Delaware 2023-2024 Regular Session

Delaware Senate Bill SB262 Latest Draft

Bill / Engrossed Version

                            SPONSOR:      Sen. Pettyjohn & Rep. Vanderwende       Sens. Buckson, Hocker, Huxtable, Sturgeon, Wilson           DELAWARE STATE SENATE   152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY       SENATE BILL NO. 262   AS AMENDED BY   SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 2       AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF VEHICLES AND LOADS.      

     

     SPONSOR:      Sen. Pettyjohn & Rep. Vanderwende       Sens. Buckson, Hocker, Huxtable, Sturgeon, Wilson     

SPONSOR: Sen. Pettyjohn & Rep. Vanderwende
Sens. Buckson, Hocker, Huxtable, Sturgeon, Wilson

 SPONSOR:  

 Sen. Pettyjohn & Rep. Vanderwende 

 Sens. Buckson, Hocker, Huxtable, Sturgeon, Wilson 

   

 DELAWARE STATE SENATE 

 152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY 

   

 SENATE BILL NO. 262 

 AS AMENDED BY 

 SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 2 

   

 AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 21 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE SIZE AND WEIGHT OF VEHICLES AND LOADS. 

   

  BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:    Section 1. Amend 4501, Title 21 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:     4501. Size and weight of vehicles generally.    (f) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it shall be unlawful to operate any vehicle at a gross weight which exceeds the weight for which it is registered and provided further that:    (1) Except as otherwise provided in  this paragraph,   paragraph (f)(1)a. or (f)(1)b. of this section,  the total gross  weight   weight,  including load, of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles  shall not   may not  exceed 80,000 pounds.     a.  For a live-haul poultry truck traveling less than 150 miles from the farm to the plant, the total gross  weight including load   weight, including load,  of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles  shall not exceed 90,000 pounds.   may not exceed 90,000 pounds or combined manufacturers gross combined weight rating (GCWR), whichever is less.  However, such a live-haul poultry truck may exceed the established weight limit by no more than 3% to account for variations in bird weight due to bird size, moisture retention caused by precipitation, or other unanticipated conditions. For the  90,000 pound weight limit   established weight limit  and associated 3% variance to apply to a live-haul poultry truck, the following conditions must exist:    a. 1.  The live-haul poultry truck must be subject to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection.    b. 2.  The live-haul poultry truck must adhere to all bridge weight limits.    c. 3.  The live-haul poultry truck must not use the interstate highway system.    d. 4.  The  axels   axles  on a live-haul poultry truck must be a minimum of 96 inches apart no later than May 8, 2015.    b. For a truck hauling farm produce grown in this State and traveling from the farm on which the farm produce is grown to a location at which the farm produce is to be processed or stored, or from a location at which the farm produce is processed or stored to an export facility within this State, the total gross weight, including load, of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles may not exceed 90,000 pounds or combined manufacturers gross combined weight rating (GCWR), whichever is less.    1. For purposes of this paragraph (f)(1)b. of this section, farm produce means fruits, vegetables, or commodity grains.    2. This paragraph (f)(1)b. of this section applies to a truck hauling farm produce if all of the following conditions are met:    A. The truck hauling farm produce is subject to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection.    B. The truck hauling farm produce adheres to all bridge weight limits.    C. The axles on a truck hauling farm produce are a minimum of 96 inches apart.   D. The truck hauling farm produce does not use the interstate highway system.    Section 2. Amend 4502, Title 21 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:     4502. Size and weight of vehicles except on interstate highways, federal-aid primary system highways and United States numbered routes.    (c)(1) A vehicle equipped with 2 axles, having each of the 2 axles equipped with 2 hubs, with a power brake on each hub,  shall   may  not exceed a total gross weight of 40,000 pounds or manufacturers gross vehicle weight  rating   rating,  whichever is less.    (6) Except as otherwise provided in  this paragraph,   paragraphs (c)(6)a. or (c)(6)b. of this section,  the total gross weight of a combination tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles  shall   may  not exceed 80,000 lbs. or combined manufacturers gross vehicle weight  rating   rating,  whichever is less.     a.  For a live-haul poultry truck traveling less than 150 miles from the farm to the plant, the total gross  weight including load   weight, including load,  of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles  shall not exceed 90,000 pounds.   may not exceed 90,000 pounds  or combined manufacturers gross combined weight rating (GCWR), whichever is less.   However, such a live-haul poultry truck may exceed the established weight limit by no more than  3 percent   3%  to account for variations in bird weight due to bird size, moisture retention caused by precipitation, or other unanticipated conditions. For the  90,000 pound weight limit   established weight limit  and associated  3 percent   3%  variance to apply to a live-haul poultry truck, the following conditions must exist:    a. 1.  The live-haul poultry truck must be subject to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection.     b. 2.  The live-haul poultry truck must adhere to all bridge weight limits.     c. 3.  The live-haul poultry truck must not use the interstate highway system.     d. 4.  The  axels   axles  on a live-haul poultry truck must be a minimum of 96 inches apart no later than May 8, 2015.    b. For a truck hauling farm produce grown in this State and traveling from the farm on which the farm produce is grown to a location at which the farm produce is to be processed or stored, or from a location at which the farm produce is processed or stored to an export facility within this State, the total gross weight, including load, of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles may not exceed 90,000 pounds or combined manufacturers gross combined weight rating (GCWR), whichever is less.    1. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(6)b. of this section, farm produce means fruits, vegetables, or commodity grains.    2. This paragraph (c)(6)b. of this section applies to a truck hauling farm produce if all of the following conditions are met:    A. The truck hauling farm produce is subject to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection.    B. The truck hauling farm produce adheres to all bridge weight limits.    C. The axles on a truck  hauling farm produce must be a minimum of 96 inches apart.   D. The truck hauling farm produce does not use the interstate highway system.    Section 2. Amend 4506, Title 21 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:     4506. Enforcement authority.    (a) (1)  Any police officer, having reason to believe that the weight of a vehicle and load is unlawful, or during the course of a routine check of all applicable vehicles, may weigh  said   the  vehicle by means of a portable or stationary scale  and/or   or  may require that  such   the  vehicle be driven to a designated scale location and be weighed.     (2)  The officer may  then  require the  driver   operator of a vehicle under paragraph (a)(1) of this section  to unload immediately  such   the  portion of the load as is necessary to decrease the gross weight of  such   the  vehicle to the maximum specified in this chapter or for which  it   the vehicle  is registered, whichever is  the lesser weight.   less.    (3)   All such materials shall be   Materials required to be unloaded under paragraph (a)(2) of this section must be  unloaded and cared for by the owner or operator of the vehicle at the risk and expense of  such   the  owner or operator.     (4)a.   All   Except as provided under paragraph (a)(4)b. of this section,  farm vehicles and trucks are exempted from this subsection while engaged in farming  operations   operations.     b.   except live-haul poultry trucks shall not be   Live-haul poultry trucks under 4501(f)(1)a. and 4502(c)(6)a. of this title and trucks hauling farm produce under 4501(f)(1)b. and 4502(c)(6)b. of this title are not  exempted from this section.      

