WEIGHING VEHICLE COMBINATIONS

AS A SINGLE UNIT

House Bill 6604

Sponsor:  Rep. Jeff Mayes

Committee:  Agriculture

Complete to 11-11-08

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 6604 AS INTRODUCED 11-6-08

The bill would amend the Weights and Measures Act as follows:

·                    Require the gross weight of a vehicle to be determined by a single measurement and not by multiple measurements taken at opposite ends of a vehicle, notwithstanding any requirements adopted under Section 28c of the act.

·                    Require the gross weight of a truck tractor combined with multiple trailers to be determined by weighing the combination in a single measurement with (1) the brakes on the tractors and trailers released; (2) no tension on the draw bar; (3) straight approaches to the scale on the same level as the scale that are sufficiently wide and long to ensure level positioning of the coupled vehicles during weighing. 

·                    Require a scale used to weigh a vehicle combination to be tested at least once a year by weighing a tractor coupled with multiple trailers as a single unit and comparing that weight to the combined weight of each vehicle weighed separately.  If the two numbers varied by more than 0.2 percent, the scale could not be used to weigh coupled vehicles until corrected.  If a scale couldn't be used to weigh vehicle combinations, the vehicles would have to be weighed individually and the individual weights totaled to obtain the gross weight of the vehicle combination. 

            MCL 290.628d

FISCAL IMPACT:

The bill could have a fiscal impact on the Department of Agriculture; the department has no estimate at this time.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   Shannan Kane

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   William E. Hamilton

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.