An Act To Make Permanent the Allowance of Certain Commercial Vehicles between the Calais Border Crossing and Baileyville
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1355
Committee Amendment CA_A_S192 (Senate)
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2354-B, 29-A MRSA §2354-C

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 490, L.D. 1355, Bill, "An Act To Make 
Permanent the Allowance of Certain Commercial Vehicles between the Calais Border 
Crossing and Baileyville" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Make Permanent the Allowance of Certain Commercial Vehicles 
between the United States-Canada Border and Certain Points in Maine' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergenCies; and 
Whereas, rural communities in the State are particularly dependent upon its forest 
products industries for employment opportunities and, given the current economic 
climate, the State's lumber and pulp and paper mills are struggling to continue their 
operations and to keep people employed; and 
Whereas, it is important to avoid compromising the State's transportation 
infrastructure; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 29-A MRSA §2354-B, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 421, §1 and 
affected by §2, is amended to read: 
5. Repeal. This section is repealed December 31, ;w.w 2009. 
Sec. 2. 29-A MRSA §2354-C is enacted to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITIEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 490, L.D. 1355 
§2354-C. Allow certain commercial vehicles at Canadian weight limits to travel 
from the United States-Canada border to certain points in the State 
1. 
Canadian gross vehicle weight limits. 
Notwithstanding section 2354, the 
Commissioner of Transportation, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety 
and the Department of the Secretary of State, is authorized to allow certain commercial 
vehicles at Canadian gross vehicle weight limits to travel from the United States-Canada 
border at Calais to Baileyville, from the United States-Canada border at Madawaska to a 
paper mill at Madawaska and from the United States-Canada border at Van Buren to a 
rail yard in Van Buren. Vehicles are allowed to travel from the United States-Canada 
border under the following conditions. 
A. The only allowable routes of travel are from the United States-Canada border in 
Calais north on U.S. Route 1 to Access Road in Baileyville, east on Access Road to 
Domtar Woodland Mill or its successor on Main Street and north on Main Street to 
the Louisiana-Pacific Oriented Strand Board inill or its successor in Baileyville; from 
the United States-Canada border in Madawaska then directly north or south into the 
Fraser Papers facility or its successor in Madawaska or up Bridge Street to Mill Street 
in Madawaska in order to reverse direction; and from the United States-Canada 
border in Van Buren on Bridge Street, east into the rail yard in Van Buren, located 
approximately 2/1 0 of one mile from the border. 
B. Allowable truck configuration is limited to: 
(1) A 3-axle truck tractor with a 3-axle semitrailer at a gross vehicle weight of 
108,900 pounds; and 
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(2) A 3-axle truck tractor with a semitrailer-semitrailer combination, configured"l 
as a B-train double with 8 axles total, at a gross vehicle weight of 137,700 
... / 
pounds. The weight of the 2nd semitrailer may not exceed the weight of the first 
semitrailer. 
C. Maine axle weight limits, axle group limits, commodity allowances, maximum 
dimensions and all other commercial vehicle limits and requirements apply, except 
that the B-train double overall length limit must be 82.02 feet, or 25 meters. 
D. The manufacturer's ratings for gross vehicle weight, axle capacity, brake systems 
and other components for which a manufacturer's rating is available may not be 
exceeded. 
E. . Each truck combination allowed under this section must display a credential 
obtained for a fee from the Secretary of State. The fee must be established by the 
Commissioner of Transportation in an amount to cover related administrative costs, 
compliance monitoring and the additional cost of highway damage resulting from the 
allowance under this section calculated using accepted engineering practices. 
F. The Commissioner of Transportation may revoke the privileges of operation under 
this section of trucks and trucking companies for cause, including repeatedly 
exceeding size and weight limits or operating outside the designated route of travel. 
Revocation by the Commissioner of Transportation is considered a final agency 
action. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to S,P, 490, L.~. 1355 
2. Definition. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, "B-
train double" means a truck tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer combination vehicle in which 
the 2 trailing units are connected with a B-train assembly. The B-train assembly is a rigid 
frame extension attached to the rear frame of a first semitrailer that allows for a 5th wheel 
connection point for a 2nd semitrailer. This combination has one less articulation point 
than the conventional A-dolly-connected truck tractor-semitrailer-trailer combination. 
_ 3. Overlimit movement permits. As provided in section 2382, the Secretary of 
State, acting under guidelines and advice of the Commissioner of Transportation, may 
grant permits to commercial vehicles at Canadian gross vehicle weight limits operating 
under the requirements of this section. 
The Secretary of State shall adopt rules to 
implement this section in· consultation with the Department of Transportation and the 
Department of Public Safety. 
Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
4. Monitor; report. The Department of Transportation shall monitor and evaluate 
the effects of the allowance under this section on road conditions. The Commissioner of 
Transportation shall submit ail initial report to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters for presentation to the Second 
Regular Session of the 126th Legislature and a final report to the First Regular Session of 
the 129th LegislatUre. The report must include any findings regarding the effects on road 
conditions and recommendations for continuance, discontinuance or modification of the 
allowance under this section. 
Sec. 3. Rulemaking; emergency rulemaking authority. No later than July 1, 
2009, the Secretary of State in consultation with the Department of Transportation and 
the Department of Public Safety shall adopt rules to implement this Act. The Secretary of 
State is authorized to adopt rules on an emergency basis under the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 5, sections 8054 and 8073 in order to implement those provisions of the 
Act over which the department has subject matter jurisdiction to avoid a threat to public 
health, safety or g~neral welfare. 
Emergency . clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
S~Y 
The bill makes permanent the allowance of commercial vehicles at Canadian weight 
limits to travel from the United States-Canada border at Calais to Baileyville and from the 
United States-Canada border at Van Buren to a rail yard in Van Buren. 
This amendment extends the allowance to commercial vehicles at Canadian weight 
limits to travel from the United States-Canada border at Madawaska to the Fraser Papers 
facility or its successor in Madawaska. 
The amendment gives the Secretary of State rulemaking authority to implement these 
provisions and directs the Secretary of State to adopt rules no later tllan July 1,2009. 
The amendment directs the Department of Transportation to monitor and evaluate the 
effects of the allowance on road conditions and t() report to the joint standing committee 
of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters with an initial report to 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 490, LD. 1355 
the Second Regular Session of the 126th Legislature and a final report to the First 
Regular Session of the 129th Legislature. 
The amendment also adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause to the bill. 
]fJISCAL .\ 0 T r n UJ II RED. 
i.~ee attached) 
COMMI 
EE AMENDMENT 
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Approved: 05/19/09 ,;:?;pac:.. 
LD 1355 
LR991(02) 
An Act To Make Permanent the Allowance of Certain Commercial Vehicles between the Calais Border 
Crossing and Baileyville 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Highway Fund 
Minor revenue decrease - Highway Fund 
Minor savings - General Fund 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Decreases the number of vehicle weight violations. 
A reduction in fmes will decrease Highway Fund revenue by minor amounts. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Department of Transportation associated with monitoring and evaluating the impacts of the 
weight allowance on road conditions and reporting the results can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
Additional costs to the Secretary of State associated with rulemaking can be absorbed within existing budgeted 
resources. 
LR0991(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I