Co-Sponsorship Memo Details

I will soon be reintroducing Senate Bill 898 from last session, which will exempt municipal trucks from state bonding requirements when these vehicles are traveling short distances in order to maintain local roads. 

This issue has affected a township in my district. Municipal trucks must access the township’s snow plow and anti-skid materials at a maintenance shed that is located about 1/16 of a mile from a state highway. Virtually every time a vehicle leaves the shed, it faces the possibility of being pulled over and cited by the State Police, who are enforcing posted weight limits.

PennDOT regulations do not currently recognize municipal trucks as an exception to its overweight regulations, but they are in the process of updating regulations pertaining to “Hauling in Excess of Posted Weight Limit” (67 PA. Code Ch. 189). While suggestions for an exception for municipal vehicles on state bonded roads have been considered for incorporation, the regulations have not been finalized to date. This bill will place this commonsense exception into law.

Thank you for joining me in offering this legislation to protect local taxpayers from fines imposed on local vehicles being driven to keep township roads safe and passable.  Previous cosponsors of this legislation were Senators Eichelberger, Hutchinson, McIlhinney, Stefano, Vogel, and K. Ward.