(a) Motor vehicles.--

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no motor vehicle, including any load and bumpers, shall exceed an overall length of 40 feet.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to the following:

(i) A motor vehicle equipped with a boom or boomlike device if the vehicle does not exceed 55 feet.

(ii) A bus, school bus or motor home which does not exceed 45 feet.

(iii) An articulated bus which does not exceed 63 feet.

(iv) An automobile or boat transporter which does not exceed 45 feet, exclusive of an overhang of not more than three feet on the front and four feet on the rear. An automobile transporter shall not be prohibited from the transport of cargo or general freight on a backhaul if the automobile transporter complies with the weight limitations for a motor vehicle.

(b) Excluded devices.--Devices listed in and meeting the requirements of 23 CFR Pt. 658 Appendix D (relating to devices that are excluded from measurement of the length or width of a commercial motor vehicle) are excluded from measurement of the length of a motor vehicle.

(b.1) Combinations.--

(1) The length of a single trailer being towed by a truck or truck tractor shall not exceed 53 feet. Truck or truck tractors towing trailers equipped with a kingpin shall not be operated when the distance between the kingpin and the center line of the rear axle or rear axle group exceeds 41 feet or, in the case of a trailer used exclusively or primarily to transport vehicles in connection with motor sports competition events, does not exceed 46 feet.

(2) For a double trailer, the length of each trailer being towed in combination by a truck tractor shall not exceed 28 1/2 feet.

(3) The overall length of the combination of a truck tractor with a conventional fifth wheel and an auto or boat transporter shall not exceed 65 feet, exclusive of an overhang of not more than three feet on the front and four feet on the rear of the combination.

(4) The overall length of a stinger-steered auto or boat transporter combination shall not exceed 80 feet, exclusive of an overhang of not more than four feet on the front and six feet on the rear of the combination. A stinger-steered automobile transporter shall not be prohibited from the transport of cargo or general freight on a backhaul if the stinger-steered automobile transporter complies with the weight limitations for a truck tractor and semitrailer combination.

(5) The overall length of a saddle-mount combination shall not exceed 75 feet.

(6) The overall length of a maxi-cube combination shall not exceed 65 feet.

(7) A combination consisting of any tow truck towing a disabled motor vehicle to a place of repairs or other place of safety.

(8) A combination transporting articles that, themselves, do not exceed 70 feet in length and are nondivisible as to length.

(9) The overall length of a towaway trailer transporter combination shall not exceed 82 feet.

(c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:

"Automobile or boat transporter." A truck of a total length not greater than 45 feet, exclusive of an overhang of not more than three feet on the front and four feet on the rear of the vehicle configured by the manufacturer to haul either automobiles, light trucks or boats.

"Towaway trailer transporter combination." As follows:

(1) a combination of vehicles consisting of a trailer transporter towing unit and two trailers or semitrailers with a total weight that does not exceed 26,000 pounds; and

(2) the trailers or semitrailers carry no property and constitute inventory property of a manufacturer, distributor or dealer of the trailers or semitrailers.

"Trailer transporter towing unit." A power unit that is not used to carry property when operating in a towaway trailer transporter combination.

(June 6, 1979, P.L.39, No.12, eff. imd.; June 18, 1980, P.L.229, No.68, eff. 60 days; July 1, 1981, P.L.197, No.60, eff. imd.; July 7, 1983, P.L.32, No.19, eff. imd.; Dec. 11, 1986, P.L.1530, No.166, eff. 60 days; Feb. 10, 1994, P.L.10, No.2, eff. imd.; Apr. 17, 1997, P.L.6, No.3, eff. 60 days; June 22, 2001, P.L.559, No.37, eff. imd.; Oct. 4, 2002, P.L.845, No.123, eff. 60 days; Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1667, No.211, eff. 60 days; Oct. 24, 2012, P.L.1407, No.174, eff. 60 days; June 30, 2014, P.L.814, No.85, eff. 60 days; July 20, 2017, P.L.342, No.31, eff. 60 days; June 12, 2018, P.L.204, No.31, eff. 180 days)

2018 Amendment. Act 31 amended subsec. (b.1)(1) and added subsec. (b).

2017 Amendment. Act 31 amended subsecs. (a)(2), (b.1) and (c).

2014 Amendment. Act 85 amended subsec. (a).

1983 Amendment. See section 7 of Act 19 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to expiration of amendments authorizing two trailers and long combinations.

Cross References. Section 4923 is referred to in sections 4904, 4924 of this title.