Source: http://delcode.delaware.gov/title21/c045/index.shtml
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 07:16:29+00:00

Document:
§ 4501 Size and weight of vehicles generally.
(1) A truck and trailer.
(2) A truck tractor, semitrailer.
(3) A truck tractor, semitrailer, trailer.
(4) A vehicle string utilizing saddlemount and/or fullmount.
(5) A tow truck and a disabled vehicle or combination of vehicles.
(c) Except as otherwise provided herein, this chapter applies to every vehicle operated upon any road, street or highway within this State. The maximum size and weight of vehicles specified herein by type of highway shall be lawful throughout this State and local authorities may not alter such limitations, except as expressly provided in this chapter.
(d) Any gross weight measurements made to determine compliance with this chapter shall be taken so as to include both the vehicle and load. Any vehicle having a gross weight in excess of that allowable under this chapter or in excess of that for which it is currently registered shall be considered as an "overweight vehicle."
(e) Any linear measurements taken to determine compliance with this chapter shall be taken so as to include the vehicle and any load thereon including any projections of any type, character or nature whatsoever, such as, but not limited to, bumpers, steps, mirrors and hose connections specifically excluding the tongue of a trailer.
a. The live-haul poultry truck must be subject to the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) inspection.
b. The live-haul poultry truck must adhere to all bridge weight limits.
c. The live-haul poultry truck must not use the interstate highway system.
d. The axels on a live-haul poultry truck must be a minimum of 96 inches apart no later than May 8, 2015.
(2) The gross weight of a vehicle equipped with 2 or more axles without power brakes on each rear hub shall not exceed 22,000 pounds and it shall be unlawful to operate such vehicle in excess of 20 miles per hour.
(3) The gross weight of a trailer equipped with metal tires shall not exceed 6,000 pounds.
(4) Any vehicle, otherwise required to be registered pursuant to this title which is not registered and which requires a registration fee that is calculated upon gross weight, shall be assigned a weight allowance equal to the highest legal weight for which that vehicle could be registered for the purpose of enforcement of the weight section of this title.
(1) No passenger vehicle shall carry any load extending beyond the line of the fenders on the left side of such vehicle nor extending more than 6 inches beyond the line of the fender on the right side thereof.
(2) The load upon any vehicle operated alone or the load upon the front vehicle of a combination of vehicles shall not extend more than 3 feet beyond the foremost part of the vehicle; and the load upon any vehicle operated alone or the load upon the rear vehicle of a combination of vehicles shall not extend more than 6 feet beyond the rear of the bed or body of such vehicle. Pilings and/or poles or mill logs, or nursery stock, or rowing shells, or steel beams, pipes, angles, channels and other length or steel, or other metal, or other articles impossible of dismemberment shall not extend more than 10 feet beyond the rear of the bed or body of such vehicle.
(3) A number of motor vehicles may be transported in combination, utilizing saddlemount and/or fullmount mechanisms and utilizing the motive power of 1 of the vehicles in combination, provided such combination of vehicles shall not exceed a length of 65 feet, and provided further that the equipment used in such combinations shall comply with the safety regulations of the United States Department of Transportation.
(4) Except as otherwise indicated herein, the limitations as to length of load stated in this chapter shall not apply to a vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting boats, commonly known as crew or rowing shells for use in interscholastic or intercollegiate rowing contests, provided that such boats shall not exceed 70 feet in length.
(5) Neither the State, any agency or subdivision thereof, nor any person, firm or corporation shall be required to raise, alter, construct or reconstruct any underpass, wire, pole, trestle or other structure to permit passage of any vehicle having a height, including any load thereon, in excess of 12 feet 6 inches. The liability for damage to any person, vehicle, structure or other property caused by any vehicle having a height, including any load thereon, in excess of 12 feet 6 inches shall be borne by the owner and/or the operator of the vehicle.
(1) Fire apparatus owned or used by an organized fire company.
(2) Farm equipment being temporarily operated, moved, or transported on a highway, which shall include farm tractors and other implements of husbandry being temporarily moved or transported by a manufacturer, dealer, business, or commercial transport company.
