What is bob tailing?
Bob-tailing is a term used in the trucking industry to describe a semi truck that is not connected to its trailer. Although some people refer to straight trucks as bobtails (for instance a u-haul moving truck). So we will discuss both in this article
TAKEAWAY
- Bobtailing refers to a truck that is driving without being connected to a trailer.
- Bobtailing a truck can be harder to control while driving.
- Some people refer to straight trucks as bobtails.
- Bobtail trucks still require a CDL to operate.
EXAMPLE
John just delivered a trailer to a distribution center in Turlock Ca. Dispatch told him to drop his trailer at the company.
Now his next pick up is an also a Distibution center in Dinuba Ca. There are no loads going in that direction.
So John, has to drive his truck to the next destination in Dinuba, CA. without a trailer.
John now takes off without his trailer heading south on the 99 to his next destination.
What John is doing is known as bob-tailing, because he is now driving without a trailer. This is also known in trucker slang as “10 wheeling”. (beaus a tractor typically has 10 wheels)
When he gets to the Dinuba, warehouse, he finds his trailer and connects his truck to it.
Q&A
Can you bobtail without a Comerciala drivers’ license (CDL)
So, can you drive a bobtail without a CDL? That depends on what you’re driving and the GVWR.
Semi-trucks are rated for 80,000 and will need a Commercial Driver’s license to operate it. Evin if there is not a trailer behind you. If the truck is rated for a certain weight, you will need the corresponding license even if it is empty.
If you are operating a straight truck bobtail, it will depend on the GVWR.
If the truck is rated for less than 26,000 pounds. You most likely will not need a CDL.
But if the GVWR is 26,001 pounds and above, you will need a CDL to operate the vehicle legally.
Always recherche and follow local and federal laws.
Q&A
Why is it called bob-tailing?
This is trucker slang for a truck that is being operated without a trailer.
Bobtail have also been used to describe a straight truck. This is a truck that is designed to transport items without needing to hook up to a trailer.
A U-Haul or Ryder box truck are examples of straight trucks. But most of the time it will refer to a semi truck without a trailer hooked up to it.
What does a bobtail truck look like?
A bobtail truck looks pretty much the same, just minus the long trailer.
Straight trucks can come in all shapes and sizes.
It can include tanker trucks, flat bed and box trucks. There are straight trucks designed for hauling livestock.
In trucking what is a bobtail?
A semi truck without a trailer driving down a road or highway.
What is a bobtail tractor?
A bob-tailing tractor is when a trucker is driving without a trailer.
Bobtail truck weight
Bobtail trucks weights can verry.
I had an old Marmon with a small sleeper, when I first got my CDL back in 2001. I still remember it weighs 19,000 pounds without a trailer. Tractors very in weight depending on how big the sleeper is and how much personal stuff they got in that same sleeper.
Weight can also vary greatly between manufacturers.
Bobtail truck size
How long is a bobtail truck?
Semi-trucks that are bobtailing are about 24 feet long and measure 13 feet in height and 96 inches in width.
How tall is a bobtail truck?
Semi-truck bobtails with a sleeper can be over 13 feet high and about 24 feet long 96 inches wide.
Straight trucks (sometimes referee as a bobtail) very greatly. But on average they can be about 12 feet high. And can be 30 feet long as a whole. If you drive by a well-stocked u-hull Lot, you will see how much straight trucks can vary in size.
How much weight can a bobtail truck carry?
This question is more towards the straight truck bobtail. Since tractor bobtails are not designed to hull anything other than a trailer, it will not be covered.
Straight truck bobtails typically have a GVWR of 33,000 pounds.
Some are designed or rated for a lesser weight. This is to avoid having a Commercial Drivers Licence to operate it.
Having a truck with a GVWR of over 26,001 pounds will require a driver to have at least a class B. Regardless if the truck is loaded or not.
Why is bobtailing dangerous?
When a semi truck is bob-tailing, it makes the tractor unstable. The tractor is designed to have a trailer connected to it. So, if the truck driver tries to stop in wet to icy conditions. The tractor becomes unstable and can even start fish tailing.
Is it hard to drive a bobtail truck?
In ideal conditions it is easy to driver a bob-tailed semi truck. But if the conditions are not ideal, it would be harder to control a bobtail truck in an emergency stop.
What does it mean to bobtail a truck?
When you bobtail a truck, it means you’re driving a semi-truck without its trailer attached.
Bobtail vs straight truck
This can also be phrased as, bobtail truck vs box truck.
Either way, the name for the most part is interchangeable. It is an unofficial word (slang) used by most people.
A straight truck can be called a bobtail just as a semi-truck without a trailer is also called a bobtail.
But if you are talking to a OTR truck driver. They will most likely always refer to a bobtail as a tractor without a trailer.
A box truck, or straight truck will hardly be called a bobtail by truckers. Rather they are most likely to call it for what it is, a straight truck.
How fast can a bobtail go?
In California, the speed limit for commercial trucking is 55 mph. If you are bobtailing it will most likely Still be 55mph. They also have a rule that states any vehicle hauling a trailer or has 3 axles has to obey the 55 mph rule. This is for any vehicle that has a 3plus axles or pulling a trailer of any size or weight. This is regardless if they are for commercial use or not.
So since most tractors are 3 axles, they fall under the special speed limit.
Other states may have different regulations or rules for bobtailing. Leave a comment with your state’s special rules and regulations below.
How many gallons does a bobtail truck hold?
This question is referring to the amount of gallons on a tanker straight truck (not gallons of fuel in the tank).
Examples of these kinds of trucks are propane trucks and water trucks like on a construction site. These are the types of trucks most people will see.
Straight truck bobtails typically hull about 33,000-lb GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating).
The typical straight truck tank can vary from 2,600 gallons to 6,000 gallons.
This is compared to tractor trailer tankers that can carry up to 11,000 gallons.
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