GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1983 SESSION
CHAPTER 898
AN ACT TO LIMIT THE OPERATION IN NORTH CAROLINA OF TRUCKS WITH TWO TRAILERS AND INCREASED LENGTHS AND WIDTHS MANDATED BY FEDERAL LAW AND TO CONFORM THE NORTH CAROLINA LAW TO FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. Chapter 20 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 20-115.1. Limitations on tandem trailers and semitrailers on certain North Carolina highways.-(a) Motor vehicle combinations consisting of a truck tractor and two trailing units may be operated in North Carolina only on highways of the Interstate System and on those sections of the Federal-aid primary system designated by the United States Secretary of Transportation. No trailer or semitrailer operated in this combination shall exceed twenty eight (28) feet in length; provided, however, a 1982 or older year model trailer or semitrailer of up to twenty-eight and one-half (28 1/2) feet in length may operate in a combination within a sixty-five (65) foot overall length.
(b) Motor vehicle combinations consisting of a semitrailer of not more than 48 feet in length and a truck tractor may be operated on the Interstate highways and Federal-aid highways designated by the United States Secretary of Transportation.
(c) Motor vehicles with a width not exceeding one hundred and two (102) inches may be operated on the Interstate highways and other qualifying Federal-aid highways designated by the United States Secretary of Transportation, with traffic lanes designed to be a width of twelve feet or more.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section which limit the length of trailers which may be used in motor vehicle combinations in this State on highways of the Interstate System and on those sections of the Federal-aid primary system designated by the United States Secretary of Transportation, there is no limitation of the length of the truck tractor which may be used in motor vehicle combinations on these highways and therefore, in compliance with Section 411(b) of the Surface Transportation Act of 1982, there is no overall length limitation for motor vehicle combinations regulated by this section.
(e) The length and width limitations in this section are subject to exceptions and exclusions for safety devices and specialized equipment as provided for in 49 USC 2311(d)(h) and Section 416 of the Surface Transportation Act of 1982 as amended (49 USC 2316).
(f) Motor vehicle combinations operating pursuant to this section shall have reasonable access between (a) highways on the Interstate System and other qualifying Federal-aid highways as designated by the United States Secretary of Transportation and (b) terminals, facilities for food, fuel, repairs, and rest, and points of loading and unloading for household goods carriers. 'Reasonable access' to facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest shall be deemed to be those facilities which are located within three (3) road miles of the Interstate or designated highway. The Department of Transportation is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations providing for 'reasonable access'."
Sec. 2. This act is effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 21st day of July, 1983.