(3) A vehicle being towed with 1 set of axles free of the roadway surface.
(i) Any vehicle or combination of vehicles, otherwise not in compliance with this chapter, but permitted to be operated within this State by virtue of a special use permit pursuant to this chapter, shall be permitted to travel on such highways as shall be designated within the contents of said permit.
§ 4502 Size and weight of vehicles except on interstate highways and United States numbered routes.
(a) Except as provided in § 4503 of this title, this section sets forth the size and weight restrictions applicable to all roads, streets and highways within this State.
(b)(1) No vehicles, including any load thereon, shall exceed a total outside width of 8 feet 6 inches.
(2) No vehicles, including any load thereon, shall exceed a height of 13 feet 6 inches.
(3) No single motor vehicle, including any load thereon, shall exceed 40 feet in length, and no combination of vehicles, including the load thereon, shall exceed 60 feet in length, except as otherwise provided in this section.
a. A truck and semitrailer combination engaged in the transportation of motor vehicles shall not exceed a length of 65 feet exclusive of the overhang of the transported vehicles.
b. Buses shall not exceed 45 feet in length.
c. Piling and pole trailers and vehicles or combinations or vehicles engaged in the transportation of steel beams, pipes, angles channels and other lengths of steel, or other metals, or other articles impossible of dismemberment shall not exceed 70 feet.
C. A facility for food, fuel, repair, services or rest.
c. No combination of a recreational vehicle with any vehicle, including the load thereon, nor any combination of any motor vehicle with any camping trailer, recreational trailer or park trailer attached thereto, shall exceed 65 feet in length.
(c)(1) A vehicle equipped with 2 axles, having each of the 2 axles equipped with 2 hubs, with a power brake on each hub, shall not exceed a total gross weight of 40,000 pounds or manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating whichever is less.
(2) A vehicle equipped with 3 axles, having each of the 3 axles equipped with 2 hubs, with a power brake on each hub, shall not exceed a total gross weight of 65,000 lbs. or the manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating, whichever is less; notwithstanding the above, and as limited in § 2105 of this title, it shall be lawful to operate such a vehicle to and from any construction site located in this State when the total gross weight does not exceed 70,000 lbs.; and it shall also be lawful to operate such a vehicle containing agricultural products when the gross weight, including vehicle and load, does not exceed 70,000 lbs.; provided that vehicles utilizing the above exception shall pay a fee of $100 per vehicle at the time of registration for this extra weight capacity.
(3) A vehicle equipped with 4 axles, having each of the rear axles equipped with 2 hubs, with a power brake on each rear hub, shall not exceed a total gross weight of 73,280 pounds or manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating whichever is less.
(4) The total gross weight of a combination tractor and semitrailer having a total of 3 axles shall not exceed 60,000 lbs. or combined manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating whichever is less.
(5) The total gross weight of a combination tractor and semitrailer having a total of 4 axles shall not exceed 70,000 lbs. or combined manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating whichever is less.
(7) Except as otherwise provided herein, for single unit vehicles, no axle load shall exceed 22,400 pounds. With respect to any single unit vehicle, the maximum gross weight between any 3 consecutive axles that actually bear weight upon the pavement, and which have wheels spaced between 144 inches and not less than 60 inches apart when measured horizontally between their center lines, shall not exceed 60,000 lbs. With respect to any single unit vehicle, the maximum gross weight between any 2 consecutive axles that actually bear weight upon the pavement, and which have wheels spaced between 96 inches and not less than 40 inches apart when measured horizontally between their center lines, shall not exceed 40,000 pounds. With respect to any single unit vehicle, the maximum combined gross weight between any 2 consecutive axles that actually bear weight upon the pavement, and are less than 40 inches apart when measured horizontally between the center lines, shall not exceed 20,000 pounds. Where the distance between consecutive axle centers exceeds 96 inches, the weight for each such axle shall not exceed 22,400 pounds.
