(A) Nothing in this subchapter applies to any person when engaged in the operation of any of the following:
(1) A farm truck;
(2) Fire equipment for a fire department, volunteer or nonvolunteer fire company, fire district or joint fire district;
(3) A public safety vehicle used to provide transportation or emergency medical service for ill or injured persons;
(4) A recreational vehicle;
(5) A commercial motor vehicle within the boundaries of an eligible unit of local government, if the person is employed by the eligible unit of local government and is operating the commercial motor vehicle for the purpose of removing snow or ice from a roadway by plowing, sanding or salting, but only if either the employee who holds a commercial driver’s license issued under R.C. Chapter 4506 and ordinarily operates a commercial motor vehicle for these purposes is unable to operate the vehicle, or the employing eligible unit of local government determines that a snow or ice emergency exists that requires additional assistance.
(6) A vehicle owned by the Department of Defense and operated by any member or uniformed employee of the armed forces of the United States or their reserve components, including the Ohio National Guard. This exception does not apply to United States reserve technicians.
(7) A commercial motor vehicle that is operated for nonbusiness purposes.
OPERATED FOR NONBUSINESS PURPOSES means that the commercial motor vehicle is not used in commerce as “commerce” is defined in 49 C.F.R. 383.5, as amended, and is not regulated by the Public Utilities Commission pursuant to R.C. Chapter 4919, 4921, or 4923.
(B) Nothing contained in division (A)(5) shall be construed as preempting or superseding any law, rule or regulation of this state concerning the safe operation of commercial motor vehicles.
(C) For the purpose of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ELIGIBLE UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT. A village, township or county that has a population of not more than 3,000 persons according to the most recent federal census.
FARM TRUCK. A truck controlled and operated by a farmer for use in the transportation to or from a farm, for a distance of no more than 150 miles, of products of the farm, including livestock and its products, poultry and its products, and floricultural and horticultural products, and in the transportation to the farm, from a distance of no more than 150 miles, of supplies for the farm, including tile, fence and every other thing or commodity used in agricultural, floricultural, horticultural, livestock and poultry production, and livestock, poultry and other animals and things used for breeding, feeding or other
purposes connected with the operation of the farm, when the truck is operated in accordance with this subsection and is not used in the operations of a motor transportation company or private motor carrier.
PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLE. Has the same meaning as in R.C. § 4511.01(E)(1) and (E)(3).
RECREATIONAL VEHICLE. Includes every vehicle that is defined as a recreational vehicle in R.C. § 4501.01 and is used exclusively for purposes other than engaging in business for profit.
(R.C. § 4506.02)