The Glory Days of Driving: At 2K DM, Your License Could Rule the Road - The Class III License for a Wholesome Ride
- By Gernot Kramper
- ⏱️ ~ 4 minutes
Obtain License Class 3 worth 2000 marks, permitting one to operate a vehicle of any kind. - Grade Three Achieves 2000 Points to Acquire Permit for Operating Vehicles of Any Kind
Ah, the good old days! Back then, getting a driver's license was like a breeze compared to today. Today, you're shelling out a whopping sum between 2100 and 4400 Euros, as per ADAC, for a simple car driver's license. And this price is just a mere shadow of what it used to be. My own license cost around 2000 German Marks in 1980, despite one failed practical exam. My school mates got off easier at 1200 DM. Back then, the license was more than just a ticket to drive, it was the ticket to ride almost anything you want, baby boomers, and Generation X alike!
A Cheap Ride for More Power
Today, Class B enables you to drive a car, but with a total vehicle weight limit of 3500 kilograms. That's good enough for most cars, but for delivery vans, heavy pickups, and off-road vehicles, you might face a squeeze. Towing a trailer is only permissible up to 750 kilograms if the combined vehicle and trailer weight doesn't exceed 4250 kilograms. However, if the total weight is less than 3500 kilograms, the trailer can be heavier depending on the total weight limit.
The Mini-Trailer dilemma
What does this mean for a trailer? Essentially, you may tow a small "cart" similar to what you can pick up at a hardware store, but a caravan or a horse trailer is a no-go unless you opt for a small, light one. Class B simply doesn't cut it for a standard-sized caravan, a sales stand, and all that jazz!
Class III: The Traffic Law's Imperial Ruler
Compared to the meager allowances of today, the class III license feels like the king of traffic regulations. Until 1999, it was the standard license, so not just the Baby Boomers, but also Generation X, rode with it. Cars up to 3.5 tons were included in the scope, but that's just the beginning. With class III, you can drive vehicles with a permissible total weight of up to 7500 kilograms. This covers heavy-duty pickups, box vans, and "light" trucks. The heaviest vehicles were the only ones left out. Today, this permission corresponds to class C1. If the license was obtained before April 1, 1980, you could even drive a motorcycle with up to 125 cubic centimeters of displacement and 15 PS or 11 kW power, requiring an additional class A1 today.
Big Combos, Big Bonuses with Class III
The class III license was particularly generous when it came to trailers. The combined towing vehicle and trailer could weigh up to 18.75 tons. However, a regular health check is now mandatory if this weight exceeds 12 tons and the holder is over 50 years old. Most class III holders seem to max out at 12 tons. Today, this corresponds to the truck class C1 (up to 7.5 tons) with the trailer extension E - so C1E - meaning the combination can also weigh 12 tons.
Ultimately, the old class III lines up with current classes B, A1, and C1 or C1E. Comparing the cost solely to B can be misleading, as driver's license prices vary significantly based on one's skills. For the small motorcycle driver's license A1, you can expect anywhere between 1000 to 3000 Euros. A truck license will be more expensive, and the combination of C1 and E costs around 4000 Euros.
Taking averages, the costs break down as follows:
- 3250 (B)
- 2000 (A1) plus 4000 (C1E)
- Total: 9250 Euro
Even if we simply convert the initial 2000 DM (which was actually rather high for the time) to euros "one-to-one", the price hike is approximately 4.5x. Getting a car license has become significantly costlier for young newcomers.
Training Costs or a Blessing in Disguise?
Are these merely bureaucratic costs or expenses incurred for meaningful training? The extreme example of the old Class III license would be: A novice with a small car license hopping into a 35-tonne vehicle and taking a tour with country roads and mountain passes. That would have been a recipe for disaster, but it couldn't have happened back then. Practicing and gradually getting acquainted with driving different vehicles was the norm, though not always mandatory. In the past, the government trusted more in the common sense and personal responsibility of citizens, while today, it relies more on strict regulations.
Has this increased training been reflected in the accident statistics? It's tough to say. The decline in traffic fatalities since 1970, apart from the special case of German reunification, remains constant, with over 19,000 deaths in West Germany in 1970 and around 2,400 in 2023, even considering the significant increase in vehicles and travel. Changing blood alcohol limits, smarter road designs, effective medical care, and built-in car safety features are among the factors responsible for the decline. The stricter licensing issuance could be included, but there's no clear impact in the statistics. The impact was more significant for new drivers when the new classes were introduced.
Eternally Valid
Baby Boomers, like myself, can still drive trucks of up to 7.5 tons with a trailer of up to 12 tons. I almost missed out on the small motorcycle license, though. It's a bitter pill for the newcomers, but Boomers can still relish the glory days of class III!
In the context of vocational training for driving, a community policy could be established to provide comprehensive vocational training programs, enabling individuals to obtain licenses for various vehicle classes, such as Class III, which once allowed for the operation of heavy-duty pickups, box vans, and more, as part of a wholesome ride.
Moreover, sports enthusiasts might benefit from vocational training, particularly when it comes to learning how to safely drive various types of sports vehicles, even motorcycles, that were once covered under the Class III license, fostering a sense of camaraderie and shared passion within the sporting community.
