K.S.A. Chapter 8 Article 19

Uniform Act Regulating Traffic

Size, Weight and Load of Vehicles

Current through End of 2007 Legislative Session

8-1901         Criminal penalties for violation of size and weight laws; exceptions.

8-1902         Width of vehicles and loads thereon.

8-1903         Loads on passenger vehicles extending to either side.

8-1904         Height and length of vehicles and loads; exceptions to maximums.

8-1905         Projecting loads to the front and rear.

8-1906         Securing loads on vehicles; requirements for hauling livestock.

8-1907         Towing vehicles; connection and safety equipment; exceptions.

8-1908         Gross weight limits on wheels and axles.

8-1909         Gross weight limits for vehicles; exceptions; safety of certain vehicles for operation.

8-1910         Enforcement of vehicle weight laws; officers may weigh vehicles; portable scales; required drive to stationary scales; off-loading or load redistribution required, when.

8-1911         Permits for oversize or overweight vehicles.

8-1912         When secretary of transportation or local authorities may restrict use of highways.

8-1913         Liability for damage to highway or structure.

8-1914         Issuance of special permits for operation of vehicles from Kansas turnpike authority toll booths and motor-freight truck terminals.

8-1915         Issuance of special vehicle combination permits; conditions; penalties; rules and regulations.

8-1916         Cotton modules; allowable movement.

8-1917         (Tentative Statute Number). Gross weight limits on wheels and axles; vehicles equipped with idle reduction technoloy.

8-1901. Criminal penalties for violation of size and weight laws; exceptions.

            (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or move or for the owner or lessee to cause or knowingly permit to be driven or moved on any highway any vehicle or combination of vehicles of a size or weight exceeding the limitations stated in article 19 of chapter 8 of Kansas Statutes Annotated or otherwise in violation of this article, and the maximum size and weight of vehicles herein specified shall be lawful throughout this state, and local authorities shall have no power or authority to alter such limitations except as express authority may be granted in this article.

            (b) Any person violating any of the provisions of article 19 of chapter 8 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, except for the provisions of K.S.A. 8-1908 and 8-1909, and amendments thereto, shall, upon conviction thereof, be fined in an amount not to exceed $500.

            (c) Any person violating any of the provisions of K.S.A. 8-1908 or 8-1909, and amendments thereto, shall, upon a first conviction thereof, pay a fine from one, but not both of the schedules listed

in subsection (c) of K.S.A. 8-2118, and amendments thereto.

            (d) Except as otherwise specifically provided in this act, the provisions of article 19 of chapter 8 of Kansas Statutes Annotated governing size, weight and load shall not apply to fire apparatus, road machinery, farm tractors or to implements of husbandry temporarily moved upon a highway, or to a vehicle operated under the terms of a currently valid special permit issued in accordance with K.S.A. 8-1911, and amendments thereto.

            (e) Except on highways designated as part of the national system of interstate defense highways, the gross weight limitation prescribed by article 19 of chapter 8 of Kansas Statutes Annotated on any axle or tandem, triple or quad axles shall not apply to: (1) Trucks specifically designed and equipped and used exclusively for garbage, refuse or solid waste disposal operations when loaded with garbage, refuse or waste; or (2) trucks mounted with a fertilizer spreader used or manufactured principally to spread animal dung, except that this paragraph (2) shall not apply to truck tractors so equipped. Except that such trucks under this subsection shall not exceed the maximum gross weight limitations contained in the table in K.S.A. 8-1909, and amendments thereto.

            (f) As used in this section, 'conviction' means a final conviction without regard to whether sentence was suspended or probation granted after such conviction, and a forfeiture of bail, bond or collateral deposited to secure a defendant's appearance in court, which forfeiture has not been vacated, is equivalent to a conviction.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1901; L. 1980, ch. 44, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 46, § 1; L. 1986, ch. 43, § 1; L. 1994, ch. 235, § 4; L. 2004, ch. 114, § 3; July 1.

8-1902. Width of vehicles and loads thereon.

            (a) The total outside width of any vehicle or the load thereon shall not exceed 8 1/2 feet, except as otherwise provided in this section.

            (b) A farm tractor or a fertilizer dispensing machine shall not be permitted to travel on any highway which is a part of the national system of interstate and defense highways. Whenever a farm tractor or implement of husbandry, and any load on any such vehicle, exceeds the width limitations prescribed by this section to the extent that the width of such vehicle, including any load thereon, exceeds the width of that portion of a roadway on which such vehicle is driven, which is marked as a single lane of traffic, or, if such roadway has not been marked for lanes of traffic, the width of such vehicle exceeds more than 1/2 the width of such roadway, the driver shall move such vehicle as soon as possible as far to the right side of the highway as is practicable and safe upon the approach of any oncoming or following vehicle and upon approaching the crest of a hill.

