PRINTER'S NO. 7
No. 12 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY MELLOW, O'PAKE, BODACK, BELAN, SCHWARTZ, COSTA AND
KUKOVICH, JANUARY 7, 1999
REFERRED TO TRANSPORTATION, JANUARY 7, 1999
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 75 (Vehicles) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, further providing for periodic inspection of
3 vehicles and for operation of certain combinations.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Section 4702(b) of Title 75 of the Pennsylvania
7 Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph to read:
8 § 4702. Requirement for periodic inspection of vehicles.
9 * * *
10 (b) Semiannual safety inspection of certain vehicles.--The
11 following vehicles shall be subject to semiannual safety
12 inspection:
13 * * *
14 (4) Trailers, other than recreational trailers, having a
15 registered gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds.
16 Recreational trailers shall be subject to annual safety
17 inspection.
18 * * *
1 Section 2. Sections 4904(e) and 4908 of Title 75 are amended
2 to read:
3 § 4904. Limits on number of towed vehicles.
4 * * *
5 (e) Two-trailer combinations on interstate and [certain
6 other] designated primary highways.--Combinations consisting of
7 a truck tractor and two trailers may be driven only as described
8 in section 4908 (relating to operation of certain combinations
9 on interstate and certain [other] primary highways).
10 * * *
11 § 4908. Operation of certain combinations on interstate and
12 certain [other] primary highways.
13 (a) General rule.--Combinations authorized by section
14 4904(e) (relating to limits on number of towed vehicles) to have
15 two trailers, or by section 4923(b)(6) or (7) (relating to
16 length of vehicles) to exceed the length limitation for
17 combinations, may be driven only on the types of highways and
18 under the limitations set forth below:
19 (1) On [the] a designated [national] network consisting
20 of all interstate highways and portions of Federal aid
21 primary highways having at least a 48-foot-wide roadway or
22 two 24-foot-wide roadways and designated by the department as
23 capable of safely accommodating such vehicles.
24 (2) Between the designated national network and [a]
25 either of the following:
26 (i) A terminal or a facility for food, fuel, repair
27 or rest having an entrance within the access limitation
28 prescribed by Federal Highway Administration regulation
29 of the nearest ramp or intersection, but only on highways
30 having lanes at least ten feet wide.
19990S0012B0007 - 2 -
1 (ii) A terminal which can safely and reasonably be
2 accessed using highways approved under subsection (d).
3 [(3) On highways marked with traffic route signs having
4 travel lanes at least ten feet in width unless prohibited by
5 the department on State highways or the municipality on local
6 highways based on safety reasons and marked with signs
7 prohibiting such vehicles.
8 (4) Between the highways authorized under paragraph (3)
9 and a terminal or facility for food, fuel, repair or rest
10 having an entrance within one-half road mile of the nearest
11 ramp or intersection, but only on highways having lanes at
12 least ten feet wide.
13 (5) Approval of a highway other than as designated under
14 paragraphs (1) through (4) shall be obtained from the:
15 (i) City in the case of a highway in a city.
16 (ii) Department in the case of a State highway not
17 in a city, except that the department will, upon request,
18 delegate authority to approve routes under this
19 subsection to a municipality which has been delegated
20 authority to issue permits under section 420 of the act
21 of June 1, 1945 (P.L.1242, No.428), known as the State
22 Highway Law.
23 (iii) Municipality in the case of a local highway
24 not in a city.]
25 (b) Household goods carriers.--In addition to the operations
26 authorized in subsection (a), a household goods carrier,
27 consisting of a truck tractor and either of the following:
28 (1) A single trailer, which exceeds the maximum length
29 for combinations established in section 4923(a), may be
30 driven between the designated network and a point of loading
19990S0012B0007 - 3 -
1 or unloading which can safely and reasonably be accessed.
2 (2) Two trailers may be driven between the designated
3 [national] network and a point of loading or unloading which
4 can safely and reasonably be accessed using highways approved
5 under subsection [(a)(2) through (5)] (d) for the particular
6 movement.
7 (b.1) Short 102-inch trailers.--In addition to the
8 operations authorized in subsection (a), a combination,
9 consisting of a truck tractor and a single trailer not exceeding
10 28 1/2 feet in length and 102 inches in width may be driven [on
11 all highways] between the designated network and a point of
12 loading or unloading which can safely and reasonably be
13 accessed.
14 (c) Nearby terminals and facilities.--Where one or more
15 terminals or facilities for food, fuel, repair or rest along a
16 highway having lanes at least ten feet wide are in close
17 proximity to a terminal or facility which is within the distance
18 from the designated network described in subsection (a)(2)(i) of
19 the designated network, all of such terminals and facilities
20 shall be deemed to be within the prescribed distance of the
21 designated network.
22 (d) Route approval.--Approval of a route under subsection
23 (a)(2)(ii) or (b)(2) shall be obtained from the:
24 (1) City in the case of any highway in a city.
25 (2) Department in the case of a State highway not in a
26 city except that the department will, upon request, delegate
27 authority to approve routes under this subsection to a
28 municipality which has been delegated authority to issue
29 permits in accordance with section 420 of the act of June 1,
30 1945 (P.L.1242, No.428), known as the State Highway Law.
19990S0012B0007 - 4 -
1 (3) Municipality in the case of a local highway not in a
2 city.
3 (e) Notice.--
4 (1) The department shall publish the designated network
5 established in subsection (a)(1) in the Pennsylvania Bulletin
6 as a notice under 45 Pa.C.S. § 725(a)(3) (relating to
7 additional contents of Pennsylvania Bulletin) and will also
8 forward the designated network to trucking companies and
9 associations and other interested parties, upon request.
10 (2) Approval of a route under subsection (a)[(5)](2)(ii)
11 shall be effective upon notice by the approving authority to
12 the person who requested it. Notice of the approval shall
13 also be given to State and affected local police and shall be
14 published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin [in a timely manner]
15 within ten days as a notice under 45 Pa.C.S. § 725(a)(3).
16 (3) Approval of a route under subsection (b)(2) shall be
17 effective upon notice by the approving authority to the
18 person who requested it. Notice of the approval shall also be
19 given to State and affected local police and shall be
20 published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin [in a timely manner]
21 within ten days.
22 (f) Revocation of route approval.--The authority which
23 approved a route under subsection (a)[(5)](2)(ii) may revoke the
24 route approval if it determines that the route or some portion
25 of it cannot safely and reasonably accommodate combinations
26 authorized to exceed length or number of trailer limitations.
27 Notice of the revocation shall be published in the Pennsylvania
28 Bulletin as a notice under 45 Pa.C.S. § 725(a)(3) and shall be
29 effective 15 days after such publication, except that the
30 posting authority may effect an earlier revocation by posting
19990S0012B0007 - 5 -
1 signs to indicate the revocation. Written notice of the
2 revocation shall also be given to the person who requested the
3 route approval and to State and affected local police.
4 [(g) Penalty.--A person who operates a combination in
5 violation of this section on a highway which is not marked with
6 signs prohibiting the operation of such a combination commits a
7 summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay
8 a fine of $50 for each violation. A person cited under this
9 subsection shall not be subject to citation under section 4921
10 (relating to width of vehicles) or 4923.]
11 Section 3. This act shall take effect June 16, 1999, or
12 immediately, whichever is later.
L11L75SFL/19990S0012B0007 - 6 -