SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5878

As Passed Senate, February 5, 2002

Title:  An act relating to wheel load limits for nonliftable steering axles on refuse collection vehicles.

Brief Description:  Revising procedures for setting garbage truck load limits.

Sponsors:  Senators Oke and Haugen.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Transportation:  2/19/01, 3/6/01 [DP].

Passed Senate:  3/12/01, 46-0; 2/5/02, 45-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  Do pass.

Signed by Senators Haugen, Chair; Gardner, Vice Chair; Benton, Eide, Finkbeiner, Horn, Jacobsen, Johnson, Kastama, McAuliffe, McDonald, Oke, Patterson, Prentice, T. Sheldon, Shin and Swecker.

Staff:  Dean Carlson (786‑7305)

Background:  Vehicles that travel on the public highways are subject to axle and tire weight restrictions.  Currently, the gross weight, including load on any tire, cannot exceed 600 pounds per inch width of the tire.  The gross load on any single axle cannot exceed 20,000 lbs.

Concern has been raised that when refuse collection trucks use tires on their front steering axle wide enough to allow them to carry loads up to the 20,000 pound axle limitation and still meet the tire weight requirements, they lose functionality.

Summary of Bill:  The maximum wheel load for a nonliftable steering axle (front axle) on a refuse collection truck is the load limit of the tire as certified by the Washington State Patrol.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Under the current law, the tires on the steering axle need to be larger than the rear tires.  These large tires cannot be recapped and used again which creates a large expense.  This bill will give the responsibility to the State Patrol to determine the tire limits for the garbage trucks.  The garbage trucks do not travel on the interstate, but mostly travel on side roads in a start and stop mode. Our concern is who may ask for this next year.  This causes more weight on a narrower footprint.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Bob Schiller, Washington Refuse and Recycling Association (pro); Barry Diseth, Department of Transportation (concerns).