Subject: Motor Vehicles; Farm Tractors; Manure Spreaders; Implements of Husbandry

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.477

2001 Page 1

H.477

Introduced by Committee on Agriculture

Date:

Subject: Motor vehicles; farm tractors; manure spreaders; implements of husbandry

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to:

(1) Amend the definition of “implement of husbandry” in the motor vehicle laws to include custom manure spreaders, and to provide that vehicles that lift or carry implements of husbandry not exceed 80,000 pounds.

(2) Repeal the requirement that farm tractors and trailers operated for hire be registered.

(3) Set forth the motor vehicle laws which must be adhered to for operation of an implement of husbandry on the public highways.

AN ACT RELATING TO IMPLEMENTS OF HUSBANDRY

It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:

Sec. 1. 23 V.S.A. § 4(46) is amended to read:

Except as may be otherwise provided herein, and unless the context otherwise requires in statutes relating to motor vehicles and enforcement of the law regulating vehicles, as provided in this title and part 5 of Title 20, the following definitions shall apply:

* * *

(46) “Implement of husbandry” means every vehicle designed and adapted exclusively for agricultural, horticultural or livestock raising operations, including custom manure spreaders, or for lifting or carrying an implement of husbandry, not in excess of 80,000 pounds in gross weight, and in either case not subject to registration if used upon the highway, provided the implement is in compliance with section 370a of this title. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, an implement of husbandry in excess of 80,000 pounds in gross weight shall be subject to the provisions of section 1400a of this title;

Sec. 2. 23 V.S.A. § 370(a) is amended to read:

(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law relating to registration fees for motor vehicles or trailers, farm tractors and farm trailers when attached to such tractor and used for transporting agricultural products or agricultural supplies or both or other farm or cooperative farm projects, may be operated on the highway without being subject to a registration fee. When such tractor and trailer are operated as above specified, they shall be considered registered for the purposes of this section and section 371 of this title and all laws relating to the registration of tractors and trailers. Such tractor and trailer shall not be used or operated upon a highway for hire, unless the tractor and trailer are duly registered.

Sec. 3. 23 V.S.A. § 370a is added to read:

(a) A person or corporation shall not operate or cause to be operated any implement of husbandry or full or semiflotation applicator vehicle without sufficient weight maintained upon the front axle of the vehicle to make it safe in operation; nor shall the maximum load on any axle of the vehicle exceed a gross weight of more than 600 pounds per inch of tire width computed in conformity with the manufacturer's designated width.

(b) A motor truck as defined in section 4 of this title when used as an implement of husbandry while being operated on a public highway must meet the following standards:

(1) A threeaxle implement with a single steering axle and a rear tandem axle may have a maximum gross weight of not more than 60,000 pounds;

(2) A fouraxle implement with a single steering axle and a rear triaxle unit may have a maximum gross weight of not more than 69,000 pounds;

(3) A fouraxle tractor implement of husbandry combination may have a maximum gross weight of not more than 72,000 pounds, provided the distance between the second axle of the tractor and the rear axle of the implement is at least 24 feet measured to the nearest foot. For each foot or fraction of a foot less than 24 feet, measured to the nearest foot, a reduction of 2,000 pounds in the maximum gross weight shall be made;

(4) A five-or-more-axle tractor implement of husbandry combination may have a maximum gross weight of not more than 80,000 pounds, provided that the distance between the first and last axle of two consecutive sets of tandem axles is at least 24 feet measured to the nearest foot. For each foot or fraction of a foot less than 24 feet, measured to the nearest foot, a reduction of 2,000 pounds in the maximum gross weight shall be made;

(5) No single axle of a tandem axle unit shall support more than 60 percent of the total weight supported by such tandem axle unit;

(6) No single axle of a triaxle unit shall support more than 40 percent of the total weight supported by the triaxle unit;

(c) Except as otherwise provided, a person operating an implement of husbandry upon the public highways is subject to sections 602, 602a, 674 and 676 of this title. Additionally, a person operating an implement of husbandry upon a public highway is, while so operating, subject to all of the provisions of chapter 13 this title, except those which, by their very nature, can have no application, and subchapters 14 and 15 of that chapter.

(d) An implement of husbandry being operated on a public highway must meet the financial responsibility requirements of section 800 of this title.

(e) An implement of husbandry being operated upon the public highways must be equipped with adequate tires, brakes and lights. Additionally, the commissioner may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 25 of Title 3 consistent with this section as may be necessary.

Sec. 4. 23 V.S.A. § 602a is amended to read:

§ 602a. AGE REQUIREMENT

A person 12 years of age or older may operate a farm tractor under the provisions of section 602 of this title within the confines of the farm.