49 U.S.C. § 31111 — Length limitations
submitted 32 years ago by Pub. L. 103-272 to r/title-49-TRANSPORTATION · 1,428 words · no verdicts yet
This law sets minimum truck and bus length limits that states must allow on interstate highways. States cannot impose shorter limits than the ones listed here, with a few special exceptions. States can still ask the Secretary of Transportation to exempt unsafe highway segments from these rules.
(a) Definitions. An “automobile transporter” is a vehicle combination designed and used to transport assembled highway vehicles, including truck campers; it may carry cargo or general freight on a backhaul if it follows the applicable truck tractor-semitrailer weight limits. A “maxi-cube vehicle” is a truck tractor with a semitrailer and separable cargo unit, loaded through the semitrailer, no longer than 34 feet, with the combination no longer than 65 feet. A “truck tractor” is a non-cargo-carrying power unit operating with a semitrailer or trailer, or a power unit carrying motor vehicles with a semitrailer. A “driveaway saddlemount vehicle transporter combination” is designed to tow up to three trucks or truck tractors, each connected by a saddle to the forward vehicle’s frame or fifth wheel, and may include one fullmount. A “backhaul” is the return trip of a cargo or freight vehicle. A “trailer transporter towing unit” is a power unit not used to carry property in a towaway combination. A “towaway trailer transporter combination” is such a unit with two trailers or semitrailers, weighing no more than 26,000 pounds total, carrying no property and constituting inventory of their manufacturer, distributor, or dealer.
(b) General Limitations. Except as this section provides, a State cannot impose or enforce a commerce regulation that sets, on the specified interstate and qualifying Federal-aid highways, less than 45 feet for a bus, 48 feet for a semitrailer in a truck tractor-semitrailer combination, or 28 feet for a semitrailer or trailer in a truck tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination; imposes an overall length limit on either listed combination; effectively prohibits a semitrailer or trailer of dimensions lawfully used in the State on December 1, 1982; sets a driveaway saddlemount combination limit other than 97 feet; prohibits an existing semitrailer or trailer no longer than 28.5 feet lawfully operating within a 65-foot limit in any State on that date; sets less than 46 feet for the distance from the kingpin to the center of the rear axle on trailers used exclusively or mainly for motorsports competition; sets less than 80 feet for a qualifying stinger-steered automobile transporter; or sets less than 82 feet overall for a towaway trailer transporter combination. The first listed length limits apply only to the semitrailer or trailer, not the truck tractor. (c) A State cannot prohibit a maxi-cube vehicle or a commercial motor vehicle combination of a truck tractor and two trailing units on the specified highways. (d) Length does not include a safety or energy-conservation device the Secretary finds necessary for safe and efficient operation, but the device cannot be designed or used to carry cargo. (e) The Secretary must designate by regulation qualifying Federal-aid Primary System highways existing on June 1, 1991, that can safely accommodate the applicable lengths. (f) A State chief executive may request an exemption for an unsafe interstate segment after the required consultations with local governments and affected adjacent States, including consideration of safe alternate routes. The request must include specific safety evidence and consultation results. On the request or on the Secretary’s own initiative, the Secretary must grant an exemption if the segment cannot safely accommodate the covered vehicle or combination, after considering alternate routes. The Secretary must decide within 120 days; if delayed, the Secretary must immediately notify Congress of the reasons, assigned resources, and projected decision date. Before deciding, the Secretary must give interested persons notice and an opportunity to comment. An exemption before the final regulations under (e) must be included in those regulations; a later exemption must be published as an amendment. (g) The Secretary may make decisions needed to accommodate specialized equipment, including automobile and vessel transporters and maxi-cube vehicles.
In this section, the following definitions apply:
The term “automobile transporter” means any vehicle combination designed and used for the transport of assembled highway vehicles, including truck camper units. An automobile transporter shall not be prohibited from the transport of cargo or general freight on a backhaul, so long as it complies with weight limitations for a truck tractor and semitrailer combination.
The term “maxi-cube vehicle” means a truck tractor combined with a semitrailer and a separable property-carrying unit designed to be loaded and unloaded through the semitrailer, with the length of the separable property-carrying unit being not more than 34 feet and the length of the vehicle combination being not more than 65 feet.
The term “truck tractor” means—
a non-property-carrying power unit that operates in combination with a semitrailer or trailer; or
a power unit that carries as property motor vehicles when operating in combination with a semitrailer in transporting motor vehicles or any other commodity, including cargo or general freight on a backhaul.
The term “driveaway saddlemount vehicle transporter combination” means a vehicle combination designed and specifically used to tow up to 3 trucks or truck tractors, each connected by a saddle to the frame or fifth-wheel of the forward vehicle of the truck or truck tractor in front of it. Such combination may include one fullmount.
The term “backhaul” means the return trip of a vehicle transporting cargo or general freight, especially when carrying goods back over all or part of the same route.
The term “trailer transporter towing unit” means a power unit that is not used to carry property when operating in a towaway trailer transporter combination.
The term “towaway trailer transporter combination” means a combination of vehicles consisting of a trailer transporter towing unit and 2 trailers or semitrailers—
with a total weight that does not exceed 26,000 pounds; and
in which the trailers or semitrailers carry no property and constitute inventory property of a manufacturer, distributor, or dealer of such trailers or semitrailers.
