S-4020               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 4930

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1986 Regular Session

By Senators Vognild, Peterson and Zimmerman

Read first time 1/23/86 and referred to Committee on Transportation.

AN ACT Relating to combinations of vehicles; and amending RCW 46.44.037.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

        Sec. 1.  Section 46.44.037, chapter 12, Laws of 1961 as last amended by section 2, chapter 351, Laws of 1985 and RCW 46.44.037 are each amended to read as follows:

          Notwithstanding the provisions of RCW 46.44.030 and 46.44.036 and subject to such rules and regulations governing their operation as may be adopted by the state department of transportation, operation of the following combinations is lawful:

          (1) A combination consisting of a truck tractor, a semitrailer, and another semitrailer or a full trailer.  In this combination a converter gear used to convert a semitrailer into a full trailer shall be considered to be a part of the full trailer and not a separate vehicle.  A converter gear being pulled without load and not used to convert a semitrailer into a full trailer may be substituted in lieu of a full trailer or a semitrailer in any lawful combination;

          (2) A combination consisting of three trucks or truck tractors used in driveaway service where two of the vehicles are towed by the third in double saddlemount position;

          (3) A combination consisting of a truck tractor carrying a freight compartment no longer than eight feet, a semitrailer, and another semitrailer or full trailer that meets the legal length requirement for a truck and trailer combination set forth in RCW 46.44.030;

(4) A combination of vehicles no longer than one hundred five feet, exclusive of load overhang, used for the transportation of motor vehicles, consisting of a dromedary truck tractor and one or two stinger-steered semitrailers.  The maximum length of a dromedary truck tractor that may be used as part of such combination is twenty-five feet.  The maximum length of a stinger-steered semitrailer that may be used in a combination including two stinger-steered semitrailers is forty feet.  The maximum length of a stinger-steered semitrailer that may be used in a combination including one stinger-steered semitrailer is forty-five feet.  The total load overhang, front and rear combined, for such a combination of vehicles shall not exceed six feet.  A "dromedary truck tractor" means a power unit designed to carry a load of motor vehicles.  A "stinger-steered semitrailer" means a trailer that has the coupling connecting the semitrailer to the tractor or trailer on a drop frame located behind and below the rear axle of the unit to which it is connected.