2005 Vermont Code - § 1432. — Length of vehicles; authorized highways

§ 1432. Length of vehicles; authorized highways

(a) Operation of vehicles with or without a trailer or semitrailer. No motor vehicle without a trailer or semitrailer attached, which is longer than 46 feet overall, shall be operated upon any highway except under special permission from the commissioner of motor vehicles. A motor vehicle with a trailer or semitrailer shall be operated, with regard to the length of the vehicle, pursuant to this section. If there is a trailer or semitrailer, the distance between the kingpin of the semitrailer to the center of the rearmost axle shall not exceed 43 feet.

(1) Vehicles with a trailer or semitrailer not exceeding 72 feet on the truck network. If the overall length of a vehicle with a trailer or semitrailer does not exceed 72 feet, it may be operated without a permit on the truck network established in subsection (c) of this section.

(2) Vehicles with a trailer or semitrailer not exceeding 68 feet off the truck network. If the overall length of a vehicle with a trailer or semitrailer does not exceed 68 feet, it may be operated without a permit off the truck network.

(3) Vehicles with a trailer or semitrailer longer than 68 feet but not longer than 72 feet off the truck network; tractor 23 feet or less. If the overall length of a vehicle with a trailer or semitrailer is longer than 68 feet but not longer than 72 feet, and if the distance between the steering axle to the rearmost tractor axle is 23 feet or less, a permit may be issued pursuant to subdivision 1402(b)(1) of this title. A receiver or shipper of goods located in Vermont may request from the agency of transportation, access to a state highway, not on the truck network, for a commercial motor vehicle where the overall length exceeds 68 feet but is not longer than 72 feet. The agency of transportation shall review the route or routes requested, making its determination for approval based on safety and engineering considerations, after considering input from local government and regional planning commissions or the metropolitan planning organization. The agency shall maintain consistency in its application of acceptable highway geometry when approving other routes. The agency may authorize safety precautions on these highways, if warranted, which shall include, but not be limited to, precautionary signage, intelligent transportation system signage, special speed limits and use of flashing lights.

(4) Vehicles with a trailer or semitrailer longer than 68 feet but not longer than 72 feet off the truck network; tractor greater than 23 feet. If the overall length of a vehicle with a trailer or semitrailer is longer than 68 feet but not longer than 72 feet, and if the distance between the steering axle to the rearmost tractor axle is greater than 23 feet in length, a permit may be issued pursuant to subdivision 1402(b)(2) of this title.

(5) Vehicles with a trailer or semitrailer longer than 72 feet. If the overall length of a vehicle with a trailer or semitrailer is longer than 72 feet, a permit may be issued pursuant to subdivision 1402(b)(3) of this title.

(b) Rear-end protective devices on trailers. A trailer or semitrailer not in excess of 53 feet may be operated provided the semitrailer is equipped with a rear-end protective device of substantial construction consisting of a continuous lateral beam extending to within four inches of the lateral extremities of the semitrailer and located not more than 22 inches from the surface as measured with the vehicle empty and on a level surface.

(c) The truck network. The truck network shall consist of the following: U.S. Route 2 between the New Hampshire state line and the junction of U.S. Route 5; U.S. Route 2 from the junction of exit 21 on I-91 to exit 8 on Interstate 89; U.S. Route 2 between the New York state line and VT Route 78; VT Route 2A; U.S. Route 4 from the New York state line to the junction of VT Route 100 south; U.S. Route 5 from the junction of U.S. Route 2 to the junction of exit 20 of I-91; U.S. Route 5 between I-91 at exit 22 to the south entrance of the St. Johnsbury-Lyndonville industrial park; U.S. Route 5 south from I-91 at exit 22 to the intersection of St. Johnsbury Railroad Street and Hastings Hill Street; U.S. Route 7; VT Route 9 from the New York state line to the junction of exit 2 on I-91; VT Route 9 from the junction of exit 3 on I-91 to the New Hampshire state line; VT Route 18 from U.S. Route 2 to the New Hampshire state line; VT Route 22A between U.S. Route 4 and U.S. Route 7; VT Route 78; VT Route 103; VT Route 105 from the junction of U.S. Route 7 to the junction of VT Route 100, then southerly on VT Route 100 to the junction of VT Route 100 and VT Route 14, then easterly on VT Route 14 to the junction of VT Route 14 and U.S. Route 5, then northerly on U.S. Route 5 to the junction of U.S. Route 5 and VT Route 105, then easterly on VT Route 105 from the junction of U.S. Route 5 to the New Hampshire border; VT Route 104 from VT Route 105 to I-89 at exit 19; VT Route 253 from the New Hampshire border to the Canadian border; VT Route 289; and U.S. Route 302. The commissioner is authorized to place special restrictions applying to motor vehicles on any route of the truck network when, in his or her opinion, the restrictions would provide for the safe operation of all vehicles on the route.

(d) Operation on U.S. Route 4. Vehicles with a trailer or semitrailer which are longer than 68 feet but not longer than 72 feet may be operated with a single or multiple trip overlength permit issued at no cost by the department of motor vehicles or, for a fee, by an entity authorized in subsection 1400(d) of this title on U.S. Route 4 from the New Hampshire state line to the junction of VT Route 100 south, provided the distance from the kingpin of the semitrailer to the center of the rearmost axle is not greater than 43 feet.

(e) Operation of pole semitrailers. The provisions of this section shall not be construed to prevent the operation of so-called pole dinkeys or pole semitrailers when being used to support the ends of poles, timbers, pipes, or structural members capable, generally, of sustaining themselves as beams between the supporting connections, the overall length of which may exceed 60 feet under special permission from the commissioner of motor vehicles.

(f) Operation on Interstate highways. Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways and those classes of qualifying Federal-aid Primary System highways as designated by the Secretary, United States Department of Transportation, and on highways leading to or from the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways for a distance of one mile, unless the agency of transportation finds the use of a specific highway to be unsafe, no overall length limits for tractor-semitrailer or tractor semitrailer-trailer combination shall apply. On these highways, no semitrailer in a tractor-semitrailer combination longer than 53 feet and no trailer or semitrailer in a tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination longer than 28 feet shall be operated. However, the limits established by this section shall not be construed in such a manner as to prohibit the use of semitrailers in a tractor-semitrailer combination of such dimensions as were in actual and lawful use in this state on December 1, 1982.

(g) List of approved highways. The commissioner shall prepare a list of each highway that has been approved for travel by vehicles referred to in subsection (a) of this section. The list shall be furnished, without charge, to each permitting service, electronic dispatching service or other similar service authorized to do business in this state and, upon request, to any interested person. (Amended 1959, No. 99; 1963, No. 62, § 3, eff. April 30, 1963; 1971, No. 55, § 2; 1973, No. 15; 1977, No. 41, § 3, eff. April 19, 1977; 1983, No. 74, § 2, eff. April 28, 1983; 1985, No. 124 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. April 18, 1986; 1987, No. 95, § 5, eff. June 23, 1987; 1987, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. April 27, 1988; 1991, No. 65, eff. June 18, 1991; 1995, No. 183 (Adj. Sess.), § 18g, eff. May 22, 1996; 1997, No. 120 (Adj. Sess.), § 9c; 1999, No. 154 (Adj. Sess.), § 17, eff. Aug. 1, 2000.)