An Act Concerning Commercial Vehicles at Canadian Weight Limits Traveling to Certain Points in the State
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0554
Committee Amendment CA_A_H85 (House)
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2354-E

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 378, L.D. 554, Bill, "An Act 
Concerning Commercial Vehicles at Canadian Weight Limits Traveling to Certain Points 
in the State" 
Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the enacting clause 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 forest 
products industries for employment opportunities and economic development 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, this legislation must take effect before the expiration of the 90-day period 
in order to avoid damage to 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,' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in paragraph A in the next to the last line (page 1, line 12 
in L.D.) by striking out the following: "Bridge Street" and inserting the following: 
'Briage Street Acadian Way' 
Amend the bill in section 1 in paragraph A in the last line (page 1, line 13 in L.D.) by 
striking out the following: "1 112" and inserting the following: '~2' 
Amend the bill in section 2 in paragraph B in subparagraph (1) in the last line (page 
1, line 21 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "aRti" and inserting the following: 'and' 
Amend the bill in section 2 in paragraph B in subparagraph (2) in the last line (page 
1, line 25 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "semitrailer7; and" and inserting the 
following: 'semitrailer.' 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "fJ,." to H.P. 378, L.D. 554 
Amend the bill in section 2 in paragraph B by striking out all of subparagraph (3) 
(page 1, lines 26 to 30 in L.D.) 
Amend the bill in section 2 in paragraph C by striking out all of the last 2 lines (page 
1, lines 34 and 35 in L.D.) and inserting the following: 'meters.' 
Amend the bill by adding after section 2 the following: 
'Sec. 3. 29-A MRS A §2354-D, sub-§l, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 565, §2, is 
amended to read: 
1. 
Commissioner may allow certain commercial motor vehicles that exceed 
weight limits and vehicle dimension standards. 
Except for B train double 
configurations as defined in section 2354 C, subsection 2, the The Commissioner of 
Transportation, in consultation with the Department of Public Safety and the Department 
of the Secretary of State, may allow a specified commercial motor vehicle configuration 
with any number of axles that would otherwise be in violation of the provisions in this 
chapter regarding operational weight limits, gross vehicle weights, axle weights, tire 
weights or vehicle dimensions to operate on a specified route of travel over public ways 
if: 
A. 
The department receives a proposal from an entity seeking an allowance to 
operate a specified commercial motor vehicle configuration pursuant to this 
subsection on a specified route of travel; 
B. The chief engineer of the department, as appointed in accordance with Title 23, 
section 201, finds the proposed configuration and weight can be safely operated on 
the proposed route of travel. In making this finding, the chief engineer may consider 
available manufacturer's ratings for gross vehicle weight, axle capacity, brake 
systems and other components. The chief engineer may place such restrictions on 
operations as are necessary to ensure public safety; 
C. The chief engineer of the department, as appointed in accordance with Title 23, 
section 201, finds that the public ways and bridge infrastructure affected by the 
proposed route of travel can withstand, or can be improved and maintained to 
withstand, the proposed configuration and weight. The improvements necessary may 
include initial capital improvements and future maintenance or capital improvements; 
and 
D. The department receives satisfactory assurance that at least 50% of the cost of any 
infrastructure assessment and at least 50% of the cost for any infrastructure 
improvements determined necessary pursuant to paragraph C will be provided by the 
entity seeking the allowance. The department may provide the balance of funding, if 
feasible. 
Sec. 4. 29-A MRSA §2354-E is enacted to read: 
§2354-E. Allow certain commercial vehicles with 7-axle configuration 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 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "An to H.P. 378, L.D. 554 
vehicles at Canadian gross vehicle weight limits to travel from the United States-Canada 
border in Calais to BaileYVille 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 I to Access Road in BaileyVille, east on Access Road to 
Woodland Pulp LLC mill or its successor on Main Street and north on Main Street to 
the former oriented strand board facility in Baileyville. 
B. The allowable truck configuration is limited to a 3-axle truck tractor with a 4-axle 
semitrailer at a gross vehicle weight of 113,800 pounds. The individual weight 
distribution maximum limits are as follows: for the steering axle, 12,375 pounds; for 
the drive axles, 40,500 pounds; and for the semitrailer axles, 72,000 pounds, but in no 
case may the total of these values exceed 113,800 pounds. 
