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

8-1909

Chapter 8.--AUTOMOBILES AND OTHER VEHICLES
Article 19.--UNIFORM ACT REGULATING TRAFFIC; SIZE, WEIGHT AND LOAD OF VEHICLES

      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:

Distance in feet between the       Maximum load in pounds carried
extremes of any group of 2 or      on any group of 2 or more
more consecutive axles             consecutive axles

2 axles 3 axles 4 axles 5 axles 6 axles 7 axles 8 axles 4.. 34,000 5.. 34,000 6.. 34,000 7.. 34,000 8 and less.. 34,000 34,000 More than 8.. 38,000 42,000 9.. 39,000 42,500 10. 40,000 43,500 11.......... 44,000 12.......... 45,000 50,000 13.......... 45,500 50,500 14.......... 46,500 51,500 15.......... 47,000 52,000 16.......... 48,000 52,500 58,000 17.......... 48,500 53,500 58,500 18.......... 49,500 54,000 59,000 19.......... 50,000 54,500 60,000 20.......... 51,000 55,500 60,500 66,000 21.......... 51,500 56,000 61,000 66,500 22.......... 52,500 56,500 61,500 67,000 23.......... 53,000 57,500 62,500 68,000 24.......... 54,000 58,000 63,000 68,500 74,000 25.......... 54,500 58,500 63,500 69,000 74,500 26.......... 55,500 59,500 64,000 69,500 75,000 27.......... 56,000 60,000 65,000 70,000 75,500 28.......... 57,000 60,500 65,500 71,000 76,500 82,000 29.......... 57,500 61,500 66,000 71,500 77,000 82,500 30.......... 58,500 62,000 66,500 72,000 77,500 83,000 31.......... 59,000 62,500 67,500 72,500 78,000 83,500 32.......... 60,000 63,500 68,000 73,000 78,500 84,500 33................... 64,000 68,500 74,000 79,000 85,000 34................... 64,500 69,000 74,500 80,000 85,500 35................... 65,500 70,000 75,000 80,500 36................... 66,000 70,500 75,500 81,000 37................... 66,500 71,000 76,000 81,500 38................... 67,500 72,000 77,000 82,000 39................... 68,000 72,500 77,500 82,500 40................... 68,500 73,000 78,000 83,500 41................... 69,500 73,500 78,500 84,000 42................... 70,000 74,000 79,000 84,500 43................... 70,500 75,000 80,000 85,000 44................... 71,500 75,500 80,500 85,500 45................... 72,000 76,000 81,000 46................... 72,500 76,500 81,500 47................... 73,500 77,500 82,000 48................... 74,000 78,000 83,000 49................... 74,500 78,500 83,500 50................... 75,500 79,000 84,000 51................... 76,000 80,000 84,500 52................... 76,500 80,500 85,000 53................... 77,500 81,000 85,500 54................... 78,000 81,500 55................... 78,500 82,500 56................... 79,500 83,000 57................... 80,000 83,500 58............................ 84,000 59............................ 85,000 60............................ 85,500

except that two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 34,000 pounds each if the overall distance between the first and last axles is 36 feet or more.

      (1)   The gross weight on any one axle of a vehicle shall not exceed the limits prescribed in K.S.A. 8-1908, and amendments thereto.

      (2)   For vehicles and combinations of vehicles on the interstate system the table in this section shall not authorize a maximum gross weight of more than 80,000 pounds.

      (3)   The table in this section shall not apply to truck tractor and dump semitrailer or truck trailer combination when such are used as a combination unit exclusively for the transportation of sand, salt for highway maintenance operations, gravel, slag stone, limestone, crushed stone, cinders, coal, blacktop, dirt or fill material, when such vehicles are used for transportation to a construction site, highway maintenance or construction project or other storage facility, except that such vehicles or combination of vehicles shall not be exempted from any application of the table as may be required to determine applicable axle weights for triple and quad axles as defined in K.S.A. 8-1908, and amendments thereto. As used in this subpart (3), the term "dump semitrailer" means any semitrailer designed in such a way as to divest itself of the load carried thereon.

      (b)   Any vehicle registered under the laws of this state which vehicle is designed and used primarily for the transportation of property or for the transportation of 10 or more persons may, at the time of its registration, be subjected by the director of vehicles to investigation or test as may be necessary to enable such director to determine whether such vehicle may safely be operated upon the highways in compliance with all provisions of this act. Every such vehicle shall meet the following requirements:

      (1)   It shall be equipped with brakes as required in K.S.A. 8-1734, and amendments thereto.

      (2)   Every motor vehicle to be operated outside of business and residence districts shall have motive power adequate to propel such vehicle and any load thereon or to be drawn thereby, at a speed which will not impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. Exception to this requirement shall be recognized when reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or when a vehicle or combination of vehicles is necessarily or in compliance with law or police direction proceeding at reduced speed.

      (c)   It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any vehicle or combination of vehicles with a gross weight in excess of the limitations set forth in article 19 of chapter 8 of Kansas Statutes Annotated, except as provided in K.S.A. 8-1911, and amendments thereto.

      (d)   As used in this section, "interstate system" means the national system of interstate and defense highways.

      History:   L. 1974, ch. 33, § 8-1909; L. 1975, ch. 427, § 48; L. 1980, ch. 45, § 1; L. 1981, ch. 46, § 3; L. 1983, ch. 41, § 4; L. 1986, ch. 45, § 2; July 1.