Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Transportation Committee
HB 1839
Brief Description: Authorizing commercial motor vehicles to park in chain up and chain off areas that are not in use.
Sponsors: Representatives Eslick, Barkis, Abbarno, Boehnke, Dent, Chase, Jacobsen, Sutherland and Graham.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Authorizes commercial motor vehicles used in commerce to transport property to park in areas designated by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) as chain-up and chain-off areas along highways between May 1 and November 1.
  • Requires the WSDOT to post and maintain signage authorizing commercial motor vehicle parking in chain-up and chain-off areas that it determines have sufficient space to accommodate commercial motor vehicles parking for an extended period of time.
Hearing Date:
Staff: Jennifer Harris (786-7143).
Background:

A "commercial motor vehicle" is a motor vehicle that:

  1. has a gross combination weight rating or gross combination weight of 26,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit or units with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds;
  2. has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross vehicle weight of 26,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater;
  3. is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver; or
  4. is of any size and is used in the transportation of hazardous materials as defined under federal law.

 
Federal rules provide that property-carrying drivers of commercial motor vehicles have 14 hours to drive a maximum of 11 hours after coming on duty, after which point federal law requires that they take 10 consecutive hours off duty.  Drivers must take a 30-minute break when they have driven for a period of eight cumulative hours without at least a 30-minute interruption.  Drivers are allowed to extend the 11-hour maximum driving limit and 14-hour driving window by up to two hours when they encounter adverse driving conditions.

 

Commercial vehicles may park up to an hour beyond federally mandated rest periods at highway rest areas in Washington.
Summary of Bill:

Commercial motor vehicles that are used in commerce solely to transport property are authorized to park in areas designated by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) as chain-up and chain-off areas along highways between May 1 and November 1 for up to an hour beyond federally mandated rest periods when signage posted by the WSDOT authorizes their parking.
 
The WSDOT is required to post and maintain signage authorizing commercial motor vehicle parking in chain-up and chain-off areas that it determines have sufficient space to accommodate commercial motor vehicles parking for an extended period of time.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 18, 2022.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.