HOUSE BILL No. 5205 October 16, 2001, Introduced by Reps. Gilbert and Hager and referred to the Committee on Transportation. A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled "Michigan vehicle code," by amending section 719 (MCL 257.719), as amended by 2000 PA 306. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT: 1 Sec. 719. (1) A vehicle unloaded or with load shall not 2 exceed a height of 13 feet 6 inches. The owner of a vehicle that 3 collides with a lawfully established bridge or viaduct is liable 4 for all damage and injury resulting from a collision caused by 5 the height of the vehicle, whether the clearance of the bridge or 6 viaduct is posted or not. 7 (2) Lengths described in this subsection shall be known as 8 the normal length maximum. Except as provided in subsection (3), 9 the following vehicles and combinations of vehicles shall not be 10 operated on a highway in this state in excess of these lengths: 05415'01 JJG 2 1 (a) Any single vehicle: 40 feet; any single bus: 45 feet. 2 (b) Articulated buses: 65 feet. 3 (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a 4 combination of a truck and semitrailer or trailer, or a truck 5 tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or truck tractor and semi- 6 trailer or trailer, designed and used exclusively to transport 7 assembled motor vehicles or bodies, recreational vehicles, or 8 boats, that does not exceed a length of 65 feet. Stinger-steered 9 combinations shall not exceed a length of 75 feet. The load on 10 the combinations of vehicles described in this subdivision may 11 extend an additional 3 feet beyond the front and 4 feet beyond 12 the rear of the combinations of vehicles. Retractable extensions 13 used to support and secure the load that do not extend beyond the 14 allowable overhang for the front and rear shall not be included 15 in determining length of a loaded vehicle or vehicle 16 combination. 17 (d) Truck tractor and semitrailer combinations: no overall 18 length, the semitrailer not to exceed 50 feet. 19 (e) Truck and semitrailer or trailer: 59 feet. 20 (f) Truck tractor, semitrailer, and trailer, or truck trac- 21 tor and 2 semitrailers: 59 feet. 22 (g) More than 1 motor vehicle, wholly or partially assem- 23 bled, in combination, utilizing 1 tow bar or 3 saddle mounts with 24 full mount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of 1 of the 25 vehicles in combination, not to exceed 55 feet. 05415'01 3 1 (3) Notwithstanding subsection (2), the following vehicles 2 and combinations of vehicles shall not be operated on a 3 designated highway of this state in excess of these lengths: 4 (a) Truck tractor and semitrailer combinations: no overall 5 length limit, the semitrailer not to exceed 53 feet. All semi- 6 trailers longer than 50 feet shall have a wheelbase of 40.5 feet 7 plus or minus 0.5 feet, measured from the kingpin coupling to the 8 center of the rear axle or the center of the REAR tandem axle 9 assembly if equipped with2 axlesMORE THAN 1 AXLE. A semi- 10 trailer with a length longer than 50 feet shall not operate with 11 more than23 axles on the semitrailer. City, village, or 12 county authorities may prohibit stops of vehicles with a semi- 13 trailer longer than 50 feet within their jurisdiction unless the 14 stop occurs along appropriately designated routes, or is neces- 15 sary for emergency purposes or to reach shippers, receivers, 16 warehouses, and terminals along designated routes. 17 (b) Truck and semitrailer or trailer combinations: 65 feet, 18 except that a person may operate a truck and semitrailer or 19 trailer designed and used to transport saw logs, pulpwood, and 20 tree length poles that does not exceed an overall length of 70 21 feet. A person may operate a truck tractor and semitrailer 22 designed and used to transport saw logs, pulpwood, and tree 23 length wooden poles with a load overhang to the rear of the semi- 24 trailer which does not exceed 6 feet if the semitrailer does not 25 exceed 50 feet in length. 