(8) Except as otherwise provided herein, for combination unit vehicles, no axle load shall exceed 22,400 pounds. With respect to any combination unit vehicle, the maximum gross weight between any 2 consecutive axles that actually bear weight upon the pavement and which have wheels spaced between 96 inches and not less than 40 inches apart, measured horizontally between their center lines, shall not exceed 36,000 pounds. Where the distance between consecutive axle centers exceeds 96 inches, the weight for each such axle shall not exceed 22,400 pounds. With respect to any combination vehicle, the maximum combined gross weight between any 2 consecutive axles that actually bear weight upon the pavement, and are less than 40 inches apart when measured horizontally between the center lines, shall not exceed 20,000 pounds.
(9) Farm operations. — Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, the following applies to vehicles registered as (i) farm trucks or (ii) registered commercial motor vehicles that are controlled or operated by a farmer and while used in the operation of a farm. For these vehicles, no single axle load shall exceed 22,400 pounds, and with respect to any vehicle equipped with coupled axles spaced less than 48 inches apart measured horizontally between their center lines, the combined weight on the coupled axles shall not exceed 20,000 pounds and, with respect to a vehicle equipped with coupled axles spaced 48 inches or more apart measured horizontally between their center lines, the combined weight on the coupled axle shall not exceed 40,000 pounds. Furthermore, any farm loaded truck or farm vehicle carrying harvested products or livestock may exceed the weight limits established under this subsection by no more than 3 percent.
(10) Whenever the total gross weight permitted in any provisions of this section exceeds the total gross weight permitted as calculated pursuant to paragraph (c)(7) of this section, paragraph (c)(7) of this section shall be void.
(d) The Secretary of the Delaware Department of Transportation may, on the basis of engineering and/or traffic investigations, determine that any road, street, or highway under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation is not of sufficient width to accommodate vehicles otherwise permitted by this section and may thereafter prohibit vehicles of an otherwise permissible width from operation on such road, street or highway.
§ 4503 Size and weight of vehicles on interstate highways; size of vehicles on United States numbered routes.
(a) No person shall drive or move or, being the owner, cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved on any interstate highway or United States numbered route, unless otherwise posted, any vehicle or combination of vehicles having a size or weight in excess of that permitted by this section. Provided, however, that such weight limitations and restrictions listed in this section apply only to the interstate highway; weight limitations and restrictions for United States numbered routes shall be as listed in § 4502 of this title.
(b)(1) No vehicle, including any load thereon, shall exceed a height of 13 feet, 6 inches.
(2) The maximum length of a semitrailer, including any load thereon, exclusive of truck tractor size shall be 53 feet.
(3) The maximum length of a trailer or semitrailer in a truck tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination, including any load thereon, exclusive of tractor size shall be 29 feet.
(4) Buses shall not exceed 45 feet in length.
(5) Single vehicles including the load thereon shall not exceed 40 feet in length.
(6) No vehicle including any load thereon shall exceed a total outside width of 102 inches, exclusive of safety equipment, which shall not extend more than 3 inches wider on each side of the vehicle, or as shall be authorized by the Delaware Secretary of Public Safety.
(c)(1) Each weight stated in this section shall apply only to interstate highways and is a total gross weight which includes the weight of the vehicle, including load thereon and any enforcement tolerance applicable thereto.
(2) It shall be unlawful for the gross weight on any 1 axle to exceed 20,000 pounds.
(3) It shall be unlawful for the gross weight on any tandem or coupled axles to exceed 34,000 pounds.
2 axles — 40,000 lbs.
3 axles — 54,000 lbs.
4 axles — 74,000 lbs.
5 axles — 80,000 lbs.
For purposes of this subsection, W equals overall gross weight on any group of 2 or more consecutive axles to the nearest 500 pounds, L equals the distance in feet between the extreme of any group of 2 or more consecutive axles, and N equals the number of axles in the group under consideration except that 2 consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 34,000 pounds each, whenever the overall distance between the first and last axle of the consecutive sets is 36 feet or more.
(d) The Delaware Secretary of Transportation may, on the basis of engineering and traffic investigations, determine that certain interstate and United States numbered routes cannot accommodate vehicles, otherwise permitted under this section, and may thereafter prohibit operation of such vehicles on the interstate and United States numbered routes so designated.
