66-1,129. Motor carriers; safety rules and regulations adopted by commission; exceptions. (a) The commission shall adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this act. No public motor carrier of property, household goods or passengers or private motor carrier of property shall operate or allow the operation of any motor vehicle on any public highway in this state except within the provisions of the rules and regulations adopted by the commission. Rules and regulations adopted by the commission shall include:

(1) Every vehicle unit shall be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition at all times.

(2) Every driver of a public or private motor carrier, except the driver of a farm vehicle, operating as a carrier of intrastate commerce within this state, shall be at least 18 years of age. All such drivers shall be competent to operate the motor vehicle under such driver's charge.

(3) Minimum age requirements for every driver of a motor carrier, operating as a carrier of interstate commerce, shall be consistent with federal motor carrier regulations.

(4) Hours of service for operators of all motor carriers to which this act applies shall be fixed by the commission.

(5) Accidents arising from or in connection with the operation of motor carriers shall be reported to the commission within the time, in the detail and in the manner as the commission requires.

(6) Every motor carrier shall have attached to each unit or vehicle distinctive marking adopted by the commission.

(7) Motor carrier transportation requirements that are consistent with continuation of the federal motor carrier safety assistance program and other federal requirements concerning transportation of hazardous materials.

(b) No rules and regulations adopted by the commission pursuant to this section shall require the operator of any motor vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of not more than 10,000 pounds to submit to a physical examination, unless required by federal laws or regulations.

(c) The provisions of 49 C.F.R. parts 390-399 adopted by reference in the rules and regulations of the commission shall not apply to the following, while engaged in the carriage of intrastate commerce:

(1) The owner of livestock or producer of farm products transporting livestock of such owner or farm products of such producer to market in a motor vehicle of such owner or producer, or the motor vehicle of a neighbor on the basis of barter or exchange for service or employment, or to such owner or producer transporting supplies for the use of such owner or producer in or producer, or in the motor vehicle of a neighbor on the basis of barter or exchange for service or employment.

(2) The transportation of children to and from school, or to motor vehicles owned by schools, colleges, and universities, religious or charitable organizations and institutions, or governmental agencies, when used to convey students, inmates, employees, athletic teams, orchestras, bands or other similar activities.

(3) Private motor carriers domiciled in Kansas operating commercial motor vehicles (CMV) with a gross vehicle weight (GVW), gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), gross combination weight (GCW), or gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 10,001 to 26,000 pounds and registered pursuant to K.S.A. 8-126 et seq., and amendments thereto. Such carriers shall comply with 49 C.F.R. part 393, subpart I (load securement) and subpart F (coupling devices), as adopted by K.A.R. 82-4-3i; and 49 C.F.R. part 396.17 (annual inspection), as adopted by K.A.R. 82-4-3j. Any deficiencies related to the above regulations discovered roadside or any defects identified at the time of the annual inspection shall be corrected prior to returning the commercial motor vehicle to operational status. This exception does not apply to commercial motor vehicles, regardless of weight, which are designed or used to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver, or intrastate public (for hire) motor carriers of property or passengers, or any motor vehicles which are used in the transportation of hazardous materials and required to be placarded pursuant to 49 C.F.R. part 172, subpart F. For the purpose of this subsection "domicile" shall mean the principal place of business of a motor carrier or a permanent location in Kansas for a vehicle or vehicles annually registered in Kansas.

(4) Persons operating motor vehicles which have an ad valorem tax situs in and are registered in the state of Kansas, and used only to transport grain from the producer to an elevator or other place for storage or sale for a distance of not to exceed 50 miles.

(5) The operation of hearses, funeral coaches, funeral cars or ambulances by motor carriers.

(6) Motor vehicles owned and operated by the United States, the District of Columbia, any state, any municipality or any other political subdivisions of this state.

(7) Any motor vehicle with a normal seating capacity of not more than 15 people, including the driver, while used for vanpooling or otherwise not-for-profit in transporting persons who, as a joint undertaking, bear or agree to bear all the costs of such operations, or motor vehicles with a normal seating capacity of not more than 15 people, including the driver, for not-for-profit transportation by one or more employers of employees to and from the factories, plants, offices, institutions, construction sites or other places of like nature where such persons are employed or accustomed to work.

(8) The operation of vehicles used for servicing, repairing or transporting of implements of husbandry, as defined in K.S.A. 8-1427, and amendments thereto, by a person actively engaged in the business of buying, selling or exchanging implements of husbandry, if such operation is within 100 miles of such person's established place of business in this state, unless the implement of husbandry is transported on a commercial motor vehicle.

History: L. 1931, ch. 236, § 22; L. 1959, ch. 258, § 12; L. 1965, ch. 506, § 36; L. 1976, ch. 289, § 1; L. 1977, ch. 226, § 1; L. 1978, ch. 269, § 1; L. 1985, ch. 227, § 1; L. 1988, ch. 356, § 242; L. 1990, ch. 241, § 3; L. 2001, ch. 73, § 3; L. 2003, ch. 124, § 27; L. 2004, ch. 152, § 7; L. 2013, ch. 14, § 3; L. 2014, ch. 137, § 2; L. 2015, ch. 9, § 2; Apr. 9.