2007 Legislation
Print Friendly

SENATE BILL NO. 1051 – MV, single tires/single axle

SENATE BILL NO. 1051

View Bill Status

View Bill Text

View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



Text to be added within a bill has been marked with Bold and
Underline. Text to be removed has been marked with
Strikethrough and Italic. How these codes are actually displayed will
vary based on the browser software you are using.

This sentence is marked with bold and underline to show added text.

This sentence is marked with strikethrough and italic, indicating
text to be removed.

Bill Status



S1051.....................................................by TRANSPORTATION
MOTOR VEHICLES - Amends existing law relating to motor vehicle tires to
delete the prohibition on use of single tires on single axles or within
groups of axles.
                                                                        
01/26    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/29    Rpt prt - to Transp
02/02    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/05    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/06    3rd rdg - PASSED - 35-0-0
      AYES -- Andreason, Bair, Bastian, Bilyeu, Broadsword, Burkett,
      Cameron, Coiner, Corder, Darrington, Davis, Fulcher, Gannon, Geddes,
      Goedde, Hammond, Heinrich, Hill, Jorgenson, Kelly, Keough, Langhorst,
      Little, Lodge, Malepeai, McGee, McKague, McKenzie, Pearce,
      Richardson, Schroeder, Siddoway, Stegner, Stennett, Werk
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- None
    Floor Sponsor - Corder
    Title apvd - to House
02/07    House intro - 1st rdg - to Transp
02/15    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/16    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/22    3rd rdg - PASSED - 68-0-2
      AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barrett, Bayer, Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Black,
      Block, Bock, Boe, Bolz, Brackett, Bradford, Chadderdon, Chavez, Chew,
      Clark, Collins, Crane, Durst, Edmunson, Eskridge, Hagedorn, Hart,
      Harwood, Henbest, Henderson, Jaquet, Killen, King, Kren, Labrador,
      Lake, LeFavour, Loertscher, Luker, Marriott, Mathews, McGeachin,
      Mortimer, Moyle, Nielsen, Nonini, Pasley-Stuart, Patrick, Pence,
      Ring, Ringo, Roberts, Ruchti, Rusche, Sayler, Schaefer, Shepherd(2),
      Shepherd(8), Shirley, Shively, Smith(30), Smith(24), Snodgrass,
      Thayn, Trail, Vander Woude, Wills, Wood(27), Wood(35), Mr. Speaker
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Raybould, Stevenson
    Floor Sponsor - Roberts
    Title apvd - to Senate
02/23    To enrol
02/26    Rpt enrol - Pres signed
02/27    Sp signed
02/28    To Governor
03/02    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 40
         Effective: 07/01/07

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-ninth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2007
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1051
                                                                        
                                BY TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO MOTOR VEHICLE TIRES; AMENDING  SECTION  49-1002,  IDAHO  CODE,  TO
  3        DELETE  THE  PROHIBITION  ON USE OF SINGLE TIRES ON SINGLE AXLES OR WITHIN
  4        GROUPS OF AXLES.
                                                                        
