Senate Study Bill 1221 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON BROWN) A BILL FOR An Act increasing the maximum gross weight allowed for 1 commercial motor vehicles operating on noninterstate 2 highways. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1499XC (8) 89 th/ns

S.F. _____ Section 1. Section 321.463, subsection 6, paragraph c, 1 subparagraph (1), Code 2021, is amended to read as follows: 2 (1) The maximum gross weight allowed to be carried on a 3 commercial motor vehicle on noninterstate highways, provided 4 the vehicle is operated by a person with a commercial driver’s 5 license valid for the vehicle operated unless section 321.176A 6 applies, is as follows: 7 NONINTERSTATE HIGHWAYS 8 MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT TABLE 9 COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE 10 Distance in feet 5 Axles 6 Axles 7 Axles 11 _________________________________________________________________ 12 44 80,500 80,500 13 45 81,000 81,500 14 46 81,500 82,500 15 47 82,000 83,500 16 48 83,000 84,000 17 49 83,500 85,000 18 50 84,000 86,000 19 51 84,500 87,000 20 52 80,500 85,000 88,000 21 53 81,000 86,000 88,500 22 54 82,000 86,500 89,500 23 55 82,500 87,000 90,500 24 56 83,000 87,500 91,500 25 57 83,500 88,000 92,000 26 58 84,500 89,000 93,000 27 59 85,000 89,500 94,000 28 60 85,500 90,000 95,000 29 61 86,000 95,500 30 62 87,000 96,000 31 63 87,500 32 64 88,000 33 65 88,500 34 66 89,000 35 67 90,000 36 Sec. 2. Section 321.463, subsection 6, paragraph c, 37 subparagraph (2), Code 2021, is amended by striking the 38 subparagraph and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 39 (2) When crossing a bridge, such a vehicle or combination 40 of vehicles shall comply with any weight restriction imposed 41 for the bridge pursuant to section 321.471 or 321.474, provided 42 signs that conform to the manual of uniform traffic-control 43 devices adopted by the department that give notice of the 44 restriction are posted as required under section 321.472 or 45 321.474, as applicable. 46 -1- LSB 1499XC (8) 89 th/ns 1/ 2

S.F. _____ EXPLANATION 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 Current law limits the maximum gross weight of a vehicle 4 based on the number of axles and the distance between the 5 axles on the vehicle. Generally, vehicles with five axles are 6 allowed to have a maximum gross weight up to 80,000 pounds. 7 This bill incrementally increases the allowable maximum gross 8 weight up to 90,000 pounds for commercial motor vehicles with 9 five axles that are operating on noninterstate highways, based 10 on the distance measured between the centers of the extreme 11 axles of any group of axles. 12 The bill requires such a vehicle to comply with any weight 13 restriction imposed when crossing a bridge, provided proper 14 signs are posted giving notice of the restriction. 15 A vehicle that exceeds the allowable weight based on its 16 number of axles and the distance between the axles is subject 17 to a scheduled fine. The scheduled fine ranges from $12 to 18 $2,200 plus 10 cents per pound in excess of 20,000 pounds over 19 the limit. 20 A vehicle to which the bill applies would still be required 21 to comply with any applicable length restriction set forth in 22 Code section 321.457. 23 -2- LSB 1499XC (8) 89 th/ns 2/ 2