Except as provided in this section, a State may not prescribe or enforce a regulation of commerce that—
imposes a vehicle length limitation of less than 45 feet on a bus, of less than 48 feet on a semitrailer operating in a truck tractor-semitrailer combination, or of less than 28 feet on a semitrailer or trailer operating in a truck tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination, on any segment of the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways (except a segment exempted under subsection (f) of this section) and those classes of qualifying Federal-aid Primary System highways designated by the Secretary of Transportation under subsection (e) of this section;
imposes an overall length limitation on a commercial motor vehicle operating in a truck tractor-semitrailer or truck tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination;
has the effect of prohibiting the use of a semitrailer or trailer of the same dimensions as those that were in actual and lawful use in that State on December 1, 1982;
imposes a vehicle length limitation of not less than or more than 97 feet on all driveaway saddlemount vehicle transporter combinations;
has the effect of prohibiting the use of an existing semitrailer or trailer, of not more than 28.5 feet in length, in a truck tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination if the semitrailer or trailer was operating lawfully on December 1, 1982, within a 65-foot overall length limit in any State;
imposes a limitation of less than 46 feet on the distance from the kingpin to the center of the rear axle on trailers used exclusively or primarily in connection with motorsports competition events;
imposes a vehicle length limitation of less than 80 feet on a stinger-steered automobile transporter with a front overhang of less than 4 feet and a rear overhang of less than 6 feet; or
has the effect of imposing an overall length limitation of less than 82 feet on a towaway trailer transporter combination.
A length limitation prescribed or enforced by a State under paragraph (1)(A) of this subsection applies only to a semitrailer or trailer and not to a truck tractor.
A State may not prohibit a maxi-cube vehicle or a commercial motor vehicle combination consisting of a truck tractor and 2 trailing units on any segment of the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways (except a segment exempted under subsection (f) of this section) and those classes of qualifying Federal-aid Primary System highways designated by the Secretary under subsection (e) of this section.
Length calculated under this section does not include a safety or energy conservation device the Secretary decides is necessary for safe and efficient operation of a commercial motor vehicle. However, such a device may not have by its design or use the ability to carry cargo.
The Secretary by regulation shall designate as qualifying Federal-aid Primary System highways those highways of the Federal-aid Primary System in existence on June 1, 1991, that can accommodate safely the applicable vehicle lengths provided in this section.
If the chief executive officer of a State, after consulting under paragraph (2) of this subsection, decides a segment of the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways is not capable of safely accommodating a commercial motor vehicle having a length described in subsection (b)(1)(A) of this section or the motor vehicle combination described in subsection (c) of this section, the chief executive officer may notify the Secretary of that decision and request the Secretary to exempt that segment from either or both provisions.
Before making a decision under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the chief executive officer shall consult with units of local government in the State in which the segment of the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways is located and with the chief executive officer of any adjacent State that may be directly affected by the exemption. As part of the consultations, consideration shall be given to any potential alternative route that serves the area in which the segment is located and can safely accommodate a commercial motor vehicle having a length described in subsection (b)(1)(A) of this section or the motor vehicle combination described in subsection (c) of this section.
A chief executive officer’s notification under this subsection must include specific evidence of safety problems supporting the officer’s decision and the results of consultations about alternative routes.
If the Secretary decides, on request of a chief executive officer or on the Secretary’s own initiative, a segment of the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways is not capable of safely accommodating a commercial motor vehicle having a length described in subsection (b)(1)(A) of this section or the motor vehicle combination described in subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary shall exempt the segment from either or both of those provisions. Before making a decision under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consider any possible alternative route that serves the area in which the segment is located.
The Secretary shall make a decision about a specific segment not later than 120 days after the date of receipt of notification from a chief executive officer under paragraph (1) of this subsection or the date on which the Secretary initiates action under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, whichever is applicable. If the Secretary finds the decision will not be made in time, the Secretary immediately shall notify Congress, giving the reasons for the delay, information about the resources assigned, and the projected date for the decision.
Before making a decision, the Secretary shall give an interested person notice and an opportunity for comment. If the Secretary exempts a segment under this subsection before the final regulations under subsection (e) of this section are prescribed, the Secretary shall include the exemption as part of the final regulations. If the Secretary exempts the segment after the final regulations are prescribed, the Secretary shall publish the exemption as an amendment to the final regulations.
In prescribing regulations to carry out this section, the Secretary may make decisions necessary to accommodate specialized equipment, including automobile and vessel transporters and maxi-cube vehicles.
Source credit: (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 993; Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 104(b), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 919; Pub. L. 105–178, title IV, § 4005, June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 400; Pub. L. 109–59, title IV, § 4141, Aug. 10, 2005, 119 Stat. 1746; Pub. L. 110–244, title III, § 301(r), June 6, 2008, 122 Stat. 1617; Pub. L. 114–94, div. A, title V, §§ 5520, 5523(a), (b), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1558–1560.)
- 1994Enacted · Pub. L. 103-272 · 108 Stat. 993
- 1995Amended · Pub. L. 104-88 · 109 Stat. 919
- 1998Amended · Pub. L. 105-178 · 112 Stat. 400
- 2005Amended · Pub. L. 109-59 · 119 Stat. 1746
- 2008Amended · Pub. L. 110-244 · 122 Stat. 1617
- 2015Amended · Pub. L. 114-94 · 129 Stat. 1558
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 103-272 on 1994-07-05.
all 0 arguments · sorted by: best
no arguments yet — make the first case