  5    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  6        SECTION 1.  That Section 49-1002, Idaho Code, be, and the same  is  hereby
  7    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
  8        49-1002.  ALLOWABLE LOAD PER INCH WIDTH OF TIRE. (1) The maximum allowable
  9    load  for any vehicle tire operated on any public highway shall not exceed six
 10    hundred (600) pounds  per  inch  width  of  tire  and  shall  not  exceed  the
 11    manufacturer's  load rating, whichever is less. Single tires are prohibited on
 12    single axles or within groups  of  axles  except  for  steering  axles,  self-
 13    steering  variable load suspension axles or when equipped with wide-base tires
 14    fifteen (15) inches wide or greater. The width of a tire shall  be  determined
 15    by the manufacturer's description marked on the sidewall of the tire. Tires on
 16    vehicles  manufactured prior to July 1, 1987, may exceed the six hundred (600)
 17    pounds per inch width of tire limit subject to  a  maximum  of  eight  hundred
 18    (800)  pounds  per  inch  width  of  tire.  This  section  shall  not apply to
 19    nonreducible overweight and/or oversize vehicles and/or  loads  as  authorized
 20    under section 49-1004, Idaho Code.
 21        (2)  Except  as provided herein, no vehicle or combination of vehicles may
 22    proceed past the place of weighing at temporary or permanent ports of entry or
 23    checking stations when the weight carried on a single tire, as  determined  by
 24    dividing  the  weight  carried  on  an axle or group of axles by the number of
 25    wheels on the axle or group of axles, exceeds on a single axle  the  allowable
 26    weight  above by two thousand (2,000) pounds or more or the weight of a combi-
 27    nation of axles exceeds the allowable weight above by seven  percent  (7%)  or
 28    more. Vehicles or combinations of vehicles which exceed the weight limitations
 29    set  forth  herein  shall  be  required to be brought into compliance with the
 30    applicable weight per inch width of  tire  contained  within  this  subsection
 31    prior  to  continuing  except those vehicles or combinations of vehicles which
 32    are transporting loads which, in the  determination  of  the  board  or  other
 33    proper  authorities  in  charge  of or having jurisdiction over a highway, are
 34    deemed unsafe or impractical to bring into compliance at the place  of  weigh-
 35    ing.  Vehicles  or  combinations of vehicles transporting loads in this latter
 36    category shall obtain a travel authorization to  the  nearest  place  of  safe
 37    unloading, load adjustment or other means of legalization.
 38        (a)  Neither  the  state  of Idaho or its employees, nor any authority and
 39        its employees in charge of or having jurisdiction over a highway, shall be
 40        held liable for personal injury or  property  damage  resulting  from  the
 41        requirements of section 49-1001(8), Idaho Code.
 42        (b)  The  fee for a travel authorization as set forth above shall be fifty
 43        dollars ($50.00) and shall be on a form prescribed by the board  or  other
                                                                        
                                       2
                                                                        
  1        proper authorities.
  2        (c)  The  board  or other proper authorities in charge of or having juris-
  3        diction over a highway shall adopt and enforce administrative rules as may
  4        be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                            Statement of Purpose

                                  RS 16617
  
  
  This section of Idaho Code was amended in 2006 (HB561aa) to enact a limit 
  of 600 pounds per inch of tire width for wide-base single truck tires as 
  well as conventional dual tire assemblies.  In terms of this objective, 
  the legislative action was appropriate and successful. 
  
  In another part of HB561aa there was a provision designed to discourage 
  the use of single tires on axles that were built for duals (unless the 
  tires were fifteen inches or more in width) by disallowing them altogether.  
  (Earlier control of such tire configurations employed a lower weight limit 
  per inch of width; this approach was confusing and presented problems in 
  enforcement.)  Unfortunately, it became clear shortly after the law went 
  into effect that it went too far in that it failed to set forth a vehicle 
  GVW cutoff in its application.  For example, it is currently illegal to 
  equip any vehicle with only two tires on an axle unless the tires are at 
  least fifteen inches wide; this would include a pickup truck and even 
  automobiles.  ITD immediately announced a policy, thankfully, of a phased 
  approach to enforcement utilizing education and warnings during the first 
  year. But a change must be made in this session.  
  
  This legislation is consistent with the AASHTO guideline, which sets forth 
  600 pounds as an acceptable allowable weight per inch of tire width.  
  Furthermore, in terms of an improvement to earlier Code, loading on a tire 
  is limited to 600 pounds or the manufacturer's rating for the tire, whichever 
  is less.  This is an excellent feature in the control of tire loading.
  
  Note that the current limits of 600 pounds for steering axles and 800 pounds
  grandfarthered for older vehicles are unchanged.
  

                              
                       FISCAL IMPACT
  
  This legislation has no fiscal impact to the state's general fund.
  
  
  
  Contact:  Senator  Tim Corder           Representative JoAn Wood
  Phone:    208-332-1336                  208-332-1146
  
            
            
  
  
  
  STATEMENT OF PURPOSE                                                S 1051