Bill Text: CA SB53 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

California Senate Bill 53 (Prior Session Legislation)

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

Bill Title: Natural gas vehicles.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Failed) 2018-02-01 - Returned to Secretary of Senate pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [SB53 Detail]

Download: California-2017-SB53-Introduced.html

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill

No. 53

Introduced by Senator Hueso

December 05, 2016

An act to amend Section 35551 of the Vehicle Code, relating to vehicles.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 53, as introduced, Hueso. Natural gas vehicles.

Existing state and federal law sets specified limits on the total gross weight imposed on the highway by any group of 2 or more consecutive axles. Existing federal law authorizes a vehicle operated by an engine fueled primarily by natural gas to exceed these weight limits, up to a specified maximum, by an amount equal to the difference between the weight of the vehicle attributable to the natural gas tank and fueling system carried by that vehicle and the weight of a comparable diesel tank and fueling system.

This bill would authorize a vehicle operated by an engine fueled primarily by natural gas to exceed these weight limits, up to a specified maximum, by an amount equal to the difference between the weight of the vehicle attributable to the natural gas tank and fueling system carried by that vehicle and the weight of a comparable diesel tank and fueling system.

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

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

SECTION 1.

Section 35551 of the Vehicle Code is amended to read:

35551.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section or Section 35551.5, the total gross weight in pounds imposed on the highway by any group of two or more consecutive axles shall not exceed that given for the respective distance in the following table:

Distance in feet between the extremes of any group of 2 or more consecutive
axles	2 axles	3 axles	4 axles	5 axles	6 axles
4 ........................	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000
5 ........................	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000
6 ........................	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000
7 ........................	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000
8 ........................	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000	34,000
9 ........................	39,000	42,500	42,500	42,500	42,500
10 ........................	40,000	43,500	43,500	43,500	43,500
11 ........................	40,000	44,000	44,000	44,000	44,000
12 ........................	40,000	45,000	50,000	50,000	50,000
13 ........................	40,000	45,500	50,500	50,500	50,500
14 ........................	40,000	46,500	51,500	51,500	51,500
15 ........................	40,000	47,000	52,000	52,000	52,000
16 ........................	40,000	48,000	52,500	52,500	52,500
17 ........................	40,000	48,500	53,500	53,500	53,500
18 ........................	40,000	49,500	54,000	54,000	54,000
19 ........................	40,000	50,000	54,500	54,500	54,500
20 ........................	40,000	51,000	55,500	55,500	55,500
21 ........................	40,000	51,500	56,000	56,000	56,000
22 ........................	40,000	52,500	56,500	56,500	56,500
23 ........................	40,000	53,000	57,500	57,500	57,500
24 ........................	40,000	54,000	58,000	58,000	58,000
25 ........................	40,000	54,500	58,500	58,500	58,500
26 ........................	40,000	55,500	59,500	59,500	59,500
27 ........................	40,000	56,000	60,000	60,000	60,000
28 ........................	40,000	57,000	60,500	60,500	60,500
29 ........................	40,000	57,500	61,500	61,500	61,500
30 ........................	40,000	58,500	62,000	62,000	62,000
31 ........................	40,000	59,000	62,500	62,500	62,500
32 ........................	40,000	60,000	63,500	63,500	63,500
33 ........................	40,000	60,000	64,000	64,000	64,000
34 ........................	40,000	60,000	64,500	64,500	64,500
35 ........................	40,000	60,000	65,500	65,500	65,500
36 ........................	40,000	60,000	66,000	66,000	66,000
37 ........................	40,000	60,000	66,500	66,500	66,500
38 ........................	40,000	60,000	67,500	67,500	67,500
39 ........................	40,000	60,000	68,000	68,000	68,000
40 ........................	40,000	60,000	68,500	70,000	70,000
41 ........................	40,000	60,000	69,500	72,000	72,000
42 ........................	40,000	60,000	70,000	73,280	73,280
43 ........................	40,000	60,000	70,500	73,280	73,280
44 ........................	40,000	60,000	71,500	73,280	73,280
45 ........................	40,000	60,000	72,000	76,000	80,000
46 ........................	40,000	60,000	72,500	76,500	80,000
47 ........................	40,000	60,000	73,500	77,500	80,000
48 ........................	40,000	60,000	74,000	78,000	80,000
49 ........................	40,000	60,000	74,500	78,500	80,000
50 ........................	40,000	60,000	75,500	79,000	80,000
51 ........................	40,000	60,000	76,000	80,000	80,000
52 ........................	40,000	60,000	76,500	80,000	80,000
53 ........................	40,000	60,000	77,500	80,000	80,000
54 ........................	40,000	60,000	78,000	80,000	80,000
55 ........................	40,000	60,000	78,500	80,000	80,000
56 ........................	40,000	60,000	79,500	80,000	80,000
57 ........................	40,000	60,000	80,000	80,000	80,000
58 ........................	40,000	60,000	80,000	80,000	80,000
59 ........................	40,000	60,000	80,000	80,000	80,000
60 ........................	40,000	60,000	80,000	80,000	80,000

(b) In addition to the weights specified in subdivision (a), two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross weight of 34,000 pounds each if the overall distance between the first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more. The gross weight of each set of tandem axles shall not exceed 34,000 pounds and the gross weight of the two consecutive sets of tandem axles shall not exceed 68,000 pounds.

(c) The distance between axles shall be measured to the nearest whole foot. When a fraction is exactly six inches, the next larger whole foot shall be used.

(d) Nothing contained in this section shall affect the right to prohibit the use of any highway or any bridge or other structure thereon in the manner and to the extent specified in Article 4 (commencing with Section 35700) and Article 5 (commencing with Section 35750) of this chapter.

(e) The gross weight limits expressed by this section and Section 35550 shall include all enforcement tolerances.

(f) A vehicle, if operated by an engine fueled primarily by natural gas, may exceed any vehicle weight limit under this section by an amount that is equal to the difference between the weight of the vehicle attributable to the natural gas tank and fueling system carried by that vehicle and the weight of a comparable diesel tank and fueling system. The maximum gross vehicle weight of a vehicle subject to this subdivision is 82,000 pounds.