(2) Farm equipment being temporarily operated, moved or transported on a highway. This provision only applies to farmers engaged in their agricultural related practices.
(f) Any vehicle subject to this subpart that utilizes an auxiliary power or idle reduction technology unit in order to promote reduction of fuel use and emissions because of engine idling, may be allowed up to an additional 400 lbs. total in gross, axle, tandem, or bridge formula weight limits.
b. By demonstration or certification, that the idle reduction technology is fully functional.
(2) Certification of the weight of the APU must be available to law-enforcement officers if the vehicle is found in violation of applicable weight laws. The additional weight allowed cannot exceed 400 lbs. or the weight certified, whichever is less.
§ 4504 Regulations; fees; permits for excessive size and weights.
(a) The Secretary of Transportation may adopt such regulations, issue permits and may impose such fees as the Secretary may deem reasonable to implement the requirements of this chapter. The fee for permits issued pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of this section for vehicles operating on any interstate highway within this State shall be $1.00 per single trip permit.
(b)(1) The Secretary of Transportation is hereby authorized to adopt rules and regulations, to establish and set fees and to adopt procedures for the issuance of permits for the movement of vehicles and/or loads of a size and weight exceeding the maximum specified in this chapter.
(2) Local authorities may adopt regulations under which permits may be granted for the movement of vehicles and/or loads of a size and weight exceeding the maximum specified in this chapter over any highway for which the local authority has the sole maintenance responsibility.
(3) Every permit granted shall be in writing and shall contain a description of the vehicle and load, a statement of the fee levied and the name of the authorized officer of the granting authority. It may designate the route and certain restrictions, rules, conditions and regulations as deemed necessary.
(4) Permits may be obtained only for vehicles or trailers complying with this title.
(5) A permit obtained pursuant to this section shall relieve no person of the obligation to comply with all laws, rules and regulations otherwise applicable.
(c)(1) Single trip permits shall be issued for single trips from the designated starting point to the designated terminal point. Intermediate stopping points and round trips are not permitted.
(2) Multi-trip permits shall be issued for the period from the first day of the month to the first day of the following month. Each permit shall be valid as authorized herein; it shall not be transferable.
a. Utility companies may be issued a permit for piling and pole trailers. Each permit may be valid for up to 4 trailers at the time of issue.
b. Utility companies and governmental agencies may be issued a permit for a manned and/or unmanned aerial type single motor vehicle up to 50 feet long. Each permit shall be valid for an individual vehicle only.
c. Pole and piling haulers may be issued a permit for piling and pole movements. Each permit shall be valid for an individual tractor only.
d. A specific route permit may be issued to owners or renters of double-bottom vehicles weighing not more than 80,000 lbs. with a width of not more than 102 inches. Each permit shall be for a single route between 2 specific points. Such permit shall not be vehicle specific; it is route specific.
e. Permits shall not be issued under paragraph (c)(2)d. of this section for any route which has a posted speed limit over 30 m.p.h. and has travel lanes less than 11 feet wide as measured from face of curb or edge of travelway.
f. Multi-trip permits shall not be issued for any purpose not specifically authorized in paragraph (c)(2)a., b., c. or d. of this section.
(d) Notwithstanding any provision or regulation to the contrary, all operators of self-propelled cranes, as defined in § 101 of this title, shall be allowed to apply for and receive a 1-year blanket permit allowing unlimited moves of said self-propelled crane. These blanket permits can be renewed each year. For purposes of this subsection, a "blanket permit" is an unlimited movement permit for each self-propelled crane owned by an applicant. Said permit shall be issued per the rules and regulations adopted by the Department of Transportation.
(e)(1) Every permit shall be carried in the vehicle to which it refers during the movement it authorizes and it shall be open to inspection by any police officer.
(2) Copies of multi-trip permits issued to utility companies may be carried by their vehicles in lieu of the original.
(3) Copies of multi-trip permits issued for bus operation may be carried in the buses in lieu of the original.
