SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 6317

         AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, FEBRUARY 10, 1992

Brief Description:  Consolidating gross weight permit authority.

SPONSORS: Senators Barr, Vognild and Patterson

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6317 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass. 

      Signed by Senators Patterson, Chairman; Nelson, Vice Chairman; von Reichbauer, Vice Chairman; Barr, Erwin, Hansen, Madsen, Oke, Sellar, Skratek, Snyder, Thorsness, and Vognild.

Staff:  Mary McLaughlin (786-7309)

Hearing Dates: February 4, 1992; February 10, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Vehicles over 4,000 pounds must be licensed to their maximum declared gross weight, i.e., 40,000 pounds for a single unit vehicle and 80,000 pounds for combination vehicle.  The combined license fee (basic vehicle registration plus declared gross weight) is collected by the Department of Licensing (DOL) at the time of annual vehicle registration.  If the vehicle's gross weight, including the load, exceeds these limits, additional tonnage is purchased from the Department of Transportation (DOT) for up to 105,5000 pounds if the vehicle meets the legal axle loading (20,000 single axle, 34,000 tandem) and spacing requirements of the statutory weight table.  The annual additional tonnage fee is $52.50 for each 1,000 pounds of additional weight.  Consolidating the additional tonnage and the combined license fees eliminate the need for many carriers to obtain a second annual license, and brings the trucking industry closer to the "one stop shopping" concept.

Special oversize/overweight permits are issued by the DOT for loads that cannot be reasonably reduced and exceed the statutory width, height, length and weight table.  Oversize special permits may be purchased on a monthly basis.  However, there is no provision for the advanced purchase of permits for the ensuing months.  If an individual wishes to purchase an oversize permit for three consecutive months, three separate monthly permits must be purchased on separate occasions.

Certain vehicle configurations, such as cement pumping trucks and well digging rigs, do not currently qualify for the 30-day special overweight permits issued by the DOT.  These four-axle, fixed load vehicles must purchase a single $10 trip permit for each movement.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Transportation's (DOT) annual additional tonnage permit and fee structure are incorporated into the combined license fee collected by the Department of Licensing.  Distribution of the revenue from the combined license fee is adjusted to reflect incorporation.  Temporary additional tonnage may still be purchased from DOT or its agents at the current rate of $2.80 for each 2,000 pounds for a five day minimum.

A series of 30-day oversize special permits may be purchased consecutively for a period up to one year.  A new $90, 30-day overweight special permit is created for the movement of four-axle fixed load cement trucks and well drilling rigs weighing less than 86,000 pounds.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Current law is clarified.  Overweight special permits may only be purchased for vehicles with nonreducible loads that cannot meet the axle and spacing requirements of the statutory weight table.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  requested January 17, 1992

TESTIMONY FOR:

Consolidation of these two annual licensing fees will ease administration and bring the trucking industry closer to the one-stop shopping concept.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

Local jurisdictions issuing annual additional tonnage permits will lose revenue currently being generated by permit issuance.

TESTIFIED:  Merle Steffason, Department of Licensing (pro); Barry Dyseth, Department of Transportation (pro); Craig Olsen, Association of Washington Cities (con); Richard Bruno, City of Seattle (con)