31-18-801. Definitions.

(a) As used in this article:

(i) "Agricultural operations" means the raising and harvesting of their own crops or livestock in this state by farmers or ranchers, their exchange between farmers or ranchers or the transportation of implements of husbandry to or from farmers or ranchers by persons engaged in the business of selling or repairing such implements;

(ii) "Axle" means the common axis of rotation of one (1) or more wheels, whether power driven or freely rotating, and whether in one (1) or more segments, and regardless of the number of wheels carried thereon;

(iii) "Axle group" means an assemblage of two (2) or more consecutive axles considered together in determining their combined load effect on a bridge or pavement structure;

(iv) "Axle load" means the total load transmitted to the road by an assembly of two (2) or more wheels whose centers are in one (1) transverse vertical plane or may be included between two (2) parallel transverse vertical planes forty (40) inches apart extending across the full width of the vehicle;

(v) "Axle measurement" means the distance between axles to the nearest foot. When fractional measurement is exactly one-half (1/2) foot, the next larger whole number shall be used;

(vi) Repealed By Laws 1998, ch. 46, § 2.

(vii) "Cargo" means the items or freight to be moved, including items placed on or in a vehicle towed by a vehicle or a vehicle itself;

(viii) "Connecting mechanism" means an arrangement of parts interconnecting two (2) or more consecutive axles to a vehicle in such a manner as to equalize the load between axles;

(ix) "Department" means the department of transportation;

(x) "Director" means the director of the department of transportation;

(xi) "Dummy axle" means an axle attached independently to a vehicle whose suspensions are not adjustable and do not articulate or substantially equalize the load and are so designed and placed as to indicate the appearance of a normal axle group;

(xii) "Forest products" means logs, poles, posts, rough lumber, wood chips, sawdust and any other product of the forest which will require further processing;

(xiii) "Gross weight" means the total weight of a vehicle and vehicle combinations including the weight of any load carried in or on the vehicle and vehicle combinations;

(xiv) "Height" means the total vertical dimension of any vehicle above the ground surface including any load or load-holding device thereon;

(xv) "Highway" means a public way maintained by the department for the purpose of vehicular travel, including rights-of-way or other interests in land, embankments, retaining walls, culverts, sluices, drainage structures, bridges, railroad-highway crossings, tunnels, signs, guardrails and protective structures;

(xvi) "Interstate or national defense highway" means highways which are designated as part of the interstate system by the transportation commission which are signed and marked accordingly;

(xvii) "Implement of husbandry" means a vehicle or vehicles manufactured or designed and used exclusively for the conduct of agricultural operations and only incidentally operated on or moved on highways;

(xviii) "Length" means the total longitudinal dimension of any vehicle or combination of vehicles, including any load or load-holding device thereon, but excluding any device or appurtenance attached to the front or rear of a semitrailer or trailer whose function is related to the safety of, or efficient operation of the unit or contents. Excluded devices include but are not limited to air hose glad hands, fifth wheel slide plates, dock bumpers, air deflectors and refrigeration units. No excluded devices shall be designed or used for carrying cargo;

(xix) "Load" means a weight or quantity of anything resting upon something else regarded as its support;

(xx) "Motor vehicle" means a vehicle which is self-propelled or propelled by electric power obtained from overhead trolley wires but not operating on rails;

(xxi) "Permit" means a written authorization to move or operate on a highway a vehicle or vehicle with a load of size or weight exceeding the limits as specified by statute, which are limited by this act and regulations of the department;

(xxii) "Primary and secondary highways" means highways which are designated as part of the primary or secondary system by the transportation commission which are signed and marked accordingly;

(xxiii) "Safety device" means any piece of equipment or mechanism, including rear view mirrors, pin pockets not to exceed three (3) inches on each side and other devices designated by the director, attached to a vehicle to assure its safe operation and to assure the safe movement of a load hauled by the vehicle;

(xxiv) "Semitrailer" means every vehicle of a trailer type not equipped with propelling power so designed for carrying property and used in conjunction with a motor vehicle that some part of its own weight and load rests upon or is carried by another vehicle;

(xxv) "Single axle" means an assemblage of two (2) or more wheels, whose centers are in one (1) transverse vertical plane or may be included between two (2) parallel transverse vertical planes forty (40) inches apart extending across the full width of the vehicle;

(xxvi) "Single axle load" means the total load transmitted to the road by a single axle;

(xxvii) "Single vehicle" means one (1) vehicle or one (1) unit of a combination of vehicles as a truck-tractor, semitrailer or trailer;

(xxviii) "Tandem axle" means any two (2) or more consecutive load bearing axles whose centers are more than forty (40) inches but not more than ninety-six (96) inches apart and articulate from an attachment to the vehicle including a variable load suspension or connecting mechanism designed to distribute the load between axles;

(xxix) "Tandem axle load" means the total weight transmitted to the road by two (2) or more consecutive axles whose centers may be included between parallel transverse vertical planes spaced more than forty (40) inches and not more than ninety-six (96) inches apart, extending the full width of the vehicle;

(xxx) "Trailer" means every vehicle not equipped with propelling power, designed for carrying property and for being drawn by a motor vehicle which carries no part of the weight and load of a trailer on its own wheels;

(xxxi) "Truck" means a motor vehicle designed, used or maintained primarily for the transportation of property;

(xxxii) "Truck-tractor" means a motor vehicle designed and used primarily for drawing other vehicles but not for loads other than a part of the weight of the vehicles and load drawn. For the purpose of this article, a truck-tractor equipped with a dromedary unit shall be considered a part of the weight of the vehicle and not a load thereon and a truck-tractor and semitrailer engaged in the transportation of automobiles may transport motor vehicles on part of the power unit;

(xxxiii) "Variable load suspension axle" means an axle that may be adjusted to vary the weight carried by the axle;

(xxxiv) "Vehicle" means a device in, upon or by which any person or property may be transported or drawn upon a highway, except devices moved by human power or used exclusively upon rails or tracks;

(xxxv) "Vehicle combination" means any connected assemblage of a motor vehicle and one (1) or more other vehicles;

(xxxvi) "Width" means the total outside transverse dimension of a vehicle including any load or load-holding devices thereon, but excluding approved safety devices and tire bulge due to load;

(xxxvii) "Motor home" means a motor vehicle designed, constructed and equipped as a dwelling place, living abode or sleeping place, either permanently or temporarily, but excluding a motor vehicle carrying a camper;

(xxxviii) "Recreational vehicle" means as defined in W.S. 31-16-101(a)(xxiii);

(xxxix) "Truck camper" means a portable unit constructed to provide temporary living quarters for recreational, travel or camping use, consisting of a roof, floor and sides, designed to be loaded onto and unloaded from the bed of a pickup truck.