Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2013

To amend title 23, United States Code, with respect to vehicle weight limitations applicable to the Interstate System, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2013 2. Modernized weight limitations for certain vehicles Section 127 (j) Additional exception to weight requirements (1) In general Notwithstanding subsection (a), a State may authorize a vehicle with a maximum gross weight, including all enforcement tolerances, that exceeds the maximum gross weight otherwise applicable under subsection (a) to operate on the Interstate System routes in the State, if— (A) the vehicle is equipped with at least 6 axles; (B) the weight of any single axle on the vehicle does not exceed 20,000 pounds, including enforcement tolerances; (C) the weight of any tandem axle on the vehicle does not exceed 34,000 pounds, including enforcement tolerances; (D) the weight of any group of 3 or more axles on the vehicle does not exceed 51,000 pounds, including enforcement tolerances; and (E) the gross weight of the vehicle does not exceed 97,000 pounds, including enforcement tolerances. (2) Special Rules (A) Other exceptions not affected This subsection shall not restrict— (i) a vehicle that may operate under any other provision of this section or another Federal law; or (ii) a State’s authority with respect to a vehicle that may operate under any other provision of this section or another Federal law. (B) Increase in axle weight requirement A State may authorize a vehicle to exceed the maximum axle weight requirements under any one axle grouping in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D) of paragraph (1) by not more than 2,000 pounds. (3) State authorization A State seeking to authorize a vehicle to operate on the Interstate System routes within its boundaries under paragraph (1) or to increase the maximum axle weight requirements under paragraph (2) shall do so pursuant to authority provided under the laws of the State. (4) Reporting requirements (A) Annual report If a State authorizes vehicles described in paragraph (1) to operate on highway routes in the State in a fiscal year, the State shall submit to the Secretary for the fiscal year an annual report at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including, at a minimum, the following: (i) An identification of highway routes in the State, including routes not on the Interstate System, on which the State authorizes vehicles described in paragraph (1) to operate. (ii) A description of the operating requirements and gross vehicle weight limits applicable to the vehicles described in paragraph (1). (iii) Safety statistics, including estimated vehicle miles traveled data, concerning the vehicles described in paragraph (1). (B) Public availability The Secretary shall make all information required under subparagraph (A) available to the public. (5) Termination The Secretary may terminate the operation of vehicles authorized under this subsection on a specific Interstate System route segment if the Secretary determines that such operation poses an unreasonable safety risk based on an engineering analysis or an analysis of safety data or any other applicable data the Secretary may use. (6) Waiver of highway funding reduction Notwithstanding subsection (a), the total amount of funds apportioned to a State under section 104(b)(1) for any period may not be reduced under subsection (a) if the State authorizes a vehicle described in paragraph (1) to operate on the Interstate System in the State in accordance with this subsection or subsection (k). (k) Vehicles lawfully operating on December 31, 2012 In addition to authority otherwise provided to a State under this section, a State may permit a vehicle with a gross vehicle weight that could have been lawfully operated on the Interstate System in the State on December 31, 2012, to operate on the Interstate System in that State upon the date of enactment of this subsection. . 3. Safe and efficient vehicle bridge infrastructure improvement program (a) In general Chapter 1 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 171. Safe and efficient vehicle bridge infrastructure improvement program (a) Establishment The Secretary shall establish a safe and efficient vehicle bridge infrastructure improvement program in accordance with this section. (b) Apportionment of funds to eligible States (1) In general On October 1 of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall apportion, in accordance with paragraph (2), the sums made available out of the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund for that fiscal year to carry out this section. (2) Ratio to eligible States The sums made available out of the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund shall be apportioned among eligible States in a ratio that— (A) the total vehicle miles traveled on Interstate System highways by vehicles authorized to travel on such highways pursuant to section 127(j) in each eligible State, as determined by the Secretary; bears to (B) the total vehicle miles traveled on Interstate System highways by vehicles authorized to travel on such highways pursuant to section 127(j) in all eligible States, as determined by the Secretary. (c) Eligible Projects An eligible State that receives an apportionment in a fiscal year under subsection (b) shall use the amounts of the apportionment for bridge projects eligible for assistance under this chapter that are located on the Interstate System. (d) Contract Authority Funds made available out of the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund to carry out this section shall be available for obligation in the same manner as if the funds were made available from the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account). (e) Eligible State defined In this section, the term eligible State . (b) Clerical amendment The analysis for such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following: 171. Safe and efficient vehicle bridge infrastructure improvement program. . 4. Safe and efficient vehicle charges (a) In general Subsection (a) of section 4481 In the case of the use of any highway motor vehicle described in section 127(j) of title 23, United States Code, if that vehicle is used on the Interstate System with a gross weight in excess of 80,000 pounds, in lieu of the rate in the table, the rate shall be equal to the lesser of— (1) $100 per year, plus $22 for each 1,000 pounds (or fraction thereof) in excess of 55,000 pounds, or (2) $800 per year. . (b) Effective date The amendment made by this section shall apply to taxable periods beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act. 5. Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund (a) In general Subchapter A of chapter 98 9512. Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund (a) Creation of fund There is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States a fund to be known as the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund (1) appropriated to the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund as provided in this section, or (2) credited to the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund as provided in section 9602(b). (b) Transfer to Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund of amounts equivalent to certain taxes There are hereby appropriated to the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund amounts equivalent to the taxes received in the Treasury under section 4481(a) which are attributable to the use of any highway motor vehicle described in section 127(j) of title 23, United States Code, if that vehicle is used on the Interstate System with a gross weight in excess of 80,000 pounds. (c) Expenditures from Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund Amounts in the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund shall be available, as provided by appropriations Acts, for fiscal years beginning 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section for projects eligible for assistance under section 171(c) . (b) Conforming amendments (1) Paragraph (1) of section 9503(b) of such Code is amended by striking the period at the end and inserting , and taxes received under section 4481 shall be determined without regard to those received in the Treasury under section 4481(a) which are attributable to the use of any highway motor vehicle described in section 127(j) of title 23, United States Code, if that vehicle is used on the Interstate System with a gross weight in excess of 80,000 pounds. (2) The table of sections for subchapter A of chapter 98 of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following: Sec. 9512. Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund. . (c) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act.

Summary: Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2013 - Allows a state to authorize a vehicle with a maximum gross weight (including enforcement tolerances) exceeding certain federal weight limitations to operate on Interstate Highway System (IHS) routes in the state if: (1) the vehicle is equipped with at least six axles, (2) the weight of any single axle does not exceed 20,000 pounds, (3) the weight of any tandem axle does not exceed 34,000 pounds, (4) the weight of any group of 3 or more axles does not exceed 51,000 pounds, and (5) the gross weight of the vehicle does not exceed 97,000 pounds. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a safe and efficient vehicle bridge infrastructure improvement program. Requires the Secretary to apportion amounts from the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund to states for eligible bridge replacement or rehabilitation projects. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) impose a tax on any vehicles that exceed federal weight limitations (gross vehicle weight in excess of 80,000 pounds) operating on the IHS, and (2) establish the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund.