(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
(1) “Motor vehicle” means everything on wheels which is self-propelled, other than by muscular power or power collected from electric trolley wires and other than vehicles or machinery not designed for or employed in general highway transportation, used to transport or propel property over a public highway.
(2) “Commercial car” means any motor vehicle used for transporting property, wholly on its own structure on a public highway.
(3) “Commercial tractor” means any motor vehicle designed and used to propel or draw a trailer or semi-trailer or both on a public highway without having any provision for carrying loads independently of such trailer or semi- trailer.
(4) “Trailer” means everything on wheels which is not self-propelled, except vehicles or machinery not designed for or employed in general highway transportation and except vehicles whose total weight excluding load is less than three thousand pounds, used for carrying property wholly on its own structure and for being drawn by a motor vehicle on a public highway, including any such vehicle when formed by or operated as a combination of a semi-trailer and a vehicle of the dolly type such as that commonly known as a trailer dolly, except a manufactured home.
(5) “Semi-trailer” means everything on wheels which is not self-propelled, except vehicles or machinery not designed for or employed in general highway transportation and except vehicles whose total weight excluding load is less than three thousand pounds, designed and used for carrying property on a public highway when being propelled or drawn by a commercial tractor when part of its own weight or the weight of its load, or both, rest upon and is carried by a commercial tractor.
(6) “Commercial tandem” means any commercial car and trailer or any commercial tractor, semi-trailer, and trailer when fastened together and used as one unit.
(7) “Commercial tractor combination” means any commercial tractor and semi- trailer when fastened together and used as one unit.
(8) “Axle” means two or more load carrying wheels mounted in a single transverse vertical plane.
(9) “Public highway” means any highway, road, or street dedicated to public use except a highway under the control and jurisdiction of the Ohio turnpike commission created by the provisions of Ohio R.C. 5537.02.
(b) (1) It shall be unlawful, on and after September 21, 1998, for any person to operate a commercial car with three or more axles, a commercial car as part of a commercial tandem, or a commercial tractor as part of a commercial tractor combination or commercial tandem on a public highway without a valid highway use permit for such commercial car or commercial tractor.
(2) The judge, magistrate, or mayor, of any court finding any person guilty of unlawfully operating a commercial car or commercial tractor as provided for in this section shall immediately notify the Tax Commissioner of such violation and shall transmit to the Commissioner the name and the permanent address of the owner of the commercial car or commercial tractor operated in violation of this section, the registration number, the state of registration, and the certificate of title number of the commercial car or commercial tractor. (Ord. 415. Passed 9-21-98.)
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. (Ord. 415. Passed 9-21-98.)