HB175: Overweight farm vehicles; may operate at extended weights authorized.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 46.2-1129 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 46.2-1129. Further extensions of weight limits for certain vehicles hauling Virginia-grown farm or forest products.
The owner of any motor vehicle used for hauling Virginia-grown forest or farm products, as defined in § 3.1-692, from the place where they are first produced, cut, harvested, or felled to the location where they are first processed may obtain from the Commissioner an extension for such vehicle of the single axle, tandem axle, and gross weight limits set forth in this title. The permit shall extend the single axle weight limit, tandem axle, and gross weight limits set forth in this title. The permit shall extend the single axle weight limit, tandem axle weight limit, and gross weight limit based on axle spacing and number of axles on such vehicle by five percent, respectively.
No permit issued under this section shall permit the operation on an interstate highway of any vehicle with (i) a single axle weight in excess of 20,000 pounds, or (ii) a tandem axle weight in excess of 34,000 pounds, or (iii) a gross weight, based on axle spacing, greater than that permitted in § 46.2-1126, or (iv) a gross weight, regardless of axle spacing, in excess of 80,000 pounds. The Commissioner shall promulgate regulations governing such permits.
Weight extensions provided in this section shall be in addition to those provided in § 46.2-1128, but no weights beyond those permitted by the combination of the extensions provided in this section and § 46.2-1128 shall be tolerated.
Vehicles that are either (i) registered as farm-use vehicles as provided in § 46.2-698 or (ii) exempted from registration under § 46.2-664, 46.2-665, 46.2-666, 46.2-668, 46.2-670, 46.2-672, or 46.2-673 may operate at the extended weights authorized under this section without the application for or receipt of a permit or payment of any fee therefor.