(A) Except as provided in division (B) below, a vehicle unloaded or with load shall not exceed a height of 13 feet six inches. The owner of a motor vehicle which collides with a lawfully established bridge or viaduct shall be liable for all damage and injury resulting from a collision caused by the height of the vehicle, whether the clearance of the bridge or viaduct is posted or not.
(B) A truck, truck tractor, semi-trailer or trailer manufactured on or after 7-27-1978 shall not be used to transport flammable liquids, in bulk, having a flashpoint at or below 70°F, if the truck, truck tractor, semi-trailer or trailer exceed 11 feet, eight and one-half inches in height. However, safety equipment and those appurtenances which are required by state law, when added to a vehicle, may cause the vehicle height to exceed 11 feet, eight and one-half inches, but shall not cause the vehicle height to exceed 13 feet, six inches. A person who violates this division (B) is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(C) A vehicle, except a truck tractor, trailer or semi-trailer, including load, or articulated buses operated by a local public transit system funded by Public Act 51 of 1951, being M.C.L.A. §§ 247.651 to 247.674, shall not exceed a total length of 40 feet. The total length of a semi-trailer operating in a truck tractor and semi-trailer combination shall not exceed 53 feet, including load. All semi-trailers longer than 50 feet shall have a wheelbase of 40.5 feet, plus or minus one-half foot, measured from the kingpin coupling to the center of the rear axles or to the center of the tandem axle assembly if equipped with two axles. Articulated buses operated by a local public transit system funded by Public Act 51 of 1951 may operate with a maximum length of 65 feet. A combination of truck tractor, semi-trailer and trailer, or truck and semi-trailer, or trailer, or a combination of truck tractor and two semi-trailers, including load, shall not exceed a total overall length of 59 feet, except as provided for on routes designated and approved by the state’s Transportation Department and by local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction on which a person may operate a combination of a truck tractor and two semi-trailers with no limit on the overall combination length, if the length of each semi-trailer or trailer including load does not exceed 28.5 feet. The state’s Transportation Department and local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction may designate highways where the overall length of a truck and trailer or semi-trailer shall not exceed 65 feet. A truck tractor and semi-trailer combination with a semi-trailer length longer than 50 feet shall not be allowed to operate with more than two axles on the semi-trailer. All truck tractor and semi-trailer combinations with a semi-trailer length longer than 50 feet shall travel exclusively on highways designated by the appropriate road authority. The local authorities shall have the option of prohibiting stops within its jurisdiction unless the stop occurs along appropriately designated routes, or is necessary for emergency purposes or to reach shippers, receivers, warehouses and terminals along designated routes. A trailer or semi-trailer in actual and lawful use in this state on 12-1-1982 may be operated in the state for the life of the vehicle in a combination with other vehicles in actual and lawful use in the state on 12-1-1982, if the combination was of legal length under the law of the state immediately preceding 1-24-1984. In calculating the length of a trailer or semi-trailer under this division (C), the length shall be based on the cargo-carrying portion of the vehicle only, including load. A truck tractor or other motor vehicle shall not haul more than one trailer and semi-trailer or more than two semi-trailers in combination at any one time, except that a farm tractor may haul two wagons or trailers or garbage and refuse haulers may, during daylight hours, haul up to four trailers for garbage and refuse collection purposes, not exceeding in any combination a total length of 55 feet at a speed of not to exceed 15 mph. In determining the length of a vehicle or a vehicle combination under this division (C), the length shall not be considered to include safety and energy conservation devices including, but not be limited to, impact absorbing bumpers, rear view mirrors, turn signals, lamps, marker lamps, steps and handholds for entry and egress, flexible fender extensions, mud flaps or splash and spray suppressant devices; load induced tire bulge; refrigeration or heating units; or air compressors. A device shall be excluded from a determination of length only if it is not designed or used for the carrying of cargo.
(D) If a combination of two semi-trailers is pulled by a truck or truck tractor, a fifth wheel connecting assembly which conforms with motor carrier safety rules promulgated by the Department of State Police pursuant to the Motor Carrier Safety Act of 1963, Public Act 181 of 1963, as amended, being M.C.L.A. §§ 480.11 to 480.21, shall be used on each semi-trailer.
