SB 223

Under current law, with limited exceptions, no person may operate on a

highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles that exceeds certain statutory weight

limits unless the person obtains a permit issued by the Department of

Transportation (DOT) or a local authority, as applicable. With exceptions, a permit

may not be issued for transporting oversize loads if the load can be reasonably

divided or reduced to comply with statutory limits.

This bill allows DOT to issue overweight permits for vehicles or vehicle

combinations (vehicles) that have six or more axles and that are transporting certain

agricultural products to a farm or from a field or farm to a storage or initial processing

facility. The agricultural products that may be transported under the permit include

fruit, vegetables, grain, and livestock, but exclude milk and raw forest products. The

permit does not authorize the operation of any vehicle at a maximum gross weight

in excess of 90,000 pounds. If the route over which the agricultural products are

transported involves highways that are not state trunk highways, the permit

application must be accompanied by a written statement of route approval by the

officer in charge of maintenance of the local highway. The permit is not valid on an

interstate highway unless operation of the vehicle on the interstate highway is

allowed under federal law. Permit applications must be made electronically to DOT

utilizing an electronic process prescribed by DOT. DOT may issue these permits

regardless of whether the load being transported is divisible.

The bill further specifies that, as with all other vehicle size or weight permits,

if DOT issues an agricultural emergency permit or farm machinery permit, the

permit must be carried on the vehicle during operation.

Under current law, if any bill introduced in either house of the legislature

directly or indirectly establishes an exception to vehicle weight limitations, DOT

must prepare a report, containing specified information, relating to the bill within

six weeks after the bill is introduced and before any vote is taken on the bill. This

bill directs DOT not to prepare such a report on this bill because DOT recently

completed the Wisconsin Truck Size and Weight Study that contained the same or

similar information that would be contained in a report on this bill.