Regular Session 2017-2018 Senate Bill 0589 P.N. 0887

PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 667, 756

PRINTER'S NO. 887

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

589

Session of

2017

INTRODUCED BY LANGERHOLC, TOMLINSON, EICHELBERGER, GORDNER, YAW,

VOGEL, VULAKOVICH, SCARNATI, RAFFERTY, RESCHENTHALER,

BARTOLOTTA, WHITE, STEFANO, MARTIN, WARD, WAGNER, AUMENT,

McGARRIGLE AND SCAVELLO, APRIL 13, 2017

AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, MAY 24, 2017

AN ACT

Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes, IN GENERAL PROVISIONS, FURTHER PROVIDING FOR THE

DEFINITION OF "STINGER-STEERED AUTOMOBILE" OR "BOAT

TRANSPORTER"; AND, in size, weight and load, further

providing for fire apparatus, for length of vehicles and for

maximum gross weight of vehicles.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Sections 4906 and 4923(a)(2), (b.1) and (c) of

Title 75 OF THE Pennsylvania CONSOLIDATED STATUTES are amended

to read:

SECTION 1. THE DEFINITION OF "STINGER-STEERED AUTOMOBILE" OR

"BOAT TRANSPORTER" IN SECTION 102 OF TITLE 75 OF THE

PENNSYLVANIA CONSOLIDATED STATUTES IS AMENDED TO READ:

§ 102. DEFINITIONS.

SUBJECT TO ADDITIONAL DEFINITIONS CONTAINED IN SUBSEQUENT

PROVISIONS OF THIS TITLE WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO SPECIFIC

PROVISIONS OF THIS TITLE, THE FOLLOWING WORDS AND PHRASES WHEN

USED IN THIS TITLE SHALL HAVE, UNLESS THE CONTEXT CLEARLY

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INDICATES OTHERWISE, THE MEANINGS GIVEN TO THEM IN THIS SECTION:

* * *

"STINGER-STEERED AUTOMOBILE" OR "BOAT TRANSPORTER." A TRUCK

TRACTOR-SEMITRAILER COMBINATION [OF A TOTAL LENGTH NOT GREATER

THAN 75 FEET EXCLUSIVE OF AN OVERHANG OF NOT MORE THAN THREE

FEET ON THE FRONT AND FOUR FEET ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE

CONFIGURED AS A SEMITRAILER COMBINATION] WHEREIN THE FIFTH WHEEL

IS LOCATED ON A DROP FRAME LOCATED BEHIND AND BELOW THE REARMOST

AXLE OF THE POWER UNIT.

* * *

SECTION 2. SECTIONS 4906 AND 4923(A)(2), (B.1) AND (C) OF

TITLE 75 ARE AMENDED TO READ:

§ 4906. Fire apparatus and emergency vehicles.

This chapter does not apply to fire apparatus being operated

on the highway unless specifically provided otherwise. The

weight requirements of this chapter do not apply to emergency

vehicles as defined in 23 U.S.C. § 127(r)(2) (relating to

vehicle weight limitations-Interstate System). In lieu of the

weight requirements of this chapter, the requirements of 23

U.S.C. § 127(r)(1) shall apply to emergency vehicles.

§ 4923. Length of vehicles.

(a) Motor vehicles.--

* * *

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to the following:

(i) A motor vehicle equipped with a boom or boomlike

device if the vehicle does not exceed 55 feet.

(ii) A bus, school bus or motor home which does not

exceed 45 feet.

(iii) An articulated bus which does not exceed 63

feet.

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(iv) An automobile or boat transporter which does

not exceed 45 feet, exclusive of an overhang of not more

than three feet on the front and four feet on the rear.

An automobile transporter shall not be prohibited from

the transport of cargo or general freight on a backhaul

if the automobile transporter complies with the weight

limitations for a truck tractor and semitrailer

combination MOTOR VEHICLE .

(b.1) Combinations.--

(1) The length of a single trailer being towed by a

truck tractor shall not exceed 53 feet provided the distance

between the kingpin and the center line of the rear axle or

rear axle group does not exceed 41 feet or, in the case of a

trailer used exclusively or primarily to transport vehicles

in connection with motor sports competition events, does not

exceed 46 feet.

(2) For a double trailer, the length of each trailer

being towed in combination by a truck tractor shall not

exceed 28 1/2 feet.

(3) The overall length of the combination of a truck

tractor with a conventional fifth wheel and an auto or boat

transporter shall not exceed 65 feet, exclusive of an

overhang of not more than three feet on the front and four

feet on the rear of the combination.

(4) The overall length of a stinger-steered auto or boat

transporter combination shall not exceed [75] 80 feet,

exclusive of an overhang of not more than [three] four feet

on the front and [four] six feet on the rear of the

combination. A stinger-steered automobile transporter shall

not be prohibited from the transport of cargo or general

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freight on a backhaul if the stinger-steered automobile

transporter complies with the weight limitations for a truck

tractor and semitrailer combination.

(5) The overall length of a saddle-mount combination

shall not exceed 75 feet.

(6) The overall length of a maxi-cube combination shall

not exceed 65 feet.

(7) A combination consisting of any tow truck towing a

disabled motor vehicle to a place of repairs or other place

of safety.

(8) A combination transporting articles that,

themselves, do not exceed 70 feet in length and are

nondivisible as to length.

(9) The overall length of a towaway trailer transporter

combination shall not exceed 82 feet.

words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this

subsection:

"Automobile or boat transporter." A truck of a total length

not greater than 45 feet, exclusive of an overhang of not more

than three feet on the front and four feet on the rear of the

vehicle configured by the manufacturer to haul either

automobiles, light trucks or boats.

"Towaway trailer transporter combination." As follows:

(1) a combination of vehicles consisting of a trailer

transporter towing unit and two trailers or semitrailers with

a total weight that does not exceed 26,000 pounds; and

(2) the trailers or semitrailers carry no property and

constitute inventory property of a manufacturer, distributor

or dealer of the trailers or semitrailers.

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"Trailer transporter towing unit." A power unit that is not

used to carry property when operating in a towaway trailer

transporter combination.

Section 2 3. Section 4941(a) of Title 75 is amended and the

section is amended by adding a subsection to read:

§ 4941. Maximum gross weight of vehicles.

(a) General rule.--[No] Except as provided for in subsection

(d), no vehicle shall, when operated upon a highway, have a

gross weight exceeding 80,000 pounds, and no combination driven

upon a highway shall have a gross weight exceeding 80,000

pounds, or the applicable weight set as forth in subsection (b)

or (c), whichever is less.

* * *

(d) Natural gas vehicles.--

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a

vehicle that is operated by an engine fueled primarily by

compressed or liquefied natural gas may exceed the gross

vehicle weight limits imposed under this section by an

amount, not to exceed a maximum of 2,000 pounds, that is

equal to the difference between the weight of the vehicle

attributable to the natural gas tank and fueling system

carried by the vehicle and the weight of a comparable diesel

tank and fueling system.

(2) The weight exemption provided for under this

subsection shall apply to all State highways and interstate

highways as provided by the exemption permitted under 23

U.S.C. § 127 (relating to vehicle weight limitations--

Interstate System).

Section 3 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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