Lino H. Ochoa | April 28, 2025 | McAllen Personal Injury Blog
A CDL, or commercial driver’s license, is required for drivers to operate a number of different trucks and large vehicles. Semi-trucks, flatbed trucks, buses, farming trucks, and other large vehicles require a CDL. In order to legally drive such vehicles, you would need a valid CDL for that vehicle. Do you need a CDL to drive a box truck? Not always. The answer depends on the weight of the box truck in most cases.
CDL requirements for box trucks are based on a vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This rating is not the same for all box trucks, so you will need to know what you are operating. Box trucks with a GVWR under 26,000 pounds will not require their drivers to hold a CDL. Most box trucks fall within this category. Box trucks over 26,000 pounds GVWR will require a commercial driver’s license, however. Be sure to understand what you plan to drive to determine whether a commercial driver’s license is required.
What Is a Box Truck?
A box truck is a type of truck usually defined by certain features such as:
- A stretched frame with the cargo box bolted directly to the truck’s chassis
- The cargo box cannot be accessed from the cab
- A rear roll-up door to load and unload cargo
While semi-trucks are two separate pieces coupled by a fifth wheel that moves as the truck moves, box trucks are one piece of machinery. Tractor-trailers are much larger and can weigh up to 80,000 pounds on average. The trailer on a semi-truck can detach completely when needed, which is not true for box trucks. Box trucks serve limited purposes and are more likely to be used for in-town hauling than interstate travel.
You probably see box trucks on city streets every day. Common box trucks include:
- Delivery trucks
- Moving trucks
- Rental business trucks
- Service trucks
If you’ve ever driven a rental truck to move across town, for example, you probably used a box truck without the need for a CDL.
Why Don’t Box Trucks Require Commercial Licenses?
Box trucks can usually be rented by someone without a CDL, as long as the vehicle has a GVWR of 26,000 pounds or less. For a box truck rated higher than 26,000 pounds, a Class B CDL would be required. In some cases, however, vehicles under 26,000 GVWR can still require commercial driver’s licenses – school buses and certain work vehicles fit these criteria.
Generally, rentable trucks such as moving trucks, cargo vans, and other utility trucks can be used without a CDL. This is out of both necessity and convenience. A person needing a truck to move across town, for example, would have to go through hours of training and testing if they needed a CDL to get their belongings to a new neighborhood.
Who Is Liable for a Box Truck Accident?
Who is at fault for a box truck accident in Texas? Usually, liability will be with the driver of the vehicle, the company that allowed the at-fault driver to operate the vehicle, or sometimes both. When a person driving a box truck causes an accident, the injured accident victim can seek financial compensation from the driver or the company that owns the truck. Typically, insurance companies get involved and handle the accident claim.
Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which means accident victims must be 50% or less at fault to claim damages after an accident. If the driver of a box truck was 51% or more at fault for the crash, they can be held liable in Texas. Also known as proportionate responsibility, this rule allows accident victims to collect in proportion to the other person’s fault for the accident.
Drivers of box trucks have a duty of care to others to operate the vehicle safely. Whether they have a CDL or not, anyone getting behind the wheel of a box truck is expected to:
- Be observant of their surroundings at all times
- Use caution when reversing the truck or making turns
- Drive slower than they normally would in their own vehicle
- Use mirrors and take precautions to check for blind spots
Companies that own and rent box trucks, meanwhile, have duties of their own. Commercial truck companies must make sure their vehicles are properly maintained, and rent trucks only to licensed drivers that can be expected to operate the truck safely. While companies do not need to require CDLs to rent trucks under a certain weight to customers, they do need to make sure the vehicles are safe to drive and the drivers have a valid license and the ability to drive safely.
A McAllen Box Truck Accident Lawyer Can Help You Get The Help You Need
If you were hurt in a box truck accident in McAllen, Texas, you could be entitled to financial compensation for your losses. An experienced McAllen truck accident lawyer can help. Most Texas personal injury lawyers offer free consultations, so there’s nothing to lose in reaching out.
Contact Truck Accident Law Firm of The Law Office of Lino H. Ochoa in McAllen, TX
For more information, contact the McAllen, TX truck accident law firm of The Law Office of Lino H. Ochoa to schedule a free initial consultation.
We serve Hidalgo County and its surrounding areas:
The Law Office of Lino H. Ochoa
6316 N 10th St Building D, Suite 102
McAllen, Texas, 78504
(956) 815-0055
Hours: Monday to Friday,
from 8 am – 5 pm
