348.07 Length of vehicles.

(1) No person, without a permit therefor, may operate on a highway any single vehicle with an overall length in excess of 45 feet or any combination of 2 vehicles with an overall length in excess of 70 feet, except as otherwise provided in subs. (2), (2a), (2m), (2r), and (4m) and s. 348.08 (1).

(2) The following vehicles may be operated without a permit for excessive length if the overall length does not exceed the indicated limitations:

(e)

1. Sixty feet for an implement of husbandry that is a single vehicle.

2. Except as provided in subd. 3., 100 feet for implements of husbandry that are 2-vehicle combinations and for 2-vehicle combinations transporting by trailer or semitrailer implements of husbandry to or from a farm-related destination.

3. No length limitation for an implement of husbandry that is an irrigation system in combination with a farm tractor, farm truck, farm truck tractor, or motor truck temporarily operated upon a highway.

(f) No overall length limitation for a tractor-semitrailer combination, a double bottom or an automobile haulaway when such tractor-semitrailer combination, double bottom or automobile haulaway is operated on a highway designated under sub. (4).

(fm) No length limitation for a truck tractor or road tractor when such truck tractor or road tractor is operated in a tractor-semitrailer combination or as part of a double bottom or an automobile haulaway on a highway designated under sub. (4).

(fs) 75 feet for a tractor-semitrailer combination, except as provided in par. (f) or sub. (4m).

(g) 48 feet for a semitrailer or trailer operated as part of a 2-vehicle combination, except as provided in par. (gr) or (gv).

(gm) 28 feet 6 inches for a semitrailer or trailer operated as part of a double bottom on a highway designated under sub. (4).

(gr) 53 feet for a semitrailer whose length from kingpin to axle does not exceed 43 feet and which is operated as part of a 2-vehicle combination on a highway designated under sub. (4). The length limits in this paragraph do not apply to a trailer or a semitrailer that is authorized to operate under par. (im).

(gv) 53 feet for a semitrailer whose length from kingpin to axle does not exceed 43 feet and which is operated as part of a 2-vehicle combination, except as provided in par. (gr) or sub. (4m). The length limits in this paragraph do not apply to a trailer or a semitrailer that is authorized to operate under par. (im).

(h) Sixty-six feet for articulated buses operated in urban areas.

(im) Seventy-five total feet for a 2-vehicle combination designed and primarily used for transporting livestock, if the trailer or semitrailer, measured as required by sub. (3) (b), is not longer than 53 feet, the trailer or semitrailer is equipped with at least 2 axles, and the towing vehicle is not a motor truck, truck tractor, road tractor, or combination vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating or actual gross weight of 10,000 pounds or less.

(j) 66 feet for an automobile haulaway plus an additional overhang of 4 feet to the front of the vehicle and 5 feet to the rear of the vehicle.

(k) Sixty feet for a single vehicle, and 120 feet for a 2-vehicle combination, used by a pipeline company or operator, public service corporation, municipal utility, or cooperative association described in s. 196.01 (5) (b) 1., or by a motor carrier operating under contract with a pipeline company or operator, public service corporation, municipal utility, or cooperative association described in s. 196.01 (5) (b) 1., for transportation of poles, pipe, girders and similar materials. A vehicle or vehicle combination described in this paragraph may, in addition to the vehicle length specified in this paragraph, carry a load extending not more than 10 feet beyond the front bumper of the vehicle or foremost vehicle in the vehicle combination.

(2a) Tour trains consisting of 4 vehicles including the propelling motor vehicle may be operated as provided in s. 348.08 (1) (c).

(2m) Subsection (2) (e) also applies to implements of husbandry while being operated or transported by an implement dealer or farmer for purposes of delivery, repair, or servicing of the implement of husbandry if the implement of husbandry is being operated or transported under either of the following circumstances:

(a) Directly from a farmer's owned or leased land to the business location of an implement dealer that is within a 75-mile radius of the farmer's owned or leased land.

(b) Directly from the business location of an implement dealer to a farmer's owned or leased land that is within a 75-mile radius of the implement dealer's business location.

