Uses of Higher Capacity Buses in Transit Service (2008)

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70 In the United States, federal law governs the weight of vehicles traveling on the Interstate System and vehicle width and length on the National Network, the Interstate System, and designated federal-aid primary highways (C1). The states regulate vehicle height on all highways in the state, and the weight limits on all highways not included in the National Network. In Canada, the provinces regulate height and weight limits on roads. FEDERAL REGULATIONS ON VEHICLE SIZE AND WEIGHT The specifics of these regulations are found in the Code of Fed- eral Regulations (CFR) Part 658: Truck Size and Weight, Route Designations—Length, Width, and Weight Limitations (C2). The applicable sections of CFR Part 658 are excerpted here. §658.13 Length. (d) No State shall impose a limit of less than 45 feet on the length of any bus on the National Network. §658.15 Width. (a) No State shall impose a width limitation of more or less than 102 inches, or its approximate metric equivalent, 2.6 meters (102.36 inches) on a vehicle operating on the National Network, except for the State of Hawaii, which is allowed to keep the State’s 108-inch width maximum by virtue of section 416(a) of the STAA. §658.17 Weight. (a) The provisions of the section are applicable to the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways and reasonable ac- cess thereto. (b) The maximum gross vehicle weight shall be 80,000 pounds except where lower gross vehicle weight is dictated by the bridge formula. (c) The maximum gross weight upon any one axle, including any one axle of a group of axles, or a vehicle is 20,000 pounds. (d) The maximum gross weight on tandem axles is 34,000 pounds. (e) No vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be moved or op- erated on any Interstate highway when the gross weight on two or more consecutive axles exceeds the limitations prescribed by the following formula, referred to as the Bridge Gross Weight Formula: (k) Any over-the-road bus, or any vehicle which is regularly and exclusively used as an intrastate public agency transit passenger bus, is excluded from the axle weight limits in paragraphs (c) through (e) of this section until October 1, 2009. Any State that has enforced, in the period beginning October 6, 1992, and end- ing November 30, 2005, a single axle weight limitation of 20,000 pounds or greater but less than 24,000 pounds may not enforce a single axle weight limit on these vehicles of less than 24,000 lbs. (Effective as of March 22, 2007.) STATE REGULATIONS ON MOTOR BUS SIZE Two sources for the following information were used. One is the Rand McNally Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas ‘07 (C3), and the second was the motor vehicle codes and regulations that were available from the websites of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The motor carrier height limits by state are given in Table C1. The height exceptions that were found for motor buses are given in brackets. The maximum motor bus lengths allowed by states on high- ways controlled by the state are given in Table C2. Motor buses of at least 45 ft must be allowed to operate on the National Net- work by federal regulations. Limits in brackets are for straight truck, and motor bus limits may differ. There are seven states that have a smaller width than the fed- eral National Network width of 102 inches. The maximum widths for motor buses by state are given in Table C3. Where the width limit for motor buses was not found, the limits for straight trucks are given in brackets. PROVINCIAL REGULATIONS ON MOTOR CARRIER SIZE The information presented below was obtained from Reference 17 for commercial carriers, and there may be exceptions for motor buses. Information is given only for the southern provinces. The size limits are given in Table C4. REFERENCES C1. Title 23 USC, 127, Federal Statute on Interstate Vehicle Weight. C2. 23 CFR Part 658, Code of Federal Regulations, Federal Size Regulations for Commercial Motor Vehicles. C3. Motor Carriers’ Road Atlas ‘07, Rand McNally & Com- pany, Skokie, Ill., 2007. APPENDIX C Regulations on Vehicle Size and Weight