(E) A train of vehicles or a vehicle operated alone shall not carry a load extending more than three feet beyond the front of the train of vehicles or vehicle.
(F) A motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer whose frame or body extends more than 36 inches beyond the rear of its rear axle and is more than 30 inches above the roadway shall not be operated on the highways unless equipped with a fender or bumper on the extreme rear of the frame or body. The bumper shall extend downward from the rear of the frame or body to within 30 inches of the roadway and be of substantial construction. In addition to the requirements of division (G) below, no vehicle which is required by federal law to have an underride guard of not more than 22 inches above the roadway shall be operated upon the highways of the state without such an underride guard.
(G) A truck tractor and semi-trailer combination with a semi-trailer length longer than 50 feet whose frame or body extends more than 36 inches beyond the rear of its rear axle and is more than 30 inches above the roadway shall not be operated on the highways unless equipped with an underride guard on the extreme rear of the frame or body. The underride guard shall meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Provide a continuous horizontal beam having a maximum ground clearance of 22 inches, as measured with the vehicle empty and on level ground; and
(2) Extend to within four inches of the lateral extremities of the trailer on both left and right sides.
(H) A truck tractor and semi-trailer combination with a semi-trailer length longer than 50 feet shall not be operated on the highways at the times specified unless equipped with the lighting requirements listed in the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code (MMVC), being M.C.L.A. §§ 257.684, 257.688, 257.697, and 257.698.
(1) Two side marker lamps which display an amber light, one each side of the semi- trailer, located at one-half the distance from the front to the rear of the semi-trailer;
(2) Two reflectors which reflect an amber light, one on each side of the semi-trailer located at one-half the distance from the front to the rear of the semi-trailer; and
(3) Two clearance lamps, one on each side of the semi-trailer, located at one-half the distance from the front to the rear and as near to the top of the semi-trailer as practicable.
(I) A lamp required under division (H) above shall be lighted at the times specified in the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code (MMVC), being M.C.L.A. § 257.684 and shall be visible when lighted at a distance of 500 feet from the side of the semi-trailer on which it is mounted. A reflector required under division (H) above shall be visible at the times specified in the Michigan Motor Vehicle Code (MMVC), being M.C.L.A. § 257.684 from all distances from 50 to 500 feet from the semi-trailer when directly in front of lawful upper beams of headlamps.
(J) (1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subchapter, a person may operate a combination of truck tractor, semi-trailer and trailer, or truck tractor and semi-trailer or trailer designed and used exclusively to transport assembled motor vehicles or bodies, recreational vehicles or boats, which does not exceed a total length of 65 feet.
(2) The load on the combination of vehicles may extend an additional three feet beyond the front and four feet beyond the rear of the combination of vehicles. Retractable extensions used to support and secure the load that do not extend beyond the allowable overhang for the front and rear shall not be included in determining the length of a loaded vehicle or combination of vehicles.
(K) A combination of vehicles shall not have more than 11 axles.
(L) (1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this subchapter, a number of motor vehicles, wholly or partially assembled, may be transported over the highways in combination, utilizing one tow bar or three saddle mounts with full mount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of one of the vehicles in combination. The combination shall not exceed the maximum length of 65 feet for the transportation of assembled motor vehicles, and the vehicles in the combination shall be adequately and securely fastened together in compliance with regulations of the state and of any federal agency having jurisdiction over the transportation. If motor vehicles are towed by means of triple saddle mounts, the towed vehicles shall have brakes acting on all wheels which are in contact with the roadway.
(2) A combination exceeding 55 feet in length may be operated only on highways and routes approved and designated for that operation by the state’s Transportation Department and by local authorities with respect to highways under their jurisdiction.
(M) The total gross weight of a truck tractor semi-trailer and trailer combination or a truck trailer and two semi-trailers combination which exceeds 59 feet in length shall not exceed a ratio of 400 pounds per engine net horsepower delivered to clutch or its equivalent specified in the SAE handbook published by the Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., (1977).
(Prior Code, § 22.1-52) (Ord. 885, passed 7-16-1990) Penalty, see § 74.999