WEST virginia legislature

2017 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 635

By Senators Boso, Maynard and Cline

[Introduced March 17, 2017; Referred
to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure]

A BILL to amend and reenact §17C-17-9a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to increasing the maximum weight amount for trucks equipped with six axles and two additional brakes to ninety-seven thousand pounds.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That §17C-17-9a of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 17. SIZE, WEIGHT AND LOAD.

§17C-17-9a. Gross weight of vehicles and loads.

(a) It is unlawful for any owner, lessee or borrower of a vehicle or combination of vehicles to operate on any highway other than the national system of interstate and defense highways that vehicle or combination of vehicles with a gross weight in excess of the gross weight for which such the vehicle or combination of vehicles is registered or in excess of any weight limitation set forth in this chapter, whether such the limitation be is specifically stated in this chapter or set by express authority granted in this chapter: Provided, That if any vehicle is operated within the tolerances established in this section for the gross weight of that vehicle, then that vehicle shall be deemed is considered for all purposes to be operating at the gross weight for which it is registered and the registered weight is deemed considered to include the ten percent tolerance associated with it under this section.

(b) Subject to the limit upon the weight imposed upon the highway through any one axle as set forth in section eight of this article, the total gross weight on vehicles or combination of vehicles operated on any highway other than the national system of interstate and defense highways shall be is limited as follows:

(1) A single unit truck having one steering axle and two axles in tandem shall be is limited to a maximum gross weight of sixty thousand pounds with a tolerance of ten percent.

(2) A single unit truck having one steering axle and three axles in tridem arrangement shall be is limited to a maximum gross weight of seventy thousand pounds with a tolerance of ten percent.

(3) A single unit truck having one steering axle and four axles in quadem arrangement shall be is limited to a maximum gross weight of seventy-three thousand pounds with a tolerance of ten percent.

(4) A tractor-semitrailer combination with five axles, a tractor-semitrailer combination with six or more axles a single unit truck having one steering axle and two axles in tandem in combination with a trailer with two axles and a single unit truck having one steering axle and three axles in tridem in combination with a trailer with two axles, shall be is limited to a maximum gross weight of eighty thousand pounds with a tolerance of ten percent.

(5) A tractor-semitrailer combination with six or more axles, each axle equipped with brakes, is limited to a maximum gross weight of ninety-seven thousand pounds with a tolerance of three percent.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to increase the maximum weight amount for trucks equipped with six axles and two additional brakes to ninety-seven thousand pounds.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.