HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SSB 5295

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to identification of trucks.

Brief Description:  Requiring identification on big trucks.

Sponsor(s):  Senate Committee on Transportation (originally sponsored by Senators Conner, Patterson, Stratton and Nelson).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Transportation, April 4, 1991, DPA;

Passed House, April 9, 1991, 95-0;

Passed Legislature, 95-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.  Signed by 25 members:  Representatives R. Fisher, Chair; R. Meyers, Vice Chair; Betrozoff, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Basich; Brough; Cantwell; Cooper; Day; G. Fisher; Forner; Haugen; Horn; P. Johnson; R. Johnson; Jones; Kremen; Mitchell; Orr; Prentice; Prince; Schmidt; Wilson; Wood; and Zellinsky.

Staff:  Mary McLaughlin (786-7309).

Background:  Trucks operating in the state of Washington are required to display certain identification markings.  By law, trucks over 10,000 pounds are required to display the licensed gross weight on the cab in letters not less than two inches high.

By administrative rule, the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) requires intrastate common and contract carriers to display the company's name and operating authority permit number on the vehicle in letters three inches high.  All interstate common, contract and private carriers are required by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to display the company name and city of address on the vehicle.  Intrastate private carriers are subject only to the licensed gross weight marking.

Each year common and contract carriers registered with the UTC are required to purchase an identification stamp which indicates that the vehicle's annual registration fees have been paid.  The identification stamp fee is currently $3.  This fee has not been raised since 1967.  By federal law a state may charge up to $10 for the annual identification stamp.

Summary of Bill:  Common, contract and private carriers, other than UTC exempt carriers and private carriers with a licensed gross weight of less than 36,000 pounds, must display an identifying name and/or number on both doors of the power unit.  The identification must be permanent.  Any required identification that is added, modified or renewed after September 1, 1991, must be located on the driver and passenger doors.  Intrastate carriers whose existing markings are in locations other than the doors of the power unit are not required to relocate their identification until certain modifications are made.  Leased carriers may display a placard instead of permanent markings. 

For common and contract carriers the identification is the name of the permittee or business name, and (1) the UTC permit number if the carrier is an intrastate carrier, or (2) the ICC certificate or UTC permit number if the carrier engages in interstate commerce.  For a private carrier with a licensed gross weight of 36,000 pounds or more, the identification is the name and address of the business operating the truck or the registered owner.

UTC exempt carriers include U.S. mail carriers, publicly-owned vehicles, farm vehicles, towing vehicles and vehicles weighing less than 8,000 pounds transporting legal documents.

The stamp fee is raised to the federal maximum of $10.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

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

Testimony For:  Private intrastate carriers should be required to display identification on their trucks.  The increase in the UTC stamp fee will offset administrative costs.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Carol Monohon, Utilities & Transportation Commission; and Marty Sangster, Washington Trucking Association.