(2r) Subsection (2) (e) also applies to implements of husbandry while being transported by trailer or semitrailer on a highway to or from a farm-related destination.

(3)

(a) The overall length of a mobile home or recreational vehicle shall be measured from the rear thereof to the rear of the vehicle to which it is attached.

(b)

1. Except as provided in subd. 2., the length of a semitrailer or trailer shall be measured from the front thereof to the rear of the semitrailer or trailer or cargo, whichever is longer, excluding bumpers, stake pockets, air deflectors and refrigeration units.

2. The length of a semitrailer operated as the first trailing unit in a double bottom consisting of a truck tractor and 2 semitrailers does not include a frame extension bearing a fifth-wheel connection by which the 2nd trailing unit is drawn unless the frame extension is more than 8 feet in length. This subdivision does not affect the measurement of length from the front of the semitrailer to the rear of the cargo.

(c) The distance between a kingpin and semitrailer axle shall be measured as follows:

1. On a semitrailer having a tandem axle, from the kingpin to a point midway between the first and last axles of the tandem axle.

2. On a semitrailer not having a tandem axle, from the kingpin to the center of the rearmost axle.

(4) The secretary shall, by rule, designate the highways to which sub. (2) (f), (fm), (gm), and (gr) and s. 348.08 (1) (a) 2. and (e) apply. The designation of highways under this subsection may not be inconsistent with the designation of highways made by the U.S. secretary of transportation under P.L. 97-424, section 411. The secretary may also designate additional highways by rule. In adopting a rule designating other highways, which may include 2-lane highways, the secretary shall specify the factors which resulted in the determination to designate the highways. These factors shall include, but are not limited to, safety, economics, energy savings, industry productivity and competition. Vehicles to which sub. (2) (f), (fm), (gm), and (gr) and s. 348.08 (1) (a) 2. and (e) apply may also operate on highways not designated under this subsection for a distance of 15 miles or less in order to obtain access to a highway designated under this subsection or to reach fuel, food, maintenance, repair, rest, staging, terminal or vehicle assembly facilities or points of loading or unloading. The secretary may, by rule, designate an access route of more than 15 miles from a highway designated under this subsection when the longer route provides safer and better access to a location which is within the 15-mile limit. Household goods carriers may operate between highways designated under this subsection and points of loading and unloading.

(4m) The secretary shall, by rule, designate those parts of the state trunk highway system to which sub. (2) (fs) and (gv) do not apply. For each part of the state trunk highway system designated under this subsection, the secretary shall specify the factors that resulted in the determination to designate the part as not suitable to accommodate vehicle lengths as specified in sub. (2) (fs) and (gv). The secretary may, by rule, establish exceptions to the vehicle-combination length limitation specified in sub. (1), including establishing any greater or lesser length limitation than that specified in sub. (1), with respect to specific types of vehicles identified by the secretary or highways designated by the secretary, but the secretary may not establish under this subsection any length limitation inconsistent with sub. (2) or (2a) or s. 348.08 (1).

(5) As often as it deems necessary, the department shall publish maps required for its own use and for free distribution showing the highways designated under subs. (4) and (4m), those parts of the state trunk highway system not designated under sub. (4m), and such other main highways and other features as the department deems desirable.

History: 1975 c. 279; 1977 c. 29 ss. 1487g to 1487m, 1654 (9) (b); 1977 c. 418; 1979 c. 255; 1981 c. 159, 176; 1983 a. 20, 78, 192; 1985 a. 165, 187; 1987 a. 30; 1991 a. 39, 72; 1995 a. 193; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 85, 186; 2003 a. 213, 234; 2005 a. 363, 365; 2007 a. 11, 93; 2011 a. 53 s. 2; 2011 a. 54, 243; 2013 a. 99, 220, 369, 377; 2015 a. 15, 195, 232.

The state may not prohibit 65-foot double-bottom trailers. Raymond Motor Transportation, Inc. v. Rice, 434 U.S. 429 (1978).