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As Introduced
136th
General Assembly
Regular
Session
H. B. No. 672
2025-2026
Representatives Klopfenstein,
Peterson
Cosponsors: Representatives Thomas,
D., King, Claggett, Robb Blasdel, Williams, Workman, Salvo, Hoops,
Ritter, Lorenz, Creech, Hiner, Ghanbari
To
amend section 5577.05 of the Revised Code
to
exempt a vehicle towing farm machinery from the statutory vehicle
size limits.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section
1.
That
section 5577.05 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:
Sec.
5577.05.
(A)
No vehicle shall be operated upon the public highways, streets,
bridges, and culverts within the state, whose dimensions exceed those
specified in this section.
(B)
No such vehicle shall have a width in excess of:
(1)
One hundred four inches for passenger bus type vehicles operated
exclusively within municipal corporations;
(2)
One hundred two inches, excluding such safety devices as are required
by law, for passenger bus type vehicles operated over freeways, and
such other state roads with minimum pavement widths of twenty-two
feet, except those roads or portions of roads over which operation of
one
hundred two-inch
one-hundred-two-inch
buses
is prohibited by order of the director of transportation;
(3)
One hundred thirty-two inches for traction engines;
(4)
One hundred two inches for recreational vehicles, excluding safety
devices and retracted awnings and other appurtenances of six inches
or less in width and except that the director may prohibit the
operation of
one
hundred two inch
one-hundred-two-inch
recreational
vehicles on designated state highways or portions of highways;
(5)
One hundred two inches, including load, for all other vehicles,
except that the director may prohibit the operation of
one
hundred two-inch
one-hundred-two-inch
vehicles
on such state highways or portions of state highways as the director
designates.
(C)
No such vehicle shall have a length in excess of:
(1)
Sixty-six feet for passenger bus type vehicles and articulated
passenger bus type vehicles operated by a regional transit authority
pursuant to sections 306.30 to 306.54 of the Revised Code;
(2)
Forty-five feet for all other passenger bus type vehicles;
(3)
Fifty-three feet for any semitrailer when operated in a commercial
tractor-semitrailer combination, with or without load, except that
the director may prohibit the operation of any such commercial
tractor-semitrailer combination on such state highways or portions of
state highways as the director designates.
(4)
Twenty-eight and one-half feet for any semitrailer or trailer when
operated in a commercial tractor-semitrailer-trailer or commercial
tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer combination, except that the director
may prohibit the operation of any such commercial
tractor-semitrailer-trailer or commercial
tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer combination on such state highways or
portions of state highways as the director designates;
(5)(a)
Ninety-seven feet for drive-away saddlemount vehicle transporter
combinations and drive-away saddlemount with fullmount vehicle
transporter combinations when operated on any interstate, United
States route, or state route, including reasonable access travel on
all other roadways for a distance not to exceed one road mile from
any interstate, United States route, or state route, not to exceed
three saddlemounted vehicles, but which may include one fullmount;
(b)
Seventy-five feet for drive-away saddlemount vehicle transporter
combinations and drive-away saddlemount with fullmount vehicle
transporter combinations, when operated on any roadway not designated
as an interstate, United States route, or state route, not to exceed
three saddlemounted vehicles, but which may include one fullmount;
(6)
Sixty-five feet for any other combination of vehicles coupled
together, with or without load, except as provided in divisions
(C)(3) and (4), and in division (E) of this section;
(7)
Forty-five feet for recreational vehicles;
(8)
Fifty feet for all other vehicles except trailers and semitrailers,
with or without load.
(D)
No such vehicle shall have a height in excess of thirteen feet six
inches, with or without load.
(E)
An automobile transporter or boat transporter shall be allowed a
length of sixty-five feet and a stinger-steered automobile
transporter or stinger-steered boat transporter shall be allowed a
length of seventy-five feet, except that the load thereon may extend
no more than four feet beyond the rear of such vehicles and may
extend no more than three feet beyond the front of such vehicles, and
except further that the director may prohibit the operation of a
stinger-steered automobile transporter, stinger-steered boat
transporter, or a B-train assembly on any state highway or portion of
any state highway that the director designates.
(F)
The widths prescribed in division (B) of this section shall not
include side mirrors, turn signal lamps, marker lamps, handholds for
cab entry and egress, flexible fender extensions, mud flaps, splash
and spray suppressant devices, and load-induced tire bulge.
The
width prescribed in division (B)(5) of this section shall not include
automatic covering devices, tarp and tarp hardware, and tiedown
assemblies, provided these safety devices do not extend more than
three inches from each side of the vehicle.
The
lengths prescribed in divisions (C)(2) to (8) of this section shall
not include safety devices, bumpers attached to the front or rear of
such bus or combination, nonproperty carrying devices or components
that do not extend more than twenty-four inches beyond the rear of
the vehicle and are needed for loading or unloading, B-train assembly
used between the first and second semitrailer of a commercial
tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer combination, energy conservation
devices as provided in any regulations adopted by the secretary of
the United States department of transportation, or any
noncargo-carrying refrigeration equipment attached to the front of
trailers and semitrailers. In special cases, vehicles whose
dimensions exceed those prescribed by this section may operate in
accordance with rules adopted by the director.
(G)
(G)(1)
This section does not apply to fire engines, fire trucks, or other
vehicles or apparatus belonging to any municipal corporation or to
the volunteer fire department of any municipal corporation or used by
such department in the discharge of its functions. This section does
not apply to vehicles and pole trailers used in the transportation of
wooden and metal poles, nor to the transportation of pipes or
well-drilling equipment, nor to farm machinery and equipment.
(2)
This section does not apply to a vehicle that is towing or hauling
farm machinery and equipment, provided that one of the following
applies:
(a)
The towing or hauling vehicle would otherwise meet the dimension
requirements of this section if it was not engaged in towing or
hauling the farm machinery and equipment.
(b)
The owner or operator of the towing or hauling vehicle has the proper
permits to cover the dimensions of the towing or hauling vehicle,
without consideration of the added dimensions of the farm machinery
and equipment that is being towed or hauled.
The
owner or operator of any vehicle, machinery, or equipment not
specifically enumerated in this section but the dimensions of which
exceed the dimensions provided by this section, when operating the
same on the highways and streets of this state, shall comply with the
rules of the director governing such movement that the director may
adopt. Sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code apply to any
rules the director adopts under this section, or the amendment or
rescission of the rules, and any person adversely affected shall have
the same right of appeal as provided in those sections.
This
section does not require the state, a municipal corporation, county,
township, or any railroad or other private corporation to provide
sufficient vertical clearance to permit the operation of such
vehicle, or to make any changes in or about existing structures now
crossing streets, roads, and other public thoroughfares in this
state.
(H)
As used in this section, "recreational vehicle" has the
same meaning as in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.
Section
2.
That
existing section 5577.05 of the Revised Code is hereby repealed.