to understand the rules of the road the CDL manual is a very good reference. Even those whose MH's are below the Class A or B limit would benefit reading the CDL manual.

Houston's fine for 1-5 mph over speed limit is $194.

[jleamont]

My mistake. If the vehicle weighs 26,000.5 pounds just a regular license is required but if it gets to 26,001 pounds or more a Class B or A is required depending on what is being towed. (Don't y'all love technicalities!)

I had a Class A CDL. There is no forgiveness if a person obtains a ticket and they have a CDL. No deferred adjudication, no defensive driving. Pay the fine or go to court (and pay the fine). Since I was not driving commercially anymore I converted it to a Class A drivers license.

Searches on the subject of the higher class licenses, A or B, and reading up on it, the commercial drivers license manual is the one that the Class A or B licenses is tested. Granted, many items are left out of the standard Class A or B testing questions, but if one really wants to understand the rules of the road the CDL manual is a very good reference. Even those whose MH's are below the Class A or B limit would benefit reading the CDL manual.

Houston's fine for 1-5 mph over speed limit is $194.

Agreed! Maximum speed for me is 65, I also have a class A CDL if I get stopped there's no excuses that I can hang my hat on.

Plus my steer tires are only rated to ....I think 75, but my wallet is only rated to 60, to much wasted fuel to push it.

[obedb]

On the steep downgrades often encountered in Colorado and other western states, I observe the truck speed limit. Typically 25mph.

[huling3]

Oregon treats RV's and cars the same, up to 65 on interstates, 55 other highways or as signed Trucks max at 55.

[manholt]

We are not a truck. Then again, a motorhome can't stop as fast as a car! The mass of my 45' DP, dictates how fast I feel comfortable at any given condition. The speed limit above 65 means nothing to me...in Texas, most rural roads are 70 or 75 for both cars and trucks, I-10 in West TX. is 80! We do not differentiate between hauling a trailer/toad or not. I tend to set my cruise control at 63, because I'm not in a hurry to get anywhere! If I was, I would fly!

California's Interstates if your towing = 55 max. There probably are other states, with the same restriction!

Stay safe out there...

[ultraglide]

I set my speed at 62 mph it seems to be the sweet spot when I am towing . Have never been stopped.

[wayne77590]

On the steep downgrades often encountered in Colorado and other western states, I observe the truck speed limit. Typically 25mph.

If it is good enough for them it is good enough for me. I have done that 25 mph downgrade and was happy to be doing it.