Safe, Flexible, and Efficient Trucking Act of 2015
This bill allows a state to authorize a vehicle with a maximum gross weight (including enforcement tolerances) exceeding certain federal weight limitations to operate on Interstate Highway System routes in the state if:
The Department of Transportation may issue regulations necessary to require such a vehicle to include one item of additional equipment not otherwise required by law, but only if the equipment item is available at the time the rule is proposed.
[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3488 Introduced in House (IH)]
114th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3488
To amend title 23, United States Code, with respect to vehicle weight
limitations applicable to the Interstate System, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 10, 2015
Mr. Ribble introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 23, United States Code, with respect to vehicle weight
limitations applicable to the Interstate System, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Safe, Flexible, and Efficient
Trucking Act of 2015''.
SEC. 2. MODERNIZED WEIGHT LIMITATIONS FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES.
Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(m) Additional Exception to Weight Requirements.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), a State
may authorize a vehicle with a maximum gross weight, including
all enforcement tolerances, that exceeds the maximum gross
weight otherwise applicable under subsection (a) to operate on
Interstate System routes in the State, if--
``(A) the vehicle is equipped with at least 6
axles;
``(B) the weight of any single axle on the vehicle
does not exceed 20,000 pounds, including enforcement
tolerances;
``(C) the weight of any tandem axle on the vehicle
does not exceed 34,000 pounds, including enforcement
tolerances;
``(D) the weight of any group of 3 or more axles on
the vehicle does not exceed 51,000 pounds, including
enforcement tolerances;
``(E) the gross weight of the vehicle does not
exceed 91,000 pounds, including enforcement tolerances;
and
``(F) the vehicle complies with the bridge formula
in subsection (a)(2) of this section.
``(2) Special rules.--
``(A) Other exceptions not affected.--This
subsection shall not restrict--
``(i) a vehicle that may operate under any
other provision of this section or another
Federal law; or
``(ii) a State's authority with respect to
a vehicle that may operate under any other
provision of this section or another Federal
law.
``(B) Means of implementation.--A State may
implement this subsection by any means, including
statute or rule of general applicability, by special
permit, or otherwise.
``(3) Additional equipment.--
``(A) In general.--The Secretary may issue such
regulations as are necessary to require a vehicle
operating pursuant to this subsection to include 1 item
of additional equipment not otherwise required by law.
The Secretary may issue such regulations only if the
equipment item to be required is available at the time
a rule is proposed.
``(B) Comment.--In issuing regulations pursuant to
this paragraph, the Secretary shall invite comment on
the effective date of any proposed equipment
requirement.
``(C) Limited authority.--The authority to issue
regulations pursuant to this paragraph applies only to
a rule that is published as a final rule in the Federal
Register not later than the date that is 6 months after
the date of enactment of this subsection.
``(4) Reporting requirements.--
``(A) Triennial report.--If a State, pursuant to
paragraph (1), authorizes vehicles described in such
paragraph to operate on Interstate System routes in the
State, the State shall submit to the Secretary a
triennial report containing--
``(i) an identification of highway routes
in the State, including routes not on the
Interstate System, on which the State so
authorizes such vehicles to operate;
``(ii) a description of any gross vehicle
weight limit applicable to such vehicles so
authorized and of any operating requirements
applicable to such vehicles that are in
addition to requirements applicable to all
commercial motor vehicles;
``(iii) the number of crashes that occurred
in the State involving such vehicles so
authorized on the Interstate System, the number
of such crashes involving fatalities, and the
number of such crashes involving non-fatal
injuries;
``(iv) estimated vehicle miles traveled on
the Interstate System in the State by such
vehicles so authorized; and
``(v) other information, such as the gross
vehicle weight of a vehicle operating pursuant
to the authority of this subsection at the time
of a crash, as the Secretary and the State
jointly determine necessary.
``(B) Public availability.--The Secretary shall
make all information required under subparagraph (A)
available to the public.
``(5) Termination as to route segment.--The Secretary may
terminate the operation of vehicles authorized by a State under
this subsection on a specific Interstate System route segment
if, after the effective date of a decision of a State to allow
vehicles to operate pursuant to paragraph (1), the Secretary
determines that such operation poses an unreasonable safety
risk based on an engineering analysis of the route segment or
an analysis of safety or other applicable data from the route
segment.
``(6) Waiver of highway funding reduction.--Notwithstanding
subsection (a), the total amount of funds apportioned to a
State under section 104(b)(1) for any period may not be reduced
under subsection (a) if the State authorizes a vehicle
described in paragraph (1) to operate on the Interstate System
in the State in accordance with this subsection.
``(7) Preserving state and local authority regarding non-
interstate system highways.--Subsection (b) of this section
shall not apply to motor vehicles operating on the Interstate
System solely under the authority provided by this
subsection.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
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