 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE: 

  Section 1. Amend 4501, Title 21 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows: 

   4501. Size and weight of vehicles generally. 

  (f) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, it shall be unlawful to operate any vehicle at a gross weight which exceeds the weight for which it is registered and provided further that: 

  (1) Except as otherwise provided in  this paragraph,   paragraph (f)(1)a. or (f)(1)b. of this section,  the total gross  weight   weight,  including load, of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles  shall not   may not  exceed 80,000 pounds.  

  a.  For a live-haul poultry truck traveling less than 150 miles from the farm to the plant, the total gross  weight including load   weight, including load,  of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles  shall not exceed 90,000 pounds.   may not exceed 90,000 pounds or combined manufacturers gross combined weight rating (GCWR), whichever is less.  However, such a live-haul poultry truck may exceed the established weight limit by no more than 3% to account for variations in bird weight due to bird size, moisture retention caused by precipitation, or other unanticipated conditions. For the  90,000 pound weight limit   established weight limit  and associated 3% variance to apply to a live-haul poultry truck, the following conditions must exist: 

  a. 1.  The live-haul poultry truck must be subject to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection. 

  b. 2.  The live-haul poultry truck must adhere to all bridge weight limits. 

  c. 3.  The live-haul poultry truck must not use the interstate highway system. 

  d. 4.  The  axels   axles  on a live-haul poultry truck must be a minimum of 96 inches apart no later than May 8, 2015. 

  b. For a truck hauling farm produce grown in this State and traveling from the farm on which the farm produce is grown to a location at which the farm produce is to be processed or stored, or from a location at which the farm produce is processed or stored to an export facility within this State, the total gross weight, including load, of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles may not exceed 90,000 pounds or combined manufacturers gross combined weight rating (GCWR), whichever is less. 