C. Maine axle weight limits, axle group limits, commodity allowances, maximum 
dimensions and all other commercial vehicle limits and requirements apply, and the 
4-axle semitrailer length limit must be not greater than 53.15 feet, or 16.2 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. 
2. 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 subsection are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
3. Revocation of privileges. 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. 
4. Repeal. This section is repealed January 1, 2018. 
Sec. 5. Monitor; report. The Department of Transportation shall monitor and 
evaluate the effects of the allowance under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, 
section 2354-E on road conditions. The Commissioner of Transportation shall submit an 
initial report to the Joint Standing Committee on Transportation for presentation to the 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters to the First 
Regular Session of the 128th Legislature. 
The reports must include any findings 
regarding the effects on road conditions and recommendations for continuance, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to H.P. 378, L.D. 554 
discontinuance or modification of the allowance under Title 29-A, section 2354-E. The 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters 
may submit a bill relating to the subject matter of the final report to the First Regular 
Session of the 128th Legislature. 
Sec. 6. Contingent effective date. That section of this Act that enacts the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 29-A, section 2354-E does not take effect unless the chief 
engineer of the Department of Transportation, as appointed in accordance with Title 23, 
section 201, conducts an analysis and determines that commercial vehicles of the 
proposed configuration and weight can be safely operated on the proposed route of travel. 
The Commissioner of Transportation shall notify the Secretary of Senate, the Clerk of the 
House of Representatives and the Revisor of Statutes when the chief engineer of the 
Department of Transportation has made the determination under this section. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment changes the bill by removing language allowing 3-axle truck 
tractors with 4-axle semitrailers of no more than 122,380 pounds total to travel from the 
United States-Canada border in Calais, Madawaska and Van Buren to certain points 
within the State. 
The amendment allows certain commercial vehicles with a 7-axle configuration to 
travel from the United States-Canada border in Calais to Woodland Pulp LLC mill or its 
successor and the former oriented strand board facility in Baileyville. The amendment 
provides that this allowance does not take effect unless the chief engineer of the 
Department of Transportation conducts an analysis and determines that commercial 
vehicles of the proposed configuration and weight can be safely operated on the proposed 
routes of travel. 
The amendment repeals the allowance on January 1, 2018. 
The 
amendment requires the Department of Transportation to monitor and evaluate the effects 
of this allowance on road conditions and to report to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over transportation matters during the Second Regular 
Session of the 127th Legislature and the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature. 
The amendment provides that the joint standing committee has authority to submit a bill 
during the First Regular Session of the 128th Legislature regarding the subject matter of 
the report. The amendment adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause to the 
bill. 
The amendment revises the authorized route of travel in the Town of Van Buren in 
the current law allowing certain commercial vehicles at Canadian weight limits to travel 
from the United States-Canada border to certain points in the State. 
Current law authorizes the Department of Transportation to adopt rules, in 
consultation with the Department of Public Safety and the Department of the Secretary of 
State, that allow certain commercial motor vehicles that exceed gross vehicle weight 
limits and vehicle dimension standards established in statute to travel upon designated 
routes. 
The amendment repeals the exclusion from the commercial motor vehicle 
configurations that may be allowed to operate on specified routes of travel by the 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 378, L.D. 554 
Commissioner of Transportation truck tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer combination 
vehicles in which the 2 trailing units are connected with a B-train assembly. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/21115 
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LD554 
LR 1703(02) 
An Act Concerning Commercial Vehicles at Canadian Weight Limits Traveling to Certain Points in 
the State 
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Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '~' elf - ~ 5) 
Committee: Transportation 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential current biennium cost increase - Highway Fund 
Potential current biennium cost increase - Federal Expenditures Fund 
Potential current biennium revenue increase - Other Special Revenue Funds 
Minor savings - General Fund 
Minor revenue increase - General Fund 
Correctional and Judicial Impact Statements 
Eliminates traffic infractions. 
A reduction in fines will decrease General Fund revenue by minor amounts. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Allowing certain commercial vehicles with a 7-axle configuration to travel at a gross vehicle weight of 113,800 
pounds could result in damage to the infrastructure leading to an increase in costs for repairing the affected road or 
bridge. Any truck allowed to exceed gross vehicle weight limits would need to obtain a credential from the Secretary 
of State. The Commissioner of Transportation would determine the fee by rule and it would be set to cover 
administrative costs, compliance monitoring and the additional cost of highway damage resulting from this allowance. 
LR1703(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1