SB-0274, As Passed House, November 10, 2015

HOUSE SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 274

A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled

"Michigan vehicle code,"

by amending section 719 (MCL 257.719), as amended by 2012 PA 282.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

Sec. 719. (1) A vehicle unloaded or with load shall not exceed

a height of 13 feet 6 inches. The owner of a vehicle that collides

with a lawfully established bridge or viaduct is liable for all

damage and injury resulting from a collision caused by the height

of the vehicle, whether the clearance of the bridge or viaduct is

posted or not.

(2) Lengths described in this subsection shall be known as the

normal length maximum. Except as provided in subsection (3), the

following vehicles and combinations of vehicles shall not be

operated on a highway in this state in excess of these lengths:

(a) Subject to subsection ~~(8),~~ (9), any single vehicle: 40

feet; a crib vehicle on which logs are loaded lengthwise of the

vehicle: 42.5 feet; any single bus or motor home: 45 feet.

(b) Articulated buses: 65 feet.

combination of a truck and semitrailer or trailer, or a truck

tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or truck tractor and semitrailer

or trailer, designed and used exclusively to transport assembled

motor vehicles or bodies, recreational vehicles, or boats: 65 feet.

A combination of a truck and semitrailer or trailer, or a truck

tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or a truck tractor and

semitrailer or trailer designed and used to transport boats from

the manufacturer, or a stinger-steered combination: 75 feet. The

load on the combinations of vehicles described in this subdivision

may extend an additional 3 feet beyond the front and 4 feet beyond

the rear of the combinations of vehicles. Retractable extensions

used to support and secure the load that do not extend beyond the

allowable overhang for the front and rear shall not be included in

determining length of a loaded vehicle or vehicle combination.

(d) Truck tractor and semitrailer combinations: no overall

length, the semitrailer: 50 feet.

(e) Truck and semitrailer or trailer: 59 feet.

(f) Except as provided in subdivision (g), truck tractor,

semitrailer, and trailer, or truck tractor and 2 semitrailers: 59

feet.

(g) A truck tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or a truck

tractor and 2 semitrailers, in which no semitrailer or trailer is

more than 28-1/2 feet long: 65 feet. This subdivision only applies

while the vehicle is being used for a business purpose reasonably

related to picking up or delivering a load and only if each

semitrailer or trailer is equipped with a device or system capable

of mechanically dumping construction materials or dumping

construction materials by force of gravity.

(h) More than 1 motor vehicle, wholly or partially assembled,

in combination, utilizing 1 tow bar or 3 saddle mounts with full

mount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of 1 of the

vehicles in combination: 55 feet.

(i) A recreational vehicle that has its own motive power, in

combination with a trailer: 65 feet or, if the operator of the

recreational vehicle has a group commercial motor vehicle

designation on his or her operator's or chauffeur's license, 75

feet.

(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), the following vehicles and

combinations of vehicles shall not be operated on a designated

highway of this state in excess of these lengths:

(a) Truck tractor and semitrailer combinations: no overall

length limit, the semitrailer 53 feet. All semitrailers longer than

50 feet shall have a wheelbase of 37.5 to 40.5 feet plus or minus

0.5 feet, measured from the kingpin coupling to the center of the

rear axle or the center of the rear axle assembly. City, village,

or county authorities may prohibit stops of vehicles with a

semitrailer longer than 50 feet within their jurisdiction unless

the stop occurs along appropriately designated routes, or is

necessary for emergency purposes or to reach shippers, receivers,

warehouses, and terminals along designated routes.

(b) Truck and semitrailer or trailer combinations: 65 feet,

except that a person may operate a truck and semitrailer or trailer

designed and used to transport saw logs, pulpwood, and tree length

poles that does not exceed an overall length of 70 feet or a crib

vehicle and semitrailer or trailer designed and used to transport

saw logs that does not exceed an overall length of 75 feet. A crib

vehicle and semitrailer or trailer designed to and used to

transport saw logs shall not exceed a gross vehicle weight of

164,000 pounds. A person may operate a truck tractor and

semitrailer designed and used to transport saw logs, pulpwood, and

tree length wooden poles with a load overhang to the rear of the

semitrailer which does not exceed 6 feet if the semitrailer does

not exceed 50 feet in length.

with a log slasher unit and a log saw unit: no overall limit if the

length of each unit does not exceed 28-1/2 feet, or the overall

length of the log slasher unit and the log saw unit, as measured

from the front of the first towed unit to the rear of the second

towed unit while the units are coupled together, does not exceed 58

feet. The coupling devices of the truck tractor and units set forth

in this subdivision shall meet the requirements established under

the motor carrier safety act of 1963, 1963 PA 181, MCL 480.11 to

480.25.

(d) Truck tractor and 2 semitrailers, or truck tractor,

semitrailer, and trailer combinations: no overall length limit, if

the length of each semitrailer or trailer does not exceed 28-1/2

feet each, or the overall length of the semitrailer and trailer, or

2 semitrailers as measured from the front of the first towed unit

to the rear of the second towed unit while the units are coupled

together does not exceed 58 feet.