  1. For purposes of this paragraph (f)(1)b. of this section, farm produce means fruits, vegetables, or commodity grains. 

  2. This paragraph (f)(1)b. of this section applies to a truck hauling farm produce if all of the following conditions are met: 

  A. The truck hauling farm produce is subject to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection. 

  B. The truck hauling farm produce adheres to all bridge weight limits. 

  C. The axles on a truck hauling farm produce are a minimum of 96 inches apart. 

 D. The truck hauling farm produce does not use the interstate highway system. 

  Section 2. Amend 4502, Title 21 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows: 

   4502. Size and weight of vehicles except on interstate highways, federal-aid primary system highways and United States numbered routes. 

  (c)(1) A vehicle equipped with 2 axles, having each of the 2 axles equipped with 2 hubs, with a power brake on each hub,  shall   may  not exceed a total gross weight of 40,000 pounds or manufacturers gross vehicle weight  rating   rating,  whichever is less. 

  (6) Except as otherwise provided in  this paragraph,   paragraphs (c)(6)a. or (c)(6)b. of this section,  the total gross weight of a combination tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles  shall   may  not exceed 80,000 lbs. or combined manufacturers gross vehicle weight  rating   rating,  whichever is less.  

  a.  For a live-haul poultry truck traveling less than 150 miles from the farm to the plant, the total gross  weight including load   weight, including load,  of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles  shall not exceed 90,000 pounds.   may not exceed 90,000 pounds  or combined manufacturers gross combined weight rating (GCWR), whichever is less.   However, such a live-haul poultry truck may exceed the established weight limit by no more than  3 percent   3%  to account for variations in bird weight due to bird size, moisture retention caused by precipitation, or other unanticipated conditions. For the  90,000 pound weight limit   established weight limit  and associated  3 percent   3%  variance to apply to a live-haul poultry truck, the following conditions must exist: 

  a. 1.  The live-haul poultry truck must be subject to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection.  

  b. 2.  The live-haul poultry truck must adhere to all bridge weight limits.  

  c. 3.  The live-haul poultry truck must not use the interstate highway system.  

  d. 4.  The  axels   axles  on a live-haul poultry truck must be a minimum of 96 inches apart no later than May 8, 2015. 

  b. For a truck hauling farm produce grown in this State and traveling from the farm on which the farm produce is grown to a location at which the farm produce is to be processed or stored, or from a location at which the farm produce is processed or stored to an export facility within this State, the total gross weight, including load, of a combination of a truck tractor and semitrailer having a total of 5 or more axles may not exceed 90,000 pounds or combined manufacturers gross combined weight rating (GCWR), whichever is less. 

  1. For purposes of this paragraph (c)(6)b. of this section, farm produce means fruits, vegetables, or commodity grains. 

  2. This paragraph (c)(6)b. of this section applies to a truck hauling farm produce if all of the following conditions are met: 

  A. The truck hauling farm produce is subject to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection. 

  B. The truck hauling farm produce adheres to all bridge weight limits. 

  C. The axles on a truck  hauling farm produce must be a minimum of 96 inches apart. 

 D. The truck hauling farm produce does not use the interstate highway system. 

  Section 2. Amend 4506, Title 21 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows: 

   4506. Enforcement authority. 

  (a) (1)  Any police officer, having reason to believe that the weight of a vehicle and load is unlawful, or during the course of a routine check of all applicable vehicles, may weigh  said   the  vehicle by means of a portable or stationary scale  and/or   or  may require that  such   the  vehicle be driven to a designated scale location and be weighed.  

  (2)  The officer may  then  require the  driver   operator of a vehicle under paragraph (a)(1) of this section  to unload immediately  such   the  portion of the load as is necessary to decrease the gross weight of  such   the  vehicle to the maximum specified in this chapter or for which  it   the vehicle  is registered, whichever is  the lesser weight.   less. 

  (3)   All such materials shall be   Materials required to be unloaded under paragraph (a)(2) of this section must be  unloaded and cared for by the owner or operator of the vehicle at the risk and expense of  such   the  owner or operator.  

  (4)a.   All   Except as provided under paragraph (a)(4)b. of this section,  farm vehicles and trucks are exempted from this subsection while engaged in farming  operations   operations.  

  b.   except live-haul poultry trucks shall not be   Live-haul poultry trucks under 4501(f)(1)a. and 4502(c)(6)a. of this title and trucks hauling farm produce under 4501(f)(1)b. and 4502(c)(6)b. of this title are not  exempted from this section.