S-850                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5878

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Patterson and Conner

Read first time 2/14/89 and referred to Committee on  Transportation.

AN ACT Relating to identification of trucks; and adding a new section to chapter 81.80 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 81.80 RCW to read as follows:

          All motor carriers other than exempt carriers shall display an identifying name or number on both sides of the power units of their trucks that singly or in combination are more than twenty-six thousand pounds gross vehicle weight.  The identification shall be in a clearly legible style with letters no less than three inches high and in a color contrasting with the surrounding body panel.  This does not apply to trucks and trailers under lease, except that such equipment shall bear a placard indicating the name and permit number of the operator of the equipment.

          The commission may authorize the carrier to use initials, insignia, decals, or other devices when in the opinion of the commission that device adequately identifies the carrier.

          If the truck is operated under a permit from the commission, the identification shall contain the name of the permittee, or business name, and the permit number.  If the truck is a private carrier, the identification shall contain the name and address of either the business operating the truck or the registered owner.

          Common carriers who hold both intrastate and interstate authority between points within the state and also have interstate authority between points in the state and points outside the state may display either their ICC permit number or their commission permit number.