Texas lawmakers file bills covering truck rules

Work has started at the Texas Legislature, with lawmakers prefiling bills for consideration during the upcoming regular session. Among the topics of filed legislation are truck rules.

One House bill addresses certain vehicles with shifting loads, particularly those used to haul aggregate material.

A bill analysis states that affected trucks violate current single and tandem axle weight limits and may be ticketed for that violation despite being under the overall gross weight limit.

Sponsored by Rep. Ryan Guillen, R-Rio Grande City, HB283 seeks to address the issue by allowing a vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting aggregates to operate at a maximum axle weight that is not heavier than 20,000 pounds for a single axle or 34,000 pounds for a tandem axle. A tolerance allowance of 15% of that allowable weight would be permitted, provided that the maximum gross weight does not exceed 80,000 pounds.

The truck bill defines aggregates as “any commonly recognized construction material originating from an aggregate production operation from which an operator extracts dimension stone, crushed and broken limestone, crushed and broken granite, crushed and broken stone not elsewhere classified, construction sand and gravel, industrial sand, dirt, soil or caliche.”

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles reported that the rule revision would result in 23,000 fewer over-axle/over-gross-weight-tolerance permits being issued annually.

Currently, applicable fees for each overweight permit include a $95 base fee, a $5 administrative fee and a variable fee ranging from $175 to $1,000 that is based on the number of counties in which the permitted vehicle will operate.

Based on analysis provided by the state DMV and the Texas Comptroller’s office, bill passage would result in a loss of about $37.7 million to affected counties over five years.

Advocates have said that allowing vehicles that transport aggregate material a tolerance allowance could enable these vehicles to avoid ticketing and fees, which could increase business productivity.

HB283 awaits assignment to committee for the session that begins Jan. 14, 2025. The Senate version is SB70.

Truck enforcement

Another bill covers local police enforcement of commercial vehicle safety standards.

Currently, the Texas Department of Public Safety is solely responsible for enforcing overweight rules. Certain exceptions are made for more than 70 select counties and cities that include Austin and Kyle. Overweight fines range from $100 to $10,000, depending on how many pounds a truck is overweight.

Sponsored by Rep. Cody Vasut, R-Angleton, HB469 would permit truck enforcement in the city of Brazoria. This city is south of Houston along state Highway 36.

The bill awaits assignment to a House committee.

In recent years, state lawmakers have approved permitting more and more local police departments in counties and cities throughout the state authority to enforce truck rules.

During the last regular session, local police departments in Orange County, the sheriff’s department in Waller County and the city of Bulverde’s police department were granted authority to enforce truck rules. LL

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