What do you need to haul grain to market?

By Sgt. Marc Erickson

Date Modified: 08/13/2012 4:18 PM

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Q: Do hired employees of a farm need to have a CDL combination vehicle license for hauling grain to market with a combination tractor trailer unit?

Rodney

A: Rodney,

Federal regulation 49CFR 383.3 allows states to exempt a farmer under the following conditions:

Operators of a farm vehicle which is: (i) Controlled and operated by a farmer, including operation by employees or family members; (ii) Used to transport either agricultural products, farm machinery, farm supplies or both to or from a farm; (iii) Not used in the operations of a common or contract motor carrier and (iv) Used within 241 kilometers (150 miles) of the farmer's farm.

Minnesota State Statute 171.02 mirrors the federal regulation and exempts farm vehicle drivers from commercial driver license(CDL) requirements if the following terms are met:

Class D drivers' licenses are valid for operating all farm trucks if the farm truck is:

(i) controlled and operated by a farmer, including operation by an immediate family member or an employee of the farmer;

(ii) used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies, including hazardous materials, to or from a farm;

(iii) not used in the operations of a common or contract motor carrier as governed by Code of Federal Regulations, title 49, part 365; and

(iv) used within 150 miles of the farm;

Under these conditions, no additional endorsement is required because only a general driver license is required. Minnesota has reciprocity agreements with all neighboring states. So, the 150-mile exemption applies even if you cross state lines.

Have a safe spring.