(e) More than 1 motor vehicle, wholly or partially assembled,

in combination, utilizing 1 tow bar or 3 saddle mounts with full

mount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of 1 of the

vehicles in combination: 75 97 feet.

(f) Truck tractor and lowboy semitrailer combinations: no

maximum overall length, if the lowboy semitrailer does not exceed

59 feet, except as otherwise permitted under this subdivision. A

lowboy semitrailer wheelbase shall not exceed 55 feet as measured

from the kingpin coupling to the center of the rear axle. A lowboy

semitrailer more than 59 feet in length shall not operate with more

than any combination of 4 axles on the lowboy unless an oversized

load permit is issued by the state transportation department or a

local authority with respect to highways under its jurisdiction. As

used in this subdivision, "lowboy semitrailer" means a flatbed

semitrailer with a depressed section that has the specific purpose

of being lowered and raised for loading and unloading.

(4) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a

combination of a truck and semitrailer, or truck tractor and

semitrailer, used exclusively to transport assembled motor vehicles

or bodies that have a trailer length of 53 feet may have a load

that extends an additional 3 feet beyond the front of the trailer

and 4 feet beyond the rear of the trailer. Retractable extensions

used to support and secure the load that do not extend beyond the

allowable overhang for the front and rear shall not be included in

determining length of a loaded vehicle or vehicle combination. The

total overall length loaded of the combination of vehicles

described in this subsection shall not exceed 79 feet.

(5) ~~(4)~~ The following combinations and movements are

prohibited:

(a) A truck shall not haul more than 1 trailer or semitrailer,

and a truck tractor shall not haul more than 2 semitrailers or 1

semitrailer and 1 trailer in combination at any 1 time, except that

a farm tractor may haul 2 wagons or trailers, or garbage and refuse

haulers may, during daylight hours, haul up to 4 trailers for

garbage and refuse collection purposes, not exceeding in any

combination a total length of 55 feet and at a speed limit not to

exceed 15 miles per hour.

(b) A combination of vehicles or a vehicle shall not have more

than 11 axles, except when operating under a valid permit issued by

the state transportation department or a local authority with

respect to a highway under its jurisdiction.

under this section is prohibited.

(d) Except as provided in subsection (3)(c), a combination of

2 semitrailers pulled by a truck tractor, unless each semitrailer

uses a fifth wheel connecting assembly that conforms to the

requirements of the motor carrier safety act of 1963, 1963 PA 181,

MCL 480.11 to 480.25.

(e) A vehicle or a combination of vehicles shall not carry a

load extending more than 3 feet beyond the front of the lead

vehicle.

(f) A vehicle described in subsections (2)(e) and (3)(e)

employing triple saddle mounts unless all wheels that are in

contact with the roadway have operating brakes.

(6) ~~(5)~~ All combinations of vehicles under this section shall

employ connecting assemblies and lighting devices that are in

compliance with the motor carrier safety act of 1963, 1963 PA 181,

MCL 480.11 to 480.25.

(7) ~~(6)~~ The total gross weight of a truck tractor,

semitrailer, and trailer combination or a truck tractor and 2

semitrailers combination that exceeds 59 feet in length shall not

exceed a ratio of 400 pounds per engine net horsepower delivered to

clutch or its equivalent specified in the handbook published by the

~~society~~ Society of ~~automotive engineers, inc.~~ Automotive Engineers,

Inc. (SAE), 1977 edition.

(8) ~~(7)~~ A person who violates this section is responsible for

a civil infraction. The owner of the vehicle may be charged with a

violation of this section.

(9) ~~(8)~~ The provisions in subsections (2)(a) and (3)(b)

prescribing the length of a crib vehicle on which logs are loaded

lengthwise do not apply unless 23 USC 127(d) is amended to allow

crib vehicles carrying logs to be loaded as described in this

section.

(10) ~~(9)~~ As used in this section:

(a) "Designated highway" means a highway approved by the state

transportation department or a local authority with respect to a

highway under its jurisdiction.

(b) "Length" means the total length of a vehicle, or

combination of vehicles, including any load the vehicle is

carrying. Length does not include devices described in 23 CFR

658.16 and 23 CFR part 658, appendix d, 23 CFR 658.16 and 23 CFR

part 658, appendix d, as on file with the secretary of state are

adopted by reference. A safety or energy conservation device shall

be excluded from a determination of length only if it is not

designed or used for the carrying of cargo, freight, or equipment.

Semitrailers and trailers shall be measured from the front vertical

plane of the foremost transverse load supporting structure to the

rearmost transverse load supporting structure. Vehicle components

not excluded by law shall be included in the measurement of the

length, height, and width of the vehicle.

semitrailer combination in which the fifth wheel is located on a

drop frame located behind and below the rearmost axle of the power

unit.

Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

after the date it is enacted into law.