HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1221

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                       Transportation

Title:  An act relating to log trucks and pole trailers.

Brief Description:  Regulating length of log trucks.

Sponsors:  Representatives Johnson, Buck, Cairnes, Hatfield, Chappell and Sheldon.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Transportation:  2/1/95, 2/6/95 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 27 members:  Representatives K. Schmidt, Chairman; Benton, Vice Chairman; Mitchell, Vice Chairman; Skinner, Vice Chairman; R. Fisher, Ranking Minority Member; Hatfield, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Backlund; Blanton; Brown; Buck; Cairnes; Chandler; Chopp; Elliot; Hankins; Horn; Johnson; Koster; McMahan; Ogden; Patterson; Quall; Robertson; Romero; D. Schmidt; Scott and Tokuda.

Staff:  Mary McLaughlin (786-7309).

Background:  The legal length of a semitrailer in a tractor/semitrailer combination is 53 feet.  For the logging industry, this restricts the length of logs that can be hauled on the public highways to 53 feet.

Some logging companies are seeking to increase the length of the logs that can be hauled.  An extra two to four feet would provide the mill with more options on where to cut the log to achieve optimum quality.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has recently granted the logging industry a waiver to the 53-foot restriction.  The waiver allows log trucks to transport 57 foot 2 inch logs under a special overlength permit for a fee of $10 per month.   The overall length of the vehicle is 65 to 75 feet, depending on the length of the tractor.  The waiver terminates June 30, 1995.  The purpose of the waiver is to give the industry time to seek a legislative solution.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  The legal overall length of a log truck and stinger-steered pole trailer is 75 feet.  Stinger-steered means the coupling device is located behind the tires of the last axle on a log truck.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  The obsolete length language is removed and a June 1, 1995, effective date is provided.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on June 1, 1995.

Testimony For:  Increasing the length of a log that may be hauled on a state highway increases the value of the log by allowing for optimum cutting.  The combination is the same length that is allowed for a truck/trailer combination.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Jill Mackie, Pacific Lumber & Shipping; and Barry Diseth, Department of Transportation.