            (c) The secretary shall adopt rules and regulations consistent with federal requirements designating safety and other devices which may extend out on either side of the vehicle.

            (d) (1) A vehicle may be loaded with bales of hay which shall not exceed 12 feet in width and a height as authorized by K.S.A. 8-1904, and amendments thereto, but vehicles so loaded shall not be moved on any highway designated as a part of the national network of highways, except as permitted under subsection (j) of K.S.A. 8-1911, and amendments thereto, or under paragraph (2) of this subsection.

            (2) A farm vehicle may be loaded with bales of hay which shall not exceed 12 feet in width and a height as authorized by K.S.A. 8-1904, and amendments thereto, but vehicles so loaded shall not be moved on any highway designated as a part of the national system of interstate and defense highways, except as permitted under subsection (j) of K.S.A. 8-1911, and amendments thereto. As used in this paragraph "farm vehicle" means a truck or truck tractor registered under K.S.A. 8-143, and amendments thereto, as a farm truck or truck tractor. Such farm truck or truck tractor may be used in combination with any type of trailer or semitrailer.

            (3) Any such vehicles under paragraphs (1) or (2) so loaded shall not be moved during the period beginning 30 minutes after sunset and ending 30 minutes before sunrise. Any vehicle loaded with bales of hay as authorized by the exception in this subsection, with the load extending beyond 8 1/2 feet, shall have attached thereto a sign which states 'OVERSIZE LOAD' and the dimensions of the sign shall be a minimum of seven feet long and 18 inches high. Letters shall be a minimum of 10 inches high with a brush stroke of not less than 1 2/5 inches. The sign shall be readily visible from a distance of 500 feet and shall be removed when the vehicle or load does not exceed the legal width. Each vehicle shall be equipped with red flags on all four corners of the oversized load.

            (e) The secretary of transportation shall adopt rules and regulations authorizing vehicles to be loaded with two combine headers which exceed the legal width, but vehicles so loaded shall not be moved on any highway designated as a part of the national system of interstate and defense highways, except as permitted under subsection (i) of K.S.A. 8-1911, and amendments thereto, and vehicles so loaded shall not be moved during the period beginning 30 minutes after sunset and ending 30 minutes before sunrise.

            (f) A motor home or travel trailer, may exceed 102 inches, if such excess width is attributable to an appurtenance, except that no appurtenance may extend further than the rearview mirrors. Such mirrors may only extend the distance necessary to provide the required field of view before the appurtenances were attached.

For the purposes of this subsection the term ‘‘appurtenance’’ shall include:

            (1) An awning and its support hardware; and

            (2) any appendage that is intended to be an integral part of a motor home or travel trailer coach and that is installed by the manufacturer or dealer.

            The term ‘‘appurtenance’’ shall not include any item that is temporarily affixed or attached to the exterior of a motor home or travel trailer by the owner of such motor home or travel trailer for the purposes of transporting such item from one location to another.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1902; L. 1980, ch. 30, § 3; L. 1981, ch. 46, § 6; L. 1983, ch. 41, § 1; L. 1987, ch. 49, § 1; L. 1992, ch. 138, § 1; L. 1996, ch. 221, § 1; L. 1998, ch. 193, § 3; L. 2000, ch. 5 § 1; L. 2001, ch. 19, § 4 ; L. 2006, ch. 3, § 1; July 1.

8-1903. Loads on passenger vehicles extending to either side.

            No passenger-type vehicle shall be operated on any highway with any load carried thereon extending beyond the left side of such vehicle nor extending more than six (6) inches beyond the right side thereof.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1903; July 1.

8-1904. Height and length of vehicles and loads; exceptions to maximums.

            (a) No vehicle including any load thereon shall exceed a height of 14 feet, except that a vehicle transporting cylindrically shaped bales of hay as authorized by subsection (e) of K.S.A. 8-1902, and amendments thereto, may be loaded with such bales secured to a height not exceeding 14 1/2 feet. Should a vehicle so loaded with bales strike any overpass or other obstacle, the operator of the vehicle shall be liable for all damages resulting therefrom. The secretary of transportation may adopt rules and regulations for the movement of such loads of cylindrically shaped bales of hay.