(4) Copies of multi-trip permits issued for the movement of double-bottom vehicles may be carried in the vehicle in lieu of the original or they may be posted at the destination point of the route or they may be retained at the nearest office of the permittee.
(f)(1) No person shall fail to provide accurate information concerning the granting of a permit.
(2) No person shall violate any of the terms, conditions, restrictions, rules or regulations published in the policy or stated on the permit. A violation of any of the terms and conditions set forth in such permit shall render the permit null and void.
(3) Any permit obtained on the basis of false or misleading data is null and void. Any fee levied for it shall not be returned or transferred.
(4) Any permit which shall be rendered null and void for whatever reason shall subject the violator to such punishment as shall be permitted by law for persons not having obtained permits in the first instance.
(g) The revenue from the fees imposed pursuant to this section shall be deposited no later than the close of the next business day following such receipt, to the credit of the Transportation Trust Fund, established pursuant to Chapter 14 of Title 2, as amended.
§ 4505 Traffic control devices.
(1) Traffic control devices may be erected on any highway establishing the maximum permitted weight of any vehicle including load that may be driven thereover.
(2) Traffic control devices may be erected on any highway prohibiting the operation of trucks or other commercial vehicles thereover.
(a) Any police officer, having reason to believe that the weight of a vehicle and load is unlawful, or during the course of a routine check of all applicable vehicles, may weigh said vehicle by means of a portable or stationary scale and/or may require that such vehicle be driven to a designated scale location and be weighed. The officer may then require the driver to unload immediately such portion of the load as is necessary to decrease the gross weight of such vehicle to the maximum specified in this chapter or for which it is registered, whichever is the lesser weight. All such materials shall be unloaded and cared for by the owner or operator of the vehicle at the risk and expense of such owner or operator. All farm vehicles and trucks are exempted from this subsection while engaged in farming operations except live-haul poultry trucks shall not be exempted from this section.
(b) It shall be unlawful for an owner or operator to fail to remove from the deposit area by a time specified by the officer any such material that has been unloaded. An owner or operator, or both, found to be in violation of this section shall be punished as provided in § 4508 of this title.
(4) Deliberately destroy or damage traffic control devices or weighing equipment erected or established to enforce this chapter.
(d)(1) A summons in appropriate form to be adopted by the Department of Safety and Homeland Security may be attached to an unattended vehicle found to be in violation of § 4508 of this title by any police officer authorized to arrest for violations of this title, in lieu of arrest of the operator of such vehicle.
(2) If the identity of the operator of an unattended vehicle is not otherwise apparent, it shall be prima facie evidence that the person in whose name the vehicle is registered as the owner is responsible for such violation.
(e) Any remedy or penalty imposed pursuant to this section shall not relieve the owner or operator of any requirement or penalty otherwise imposed by operation of law or pursuant to this chapter.
§ 4507 Weighing equipment and procedures.
(a) The Secretary of Safety and Homeland Security may adopt such regulations and procedures as may be necessary to implement this section and to select such equipment as may be necessary for law-enforcement weighing purposes.
(c) The tolerance or permissible error from true value for weighing devices utilized for law-enforcement purposes shall be those which have been adopted by the Division of Standards and Inspection of the State Department of Agriculture.
(1) A first offense shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $28.75 nor more than $230 or by a term of imprisonment of not more than 30 days or both.
(2) A subsequent like offense shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $115 nor more than $575 or by a term of imprisonment of not more than 60 days or both.
(1) A first offense shall be punishable by a fine for all excess weight up to and including 5,000 pounds in the amount of 2.3 cents per pound and a fine for all excess weight over 5,000 pounds in the amount of 5.75 cents per pound or by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days or both.
(2) Each subsequent offense shall be punishable by a fine for all excess weight up to and including 5,000 pounds in the amount of 5.75 cents per pound and a fine for all excess weight over 5,000 pounds in the amount of 11.5 cents per pound or by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 60 days or both.
(c) For purposes of this section a first offense shall be defined as one not previously committed by the person charged within the previous 24 months prior to the date of the offense. A subsequent like offense shall be deemed to have occurred if the person charged has previously been convicted or charged and subsequently convicted of the same offense within the previous 24 months prior to the date of this offense.
