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AB-2499 Size, Weight, and Load: United States Army Heavy Equipment Transporter: exception.(2019-2020)

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Date Published: 03/05/2020 09:00 PM
AB2499:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 05, 2020

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2499

Introduced by Assembly Member Obernolte

February 19, 2020

An act to amend Section 35554 of add Section 35559 to the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2499, as amended, Obernolte. Buses: axle weight. Size, Weight, and Load: United States Army Heavy Equipment Transporter: exception.
Existing law generally provides limits for the gross weight imposed upon the highway by the wheels on any one axle or any group of 2 or more axles, as specified. Existing law provides different limits for vehicles transporting loads consisting of logs and for buses, as specified. Existing law makes an exception to weight limits imposed on the highway for vehicles that transport cotton in certain circumstances during certain months of the year, as specified.
This bill would provide an exemption from the prescribed weight limits imposed on the highway for a United States Army Heavy Equipment Transporter engaged in the transport of an M1 Abrams tank between Fort Irwin, California, Barstow-Daggett Airport, Daggett, California, and Marine Corps Logistics Base, Barstow, California along a route that includes Fort Irwin Road, Yermo Cut-Off, Ghost Town Road, Daggett-Yermo Road, and National Trails Highway.

Existing law prohibits the maximum gross weight on any one axle of a bus from exceeding 20,500 pounds, except as specified, and sets forth maximum limits for curb weight on any one axle of a transit bus, as specified.

This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to that provision.

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 35559 is added to the Vehicle Code, to read:

35559.
 The provisions of this article shall not apply to a United States Army Heavy Equipment Transporter engaged in the transport of an M1 Abrams tank between Fort Irwin, California, Barstow-Daggett Airport, Daggett, California, and Marine Corps Logistics Base, Barstow, California along a route that includes Fort Irwin Road, Yermo Cut-Off, Ghost Town Road, Daggett-Yermo Road, and National Trails Highway.

SECTION 1.Section 35554 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:
35554.

(a)(1)Notwithstanding Section 35550, the maximum gross weight on any one axle of a bus shall not exceed 20,500 pounds.

(2)This subdivision does not apply to a transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued before January 1, 2016. This subdivision does not apply to a bus purchased during an option period in a multiyear contract to purchase transit buses that is entered into before January 1, 2016, by a publicly owned or operated transit system, or an operator of a transit system under contract with a publicly owned or operated transit system, if the option period does not exceed five years from the date of the original contract, or extend beyond January 1, 2021, whichever is earlier.

(b)A transit bus is not subject to Section 35550.

(c)Notwithstanding subdivision (a), both of the following provisions shall apply to a transit bus:

(1)The curb weight on any one axle of a transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2018, inclusive, shall not exceed 23,000 pounds.

(2)The curb weight on any one axle of a transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued on or after January 1, 2019, shall not exceed 22,000 pounds.

(d)Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (c), all of the following provisions shall apply to an articulated transit bus or zero-emission transit bus:

(1)The curb weight on any one axle of an articulated transit bus or zero-emission transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2017, inclusive, shall not exceed 25,000 pounds.

(2)The curb weight on any one axle of an articulated transit bus or zero-emission transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2019, inclusive, shall not exceed 24,000 pounds.

(3)The curb weight on any one axle of an articulated transit bus or zero-emission transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued between January 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021, inclusive, shall not exceed 23,000 pounds.

(4)The curb weight on any one axle of an articulated transit bus or zero-emission transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued on or after January 1, 2022, shall not exceed 22,000 pounds.

(e)This article shall not be construed to authorize a vehicle described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) or described in subdivision (c) or (d) to be operated in violation of Section 35753.

(f)A transit operator operating an articulated transit bus shall, by July 1, 2016, provide notice to all cities and counties in whose jurisdiction the bus will operate in the upcoming calendar year, identifying the approximate routes upon which the bus is expected to be scheduled for service, including the names of streets and roads upon which that service is likely to take place. After providing that notice, a transit operator operating an articulated transit bus shall annually provide notice by July 1, to all cities and counties in whose jurisdiction the bus will operate in the upcoming calendar year, identifying any changes to the service on those routes and any new routes upon which the bus is expected to be scheduled for the upcoming year. The notice shall include data from information provided by the bus manufacturer to the transit operator, identifying the weight of the articulated bus.

(g)For purposes of this section, the term “curb weight” means the total weight of a fully loaded transit bus, including maximum fuel, oil, and coolant, and all equipment used in the normal operation of the bus, except without passengers or a driver.

(h)Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) to (g), inclusive, a transit bus shall not operate on the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways in excess of the weight limitation for transit buses specified in federal law.

(i)If the gross weight imposed upon the highway by the wheels on any one axle of a transit bus exceeds 20,000 pounds, the axle shall be supported by four wheels bearing load upon the highway.