            (b) No motor vehicle including the load thereon shall exceed a length of 45 feet extreme overall dimension, excluding the front and rear bumpers, except as provided in subsection (d).

            (c) Except as otherwise provided in K.S.A. 8-1914 and 8-1915, and amendments thereto, and subsections (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h), no combination of vehicles coupled together shall exceed a total length of 65 feet.

            (d) The length limitations in subsection (b) shall not apply to a truck tractor. No semitrailer which is being operated in combination with a truck tractor shall exceed 59 1/2 feet in length. No semitrailer or trailer which is being operated in a combination consisting of a truck tractor, semitrailer and trailer shall exceed 28 1/2 feet in length.

            (e) The limitations in this section governing maximum length of a semitrailer or trailer shall not apply to vehicles operating in the daytime when transporting poles, pipe, machinery or other objects of a structural nature which cannot readily be dismembered, except that it shall be unlawful to operate any such vehicle or combination of vehicles which exceeds a total length of 85 feet unless a special permit for such operation has been issued by the secretary of transportation or by an agent or designee of the secretary pursuant to K.S.A. 8-1911, and amendments thereto. For the purpose of authorizing the issuance of such special permits at motor carrier inspection stations, the secretary of transportation may contract with the superintendent of the Kansas highway patrol for such purpose, and in such event, the superintendent or any designee of the superintendent may issue such special permit pursuant to the terms and conditions of the contract. The limitations in this section shall not apply to vehicles transporting such objects operated at nighttime by a public utility when required for emergency repair of public service facilities or properties or when operated under special permit as provided in K.S.A. 8-1911, and amendments thereto, but in respect to such night transportation every such vehicle and the load thereon shall be equipped with a sufficient number of clearance lamps on both sides and marker lamps upon the extreme ends of any projecting load to clearly mark the dimensions of such load.

            (f) The limitations of this section governing the maximum length of combinations of vehicles shall not apply to a combination of vehicles consisting of a truck tractor towing a house trailer, if such combination of vehicles does not exceed an overall length of 97 feet.

            (g) The length limitations of this section shall not apply to stinger-steered automobile or boat transporters, or one truck and one trailer vehicle combination, loaded or unloaded, used in transporting a combine to be engaged in farm custom harvesting operations, as defined in subsection (d) of K.S.A. 8-143j, and amendments thereto. A stinger-steered automobile or boat transporter, drive-away saddlemount vehicle transport combination or one truck and one trailer vehicle combination, loaded or unloaded, used in transporting a combine to be engaged in farm custom harvesting operations, as defined in subsection (d) of K.S.A. 8-143j, and amendments thereto, shall not exceed an overall length limit of 75 feet, exclusive of front and rear overhang.

            (h) The length limitations of this section shall not apply to drive-away saddlemount or drive-away saddlemount with fullmount vehicle transporter combination. A drive-away saddlemount or drive-away saddlemount with fullmount vehicle transporter combination shall not exceed an extreme overall dimension of 97 feet.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1904; L. 1975, ch. 41, § 1; L. 1975, ch. 427, § 46; L. 1977, ch. 304, § 16; L. 1978, ch. 42, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 47, § 1; L. 1983, ch. 41, § 2; L. 1986, ch. 44, § 1; L. 1988, ch. 266, § 1; L. 1989, ch. 44, § 1; L. 1990, ch. 50, § 3; L. 1994, ch. 194, § 2; L. 2000, ch. 22 § 1; L. 2006, ch. 6, § 1; March 2.

8-1905. Projecting loads to the front and rear.

            (a) The load upon any vehicle operated alone, or the load upon the front vehicle of a combination of vehicles, shall not extend more than three (3) feet beyond the front wheels of such vehicle or the front bumper of such vehicle if it is equipped with a bumper.

            (b) Any vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting passenger vehicles or other motor vehicles may carry a load which extends no more than three (3) feet beyond the front and four (4) feet beyond the rear of the transporting vehicle or combination of vehicles.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1905; July 1.

8-1906. Securing loads on vehicles; requirements for hauling livestock.

            (a) No vehicle shall be driven or moved on any highway unless such vehicle is so constructed or loaded as to prevent any of its load from dropping, sifting, leaking or otherwise escaping therefrom, except that:

            (1) This section shall not prohibit the necessary spreading of any substance in highway maintenance or construction operations; and

            (2) subsections (a) and (c) shall not apply to trailers or semitrailers when hauling livestock if such trailers or semitrailers are properly equipped with a cleanout trap and such trap is operated in a closed position unless material is intentionally spilled when the trap is in a closed position. Paragraph (2) shall not apply to trailers or semitrailers used for hauling livestock when livestock are not being hauled in such trailers or semitrailers.