(a) Justices of the peace shall have original jurisdiction to hear, try and finally determine alleged violations of this chapter. Upon a finding of guilt, such justice of the peace may impose such penalties or combination of penalties as are permitted by this chapter. Upon application of the State or defendant, in accordance with the rules of the applicable court, the matter may be removed to the Court of Common Pleas for determination. All other rules of the courts of Delaware shall apply. The justice of the peace may require any or all defendants to post a bond in an amount sufficient to guarantee payment of all potential fines and costs which may be required to be paid should a judgment of guilt be determined as to each such defendant or which shall be forfeit in the event the defendant fails to appear for a scheduled Court appearance. In the event, a bond shall be posted in an amount sufficient to cover the minimum potential fine and costs which may be imposed, upon the adjudication of guilt.
(1) Any such bond shall be made payable to the court upon demand in the event the defendant fails to appear for a scheduled court appearance or upon default on the judgment against the defendant.
(2) Upon forfeiture of the bond to the court such bond shall be made payable to the State upon expiration of the appropriate appeal period.
(3) Upon adjudication of guilt and payment of such fines and costs as may be imposed by the court or upon a finding of not guilty and expiration of the appropriate appeal period, such bond shall be returned to the defendant(s).
(b) In the event either party applies to have the matter removed to the Court of Common Pleas, as provided herein, any bond imposed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be reissued in the name of the appropriate court. All other provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall apply.
(c) In the event either party appeals, such bond(s) issued pursuant to this section shall remain in full force and effect until such time as the matter has finally been resolved.
§ 4510 Conflict with federal requirements.
(a) Any conflict between a provision of this chapter and any federal law or implementing regulation, such provision of this chapter shall be void and of no force and effect and unenforceable. Any such provision of this chapter declared to be inoperable, as provided herein, shall be brought to the attention of the next session of the General Assembly and shall not, in any event, serve to invalidate any other provision of this chapter.
(b) Any other provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, a vehicle or combination of vehicles having a weight in excess of that permitted by § 4503 of this title lawfully may be operated on any interstate highway or United States numbered route if such vehicle or combination of vehicles has been issued a permit for that purpose pursuant to § 4504 of this title. Regarding such permits issued pursuant to § 4504(c)(1) of this title, the State has determined that vehicles bearing such permits could be lawfully operated within this State on July 1, 1956.
§ 4511 Removal of disabled or abandoned trucks and trailers from highways.
A tow truck or wrecker may, without regard to the limitations of the length, weight or width as specified in this chapter, tow disabled or abandoned truck, trucks and trailers, or truck and semitrailers from highways to a point where such disabled or abandoned vehicle can be repaired or stored.
§ 4512 Oversized motor vehicle and trailer parking.
(2) A motor vehicle the length of which is greater than 276 inches or the width of which is over 96 inches or the height of which is over 120 inches or the gross vehicle weight of which exceeds 10,000 pounds, as such weight has been registered and recorded with the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (or as recorded with any other state's Department of Motor Vehicles).
(1) Any motor vehicle parked on a highway within a residence district in conjunction with ongoing legal service or work being performed in relation to a residence or business contained therein. Notwithstanding the above, the motor vehicle may remain parked within such residence district only for the time necessary to complete such work or service. This exemption shall only apply if such motor vehicle is parked immediately and entirely adjoining the property of the residence or business, being serviced. Examples of such motor vehicles include, but are not limited to, delivery trucks, limousine services, and moving trucks.
c. By a municipality or municipal electric company or by others working on their behalf.
(2) Unless the exemptions otherwise applicable to motor vehicles in subsection (b) of this section apply.
(d) This section shall apply to only New Castle County.

References: § 4502
 § 4503
 § 2105

§ 4503
 § 4502

§ 4504
 § 101

§ 4505
 § 4508
 § 4508

§ 4507

§ 4510
 § 4503
 § 4504
 § 4504

§ 4511

§ 4512