BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1706
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Date of Hearing: May 16, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1706 (Eng) - As Amended: April 30, 2012
Policy Committee:
TransportationVote:12-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
Yes Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill temporarily increases vehicle weight limits of transit
buses and establishes a taskforce to consider future vehicle
weight limits for transit buses. Specifically, this bill:
1)Exempts a transit bus from the 20,500-pound gross weight axle
limit.
2)Prohibits, as of January 1, 2013, a publicly owned or operated
transit system from purchasing a new transit bus whose gross
weight on any one axle exceeds 22,400 pounds.
3)Sunsets the above provisions as of January 1, 2016.
4)Requires the Secretary for Business, Transportation and
Housing to convene a taskforce of various stakeholders,
including representatives of the California Department of
Transportation (Caltrans) and the California Highway Patrol
(CHP) to report, by January 1, 2015, to the Legislature on
maximum axle weight limits applicable to transit buses.
5)Appropriates unspecified amounts from Public Transportation
Account (PTA) and the State Highway Account (SHA) from truck
weight fee revenue.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)Cost pressure of an unknown amount, potentially in the
hundreds of thousands of dollars, to the PTA and SHA to fund
the work of the taskforce.
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(As noted in the policy committee analysis, PTA funds are used
as operating funds for local and regional public transit
systems. To the extent this bill diverts such funds it will
create cost pressure in an equal amount to maintain funding
for local and regional public transit systems. In addition,
the truck weight fee revenues in the SHA are dedicated to the
General Fund to make transportation bond payments. To the
extent this bill diverts these SHA funds, it creates pressure
in an equal amount on the General Fund to pay for
transportation bond payments.)
2)Potential increase in state and local costs of an unknown, but
presumably significant amount, as heavier transit vehicles
operate on, and create a relatively greater amount of damage
to, state highways and local roadways.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale. The sponsor (California Transit Association)
contends public transit vehicle weights have increased in
recent years to accommodate such features as pollution control
devices and wheelchair lifts. The sponsor concludes it is
therefore appropriate to increase public transit vehicle
weight limits.
2)Background. Current law limits the gross weight of busses
traveling on state highways at 20,500 pounds on any one axle.
In contrast, federal law sets an axle weight limit of 20,000
pounds for buses operating over the federal Interstate Highway
System. However, federal law has suspended this bus weight
limit. Some transit agencies report having operated buses in
excess of 22,500 pounds on state highways, in violation of
state weight limits, in pursuit of compliance with other
statutory requirements, such as the Americans With
Disabilities Act.
3)Support. This bill is supported by California Transit
Association and several transit agencies throughout the state
who contend it appropriate to increase the weight limit on
buses that can operate on state highways, given the increase
in vehicle weight that has occurred in recent years.
4)Opposition. The only opponent formally registered to this
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bill at the time this analysis was prepared was the City of
Lakewood. However, opponents might object that heavier buses
might cost state and local government through increased
roadway maintenance costs and that PTA monies, which are in
short supply, fund local transit operations.
Analysis Prepared by : Jay Dickenson / APPR. / (916) 319-2081