            (b) All trailers or semitrailers used for hauling livestock shall be cleaned out periodically.

            (c) No person shall operate on any highway any vehicle with any load unless such load and any covering thereon is securely fastened so as to prevent the covering or load from becoming loose, detached or in any manner a hazard to other users of the highway.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1906; L. 1984, ch. 41, § 1; L. 1989, ch. 45, § 1; July 1.

8-1907. Towing vehicles; connection and safety equipment; exceptions.

            (a) When one vehicle is towing another, the drawbar, towbar or other connections shall be of sufficient strength to pull, stop and hold all weight towed thereby, and so designed, constructed and installed as to insure that any vehicle or motor vehicle towed on a level, smooth, paved surface will follow in the path of the towing vehicle when it is moving in a straight line. In addition to the drawbar connections between any two such vehicles, there shall be provided an adequate safety hitch.

            (b) When one vehicle is towing another and the connection consists of a chain, rope or cable, there shall be displayed upon such connection a white flag or cloth not less than 12 inches square.

            (c) Motor vehicles in transit may be transported in combination by means of towbar, saddlemount or fullmount mechanisms, utilizing the motive power of one of the motor vehicles in such combination, except that not more than two vehicles in any such combination of motor vehicles in transit may be connected by means of a towbar mechanism. Whenever motor vehicles are transported as authorized in this subsection, such motor vehicles shall be connected securely in combination in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the secretary of transportation, and any combination of such motor vehicles shall comply with the limitations prescribed by K.S.A. 8-1904 and amendments thereto.

            (d) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c), not more than three vehicles, including the towing vehicle, in any combination of vehicles may be connected by means of a towbar mechanism, and if the three such vehicles are connected by towbar mechanisms, the towbar mechanism between the towing vehicle and the first towed vehicle shall be equipped with an anti-sway mechanism. In addition, the second towed vehicle of every combination of vehicles so connected shall be equipped with service brakes acting on the wheels of at least one axle, and which are of a type approved by the secretary of transportation and of such character as to be applied automatically and promptly, except that this sentence shall not apply to combinations of vehicles which include a slow-moving vehicle which is an implement of husbandry when moving from field to field.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1907; L. 1975, ch. 39, § 30; L. 1978, ch. 42, § 2; L. 1979, ch. 43, § 1; L. 1985, ch. 53, § 1; July 1.

8-1908. Gross weight limits on wheels and axles.

            (a) The gross weight upon any wheel of a vehicle shall not exceed 10,000 pounds.

            (b) The gross weight upon any one axle, including any one axle of a group of axles, of a vehicle shall not exceed 20,000 pounds.

            (c) Any axle located within seven feet of any adjacent axle shall when the wheels of such axle are in contact with the road surface, carry its proportionate part of the load permitted on such axles. An axle shall not be used to determine the lawful axle weight under this section or the gross weight under K.S.A. 8-1909, and amendments thereto, when the wheels of such axle are not in contact with the road surface.

            (d) As used in this section:

            (1) 'Gross weight on any one axle' means the total load on all wheels whose centers are included within two parallel transverse vertical planes not more than 40 inches apart.

            (2) 'Tandem axles' means two or more consecutive axles, arranged in tandem and articulated from a common attachment to the vehicle or individually attached to the vehicle, with such axles spaced not less than 40 inches and not more than 96 inches apart.

            (3) 'Triple axles' means three or more consecutive axles, arranged in tandem and articulated from a common attachment to the vehicle or individually attached to the vehicle, with such axles spaced more than 96 inches and not more than 120 inches apart.

            (4) 'Quad axles' means four or more consecutive axles, arranged in tandem and articulated from a common attachment to the vehicle or individually attached to the vehicle, with such axles spaced more than 120 inches and not more than 150 inches apart.

            (e) The gross weight on tandem axles shall not exceed 34,000 pounds.

History: L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1908; L. 1975, ch. 39, § 31; L. 1975, ch. 427, § 47; L. 1981, ch. 46, § 2; L. 1983, ch. 41, § 3; L. 1986, ch. 45, § 1; L. 2003, ch. 10, § 1; July 1.

8-1909. Gross weight limits for vehicles; exceptions; safety of certain vehicles for operation.

            (a) No vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be moved or operated on any highway when the gross weight on two or more consecutive axles exceeds the limitations prescribed in the following table: