PRINTER'S NO. 3162
No. 2212 Session of 2008
INTRODUCED BY CONKLIN, MAHONEY, GEIST, HARKINS, READSHAW,
PALLONE, D. O'BRIEN, HORNAMAN, KULA, KORTZ, SIPTROTH,
SOLOBAY, J. WHITE, YOUNGBLOOD, GRUCELA, WOJNAROSKI, STABACK
AND SWANGER, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 1, 2008
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, further providing for classes of licenses and
3 requirement for commercial driver's license.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Sections 1504(d) and 1606(b) of Title 75 of the
7 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
8 § 1504. Classes of licenses.
9 * * *
10 (d) Number and description of classes.--Licenses issued by
11 the department shall be classified in the following manner:
12 (1) [Class A.--]A Class A license shall be issued to
13 those persons 18 years of age or older who have demonstrated
14 their qualifications to operate any combination of vehicles
15 with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more,
16 provided the gross vehicle weight rating of the vehicle or
17 vehicles being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
1 (i) The holder of a Class A license shall be deemed
2 qualified to operate those vehicles for which a Class B
3 or Class C license is issued.
4 (ii) Where required under this title, appropriate
5 endorsements must be obtained.
6 (2) [Class B.--]A Class B license shall be issued to
7 those persons 18 years of age or older who have demonstrated
8 their qualifications to operate any single vehicle with a
9 gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more or any
10 such vehicle towing a vehicle having a gross vehicle weight
11 rating of not more than 10,000 pounds.
12 (i) The holder of a Class B license shall be deemed
13 qualified to operate those vehicles for which a Class C
14 license is issued.
15 (ii) Where required under this title, appropriate
16 endorsements must be obtained.
17 (3) [Class C.--]A Class C license shall be issued to
18 those persons 18 years of age or older, except as provided in
19 section 1503 (relating to persons ineligible for licensing;
20 license issuance to minors; junior driver's license), who
21 have demonstrated their qualifications to operate any single
22 vehicle, except those vehicles requiring a Class M
23 qualification, with a gross vehicle weight rating of not more
24 than 26,000 pounds or any combination of vehicles, except
25 combination vehicles involving motorcycles, that does not
26 meet the definition of either Class A or Class B of this
27 section.
28 (i) Where required under this title, appropriate
29 endorsements must be obtained.
30 (ii) Any firefighter who is the holder of a Class C
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1 license and who has a certificate of authorization from
2 his fire chief shall be authorized to operate any fire or
3 emergency vehicle registered to the fire department or
4 municipality, regardless of the other requirements of
5 this section as to the class of license required. No fire
6 chief, fire department, including any volunteer fire
7 company, or municipality shall be liable for any civil
8 damages as a result of the issuance of a certificate
9 authorized under this paragraph unless such act
10 constituted a crime, actual fraud, actual malice or
11 willful misconduct.
12 (iii) Any member of a rescue or emergency squad who
13 is the holder of a Class C license and who has a
14 certificate of authorization from the head of the rescue
15 or emergency squad shall be authorized to operate any
16 rescue or emergency vehicle equipped with audible and
17 visual signals registered to the rescue or emergency
18 squad or municipality, regardless of the other
19 requirements of this section as to the class of license
20 required. No head of a rescue or emergency squad, the
21 rescue or emergency squad or municipality shall be liable
22 for any civil damages as a result of the issuance of a
23 certificate of authorization under this paragraph unless
24 such issuance constituted a crime, actual fraud, actual
25 malice or willful misconduct.
26 (iv) The holder of a Class C license shall also be
27 authorized to drive a motor-driven cycle with an
28 automatic transmission and cylinder capacity not
29 exceeding 50 cubic centimeters or a three-wheeled
30 motorcycle equipped with an enclosed cab, but not a
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1 motorcycle unless the license is endorsed, as provided in
2 this title.
3 (v) A police officer who is the holder of a Class C
4 license and who has a certificate of authorization from
5 the Special Operations Unit Commander or chief of police
6 shall be authorized to operate a special operations
7 vehicle, mobile command post or similar vehicle equipped
8 with audible and visual signals registered to the county
9 or municipality, regardless of the other requirements of
10 this section as to the class of license required. No
11 chief of police, special operations commander or
12 municipality shall be liable for any civil damages as a
13 result of the issuance of a certificate of authorization
14 under this paragraph unless the issuance constituted a
15 crime, actual fraud, actual malice or willful misconduct.
16 (4) [Class M.--]A Class M license shall be issued to
17 those persons who have demonstrated their qualifications to
18 operate a motorcycle. A Class M license accompanied by an
19 endorsement shall be issued to those persons who have
20 demonstrated their qualifications to operate a motor-driven
21 cycle. If a person is qualified to operate only a motorcycle
22 or motor-driven cycle, he shall be issued only a Class M
23 license or a Class M license with an endorsement, as
24 applicable.
25 * * *
26 § 1606. Requirement for commercial driver's license.
27 * * *
28 (b) Exemptions.--The following persons are not required to
29 obtain a commercial driver's license in order to drive the
30 commercial motor vehicle specified:
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1 (1) A person with a commercial driver learner's permit
2 who is accompanied by the holder of a commercial driver's
3 license valid for the vehicle being driven.
4 (2) A person in the service of the Armed Forces of the
5 United States, including members of the Reserves and National
6 Guard on active duty; personnel on full-time National Guard
7 duty; and personnel on inactive National Guard duty training
8 or part-time National Guard training and National Guard
9 military technicians who are required to wear military
10 uniforms and are subject to the Uniform Code of Military
11 Justice when operating equipment owned or operated by the
12 Department of Defense.
13 (3) A person who is a volunteer or paid firefighter with
14 a Class C license and who has a certificate of authorization
15 from his fire chief while operating a fire or emergency
16 vehicle registered to the fire department or municipality.
17 (4) Any member of a rescue or emergency squad who is the
18 holder of a Class C license and who has a certificate of
19 authorization from the head of the rescue or emergency squad
20 while operating any rescue or emergency vehicle equipped with
21 audible and visual signals registered to the rescue or
22 emergency squad or municipality.
23 (5) A driver with a Class C license operating a farm
24 vehicle which is controlled and operated by a farmer and used
25 exclusively to transport agricultural products, farm
26 machinery or farm supplies to or from a farm. The farm
27 vehicle may not be used in the operations of a common or
28 contract carrier and may be used only within a radius of 150
29 miles of the farm.
30 (6) A driver with a Class C license operating a school
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1 bus, school vehicle or other commercial vehicle at the
2 direction of authorized emergency management personnel in a
3 time of declared Federal, State or local emergency. A person
4 driving a school bus, school vehicle or other commercial
5 vehicle pursuant to this paragraph shall not be subject to
6 sanctions under the provisions of this chapter or section
7 3742.1 (relating to accidents involving death or personal
8 injury while not properly licensed).
9 (7) A police officer who is the holder of a Class C
10 license and who has a certificate of authorization from the
11 Special Operations Unit Commander or chief of police shall be
12 authorized to operate a special operations vehicle, mobile
13 command post or similar vehicle equipped with audible and
14 visual signals registered to the county or municipality,
15 regardless of the other requirements of this section as to
16 the class of license required. No chief of police, special
17 operations commander or municipality shall be liable for any
18 civil damages as a result of the issuance of a certificate of
19 authorization under this paragraph unless the issuance
20 constituted a crime, actual fraud, actual malice or willful
21 misconduct.
22 * * *
23 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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