26 (c) Truck tractor and 2 semitrailers, or truck tractor, 27 semitrailer, and trailer combinations: no overall length limit, 05415'01 4 1 if the length of each semitrailer or trailer does not exceed 2 28-1/2 feet each, or the overall length of the semitrailer and 3 trailer, or 2 semitrailers as measured from the front of the 4 first towed unit to the rear of the second towed unit while the 5 units are coupled together does not exceed 58 feet. 6 (d) More than 1 motor vehicle, wholly or partially assem- 7 bled, in combination, utilizing 1 tow bar or 3 saddle mounts with 8 full mount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of 1 of the 9 vehicles in combination, not to exceed 75 feet. 10 (4) The following combinations and movements are 11 prohibited: 12 (a) A truck shall not haul more than 1 trailer or semitrail- 13 er, and a truck tractor shall not haul more than 2 semitrailers 14 or 1 semitrailer and 1 trailer in combination at any 1 time, 15 except that a farm tractor may haul 2 wagons or trailers, or gar- 16 bage and refuse haulers may, during daylight hours, haul up to 4 17 trailers for garbage and refuse collection purposes, not exceed- 18 ing in any combination a total length of 55 feet and at a speed 19 limit not to exceed 15 miles per hour. 20 (b) A combination of vehicles or a vehicle shall not have 21 more than 11 axles, except when operating under a valid permit 22 issued by the state transportation department or a local author- 23 ity with respect to a highway under its jurisdiction. 24 (c) Any combination of vehicles not specifically authorized 25 under this section is prohibited. 26 (d) A combination of 2 semitrailers pulled by a truck 27 tractor, unless each semitrailer uses a fifth wheel connecting 05415'01 5 1 assembly which conforms to the requirements of the motor carrier 2 safety act of 1963, 1963 PA 181, MCL 480.11 to 480.22. 3 (e) A vehicle or a combination of vehicles shall not carry a 4 load extending more than 3 feet beyond the front of the lead 5 vehicle. 6 (f) A vehicle described in subsections (2)(e) and (3)(d) 7 employing triple saddle mounts unless all wheels that are in con- 8 tact with the roadway have operating brakes. 9 (5) All combinations of vehicles under this section shall 10 employ connecting assemblies and lighting devices that are in 11 compliance with the motor carrier safety act of 1963, 1963 PA 12 181, MCL 480.11 to 480.22. 13 (6) The total gross weight of a truck tractor, semitrailer, 14 and trailer combination or a truck tractor and 2 semitrailers 15 combination that exceeds 59 feet in length shall not exceed a 16 ratio of 400 pounds per engine net horsepower delivered to clutch 17 or its equivalent specified in the handbook published by the 18 society of automotive engineers, inc. (SAE), 1977 edition. 19 (7) A person who violates this section is responsible for a 20 civil infraction. The owner of the vehicle may be charged with a 21 violation of this section. 22 (8) As used in this section: 23 (a) "Designated highway" means a highway approved by the 24 state transportation department or a local authority with respect 25 to a highway under its jurisdiction. 26 (b) "Length" means the total length of a vehicle, or 27 combination of vehicles, including any load the vehicle is 05415'01 6 1 carrying. Length does not include safety and energy conservation 2 devices including, but not limited to, impact absorbing bumpers, 3 rear view mirrors, turn signal lamps, marker lamps, steps and 4 hand holds for entry and egress, flexible fender extensions, mud 5 flaps, or splash and spray suppressant devices; load induced tire 6 bulge; refrigeration or heating units; or air compressors 7 attached to the vehicle. A safety or energy conservation device 8 shall be excluded from a determination of length only if it is 9 not designed or used for the carrying of cargo, freight, or 10 equipment. Semitrailers and trailers shall be measured from the 11 front vertical plane of the foremost transverse load supporting 12 structure to the rearmost transverse load supporting structure. 13 (c) "Stinger-steered combinations" means a truck tractor and 14 semitrailer combination in which the fifth wheel is located on a 15 drop frame located behind and below the rearmost axle of the 16 power unit. 05415'01 Final page. JJG