71 State Height (in feet) State Height (in feet) State Height (in feet) Alabama 13.5 Kentucky 13.5 North Dakota 14 Alaska 14 Louisiana 13.5 Ohio 13.5 Arizona 14a Maine 13.5 Oklahoma 13.5 Arkansas 13.5 Maryland 13.5 Oregon 14 California [14.25] Massachusetts 13.5 Pennsylvania [14.5]e Colorado [14.5]b Michigan 13.5 Rhode Island 13.5 Connecticut 13.5c Minnesota [14]d South Carolina 13.5 Delaware 13.5 Mississippi 13.5 South Dakota 14 District of Columbia 13.5 Missouri 13.6 Tennessee 13.5 Florida 13.5 Montana 14 Texas 14 Georgia 13.5 Nebraska 14.5 Utah 14 Hawaii 14 Nevada 14 Vermont 13.5 Idaho 14 New Hampshire 13.5 Virginia 13.5 Illinois 13.5 New Jersey 13.5 Washington 14 Indiana 13.5 New Mexico 14 West Virginia 13.5 Iowa 13.5 New York 13.5 Wisconsin [14.5]f Kansas 14 North Carolina 13.5 Wyoming 14 aWith permit, otherwise 13.5 ft. bOn designated highways, otherwise 13.5 ft. cCommissioner of Transportation can grant permit for greater height. dFor double-deck bus, otherwise 13.5 ft. eBus exception. fWith approval for double-deck buses, speeds limited to 45 mph. TABLE C1 MAXIMUM MOTOR CARRIER [BUS EXCEPTIONS] HEIGHT LIMITATIONS BY STATES State Length (in feet) State Length (in feet) State Length (in feet) Alabam a 40 Kentucky 45 North Dakota [60] Alaska [65]** Louisiana 45 Ohio [60]* Arizona [65]* Maine 45 Oklahom a 45 Arkansas 40 Maryland [60] b Oregon 40 c California [60] Massachusetts [60]* Pennsylvania [60]* Colorado [60] a Michigan [65]* Rhode Island 40 d Connecticut 45 Minnesota [61]* South Carolina 45 e Delaware 45 Mississippi 40 South Dakota [45] Dist. of Columbia 40 # Missouri 45 Tennessee 45 f Florida [50] # M ontana 55 Texas 45 # Georgia [ND] Nebraska 40 Utah 45 g Hawaii [65] Nevada [65]* Verm ont 46 Idaho 45 New Ham pshire 45 Virginia 40 h Illinois [60]* New Jersey 40 Washington [61]*** Indiana [65] New Mexico 40 West Virginia 40 Iowa [61]* New York [62]* Wisconsin [65]* Kansas 45 North Carolina 40 Wy om ing 60 *Articulated bus, other buses 45 ft. **Articulated bus, other buses 50 ft. ***Articulated bus, other buses 46 ft. #Articulated buses operate in state, exception not found. aDesignated highways only. bFor articulated buses, otherwise 45 ft on state primary system, otherwise 41 ft. cSize limits do not apply to mass transit district vehicles that are approved by road authority, 267.01-39. dArticulated buses are exempt from length limit, if owned by Rhode Island Transit Authority. eBus lengths as approved by Department of Public Safety. fBus length and weight exempt from limits for cities between 400,000 and 800,000 population. gPermit can be obtained for articulated buses. hVirginia Code 46.2-1147 permits articulated buses to be used, length was not specified. [ND] = Length limit not designated. TABLE C2 MAXIMUM MOTOR CARRIER [BUS EXCEPTIONS] LENGTH LIMITS ON STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEMS

72 State Width (inches) State Width (inches) State Width (inches) Alabam a 102 Kentucky 102 North Dakota 102 Alaska 102 Louisiana [102] Ohio [104] Arizona 102 Maine 102 Oklahom a 102 Arkansas 102 Maryland 102 c Oregon 102 California 102 a Massachusetts 102 Pennsylvania 102 Colorado 102 Michigan 102 Rhode Island 102 Connecticut 102 Minnesota [108] South Carolina 102 Delaware 102 Mississippi 102 South Dakota 102 District of Colu mb ia [102] Missouri 96 c Tennessee 102 Florida 102 b M ontana 102 Texas 102 Georgia 102 b Nebraska 102 Utah 102 Hawaii 108 Nevada 102 Verm ont 102 Idaho 102 New Ham pshire 102 Virginia 102 Illinois 102 New Jersey 96 c Washington 102 Indiana 102 New Mexico 102 West Virginia 102 Iowa 102 New York d Wisconsin 102 Kansas 102 North Carolina 102 Wy om ing 102 aUp to 104 with Public Utilities Commission permission. bOn lanes less than 12 ft, 96 in. cOn designated highways/routes, 102 in. dOn designated truck access highways and on highways outside New York City with 10 ft or more lane widths, 102 in.; elsewhere 96 in. TABLE C3 MAXIMUM MOTOR CARRIER [BUS EXCEPTION] WIDTH LIMITS BY STATES Province Width (metersb) Lengtha (metersb) Height (metersb) Alberta 2.6 12.5 4.15 British Columbia 2.6 12.5 4.15 Manitoba 2.6 12.5 4.15 New Brunswick 2.6 12.5 4.15 Nova Scotia 2.6 12.5 4.15 Ontario 2.6 12.5 4.15 Québec 2.6 12.5 4.15 Saskatchewan 2.6 12.5 4.15 Source: Reference 41. aLength is for straight trucks. bMetric conversion: 2.6 m = 102.4 in.; 12.5 m = 41 ft; 4.15 m = 13.62 ft TABLE C4 CANADIAN PROVINCIAL SIZE LIMITS FOR COMMERCIAL CARRIERS