BILL ANALYSIS
SB 1220
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 21, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
SB 1220 (Wolk) - As Amended: June 15, 2010
SENATE VOTE : 31-0
SUBJECT : Vehicle weight limits: fire trucks
SUMMARY : Expands the definition of "fire apparatus" for
purposes of exempting fire trucks from axle weight limits;
provides that a 15% fire apparatus overweight exemption does not
apply to supplemental towing and hauling equipment that already
exceeds permissible weight limits.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Sets forth general size, weight, and load limits for vehicles
operating on the state's highways.
2)Exempts from these limits, any authorized, government-owned or
-operated fire truck, purchased prior to January 1, 1994, that
is:
a) Used to respond to and return from emergency fire calls;
b) Moved from place to place in anticipation of emergency
fire calls;
c) Used during training in any fire service application or
during fire prevention activities; or,
d) Transported for vehicle maintenance, repair, or service.
3)Requires that fire trucks purchased after January 1, 1994,
meet certain requirements with respect to size, weight, and
load, including a requirement that the manufacturer weigh and
certify fire trucks to determine compliance with weight
requirements.
4)Defines "fire apparatus" (referred to as fire trucks) as
vehicles or combination of vehicles designed, maintained, and
used exclusively for the suppression of fires or for fire
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prevention activities.
5)Sets forth a process whereby a public agency can operate fire
trucks in excess of legal weight limits in emergency
situations without a transportation permit.
6)Excludes from the fire truck axle weight exemption other
vehicles that are not designed primarily for fire suppression,
including but not limited to, hazardous materials response
vehicles, dedicated rescue vehicles, command post
communication vehicles, and heavy equipment transport
vehicles.
7)Explicitly assigns to a public agency that operates an
authorized, over-weight fire truck the liability for damage to
a highway or highway structure caused by operation of the
truck.
8)As set forth in regulations, provides that fire trucks
exceeding the weight requirements for tandem or tridem axles
may receive transportation permits from the Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) to operate on state routes and from
local governments to operate on local roads. The permit may
not allow any increase in single axle weights and may limit
tandem and tridem weights to no more than 15% over the weights
otherwise allowed. The permit allows bridge access only on
bridges with a capacity rating that is adequate for the
additional axle weights.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Fire trucks operated by a public agency are exempt
from axle weight limits and can be operated on highways without
a transportation permit. The fire service industry is
requesting to expand this exemption to include other emergency
vehicle types in order to remedy the following problems:
9)Existing axle weight exemptions apply to fire trucks only;
they do not apply to other emergency vehicles, such as
vehicles for hazardous materials response and search and
rescue. There has been a greater need for emergency response
vehicles of all types since September 11, 2001.
10)The federal Office of Homeland Security has been awarding
grants to states and local agencies to purchase vehicles that
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have the capabilities to respond to emergencies other than
just fire, such as hazardous materials incidents, urban search
and rescue, weapons of mass destruction situations, and mass
decontamination situations. However, California's axle weight
exemptions are restricted to just fire trucks, thereby
rendering many of these other types of emergency vehicles
illegal under the state's current weight limits. Remedying
this situation may make California more competitive when
applying for emergency response grants.
Caltrans is opposed to SB 1220. Caltrans believes the proposed
definition may create an overly broad exemption that could apply
to an unknown but potentially substantial number of vehicles
only occasionally or indirectly used in responding to or
providing support to fire or other emergency operations.
Furthermore, Caltrans is concerned that SB 1220 would make the
definition of "fire apparatus," subject to future changes to
design standards by the National Fire Protection Association.
Caltrans is concerned that future, unknown standards may lead to
detrimental impacts on its highways.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Fire Chiefs Association (sponsor)
Fire Districts Association of California (sponsor)
Alhambra Fire Department
Arcadia Fire Department
Barstow Fire Protection District
Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department
Bodega Bay Fire Protection District
California Professional Firefighters
Cathedral City Fire Department
Chino Valley Fire District
City of Brea Fire Department
City of Burbank Fire Department
City of Corona Fire Department
City of Fairfield Fire Department
City of Napa Fire Department
City of Vacaville
Cloverdale Fire Protection District
Cosumnes Fire Department
Ebbetts Pass Fire District
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Forestville Fire Protection District
Golden State Fire Apparatus
Humboldt No. 1 Fire Protection District
Laguna Beach Fire Department
Rancho Santa Fe Fire Protection District
Redondo Beach Fire Department
Rincon Valley Fire Protection District
Russian River Fire Protection District
Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District
San Diego Fire-Rescue Department
Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District
Visalia Fire Department
Windsor Fire Protection District
Opposition
California Department of Transportation
Analysis Prepared by : Janet Dawson / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093