Be Part of the Ultimate Safety & Compliance Community
Trending news, knowledge-building content, and more – all personalized to you!
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has incorporated, by reference, Parts 382, 385, 390, 391, 392, 393, 395, and 396 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) for intrastate operations, with some modifications. This adoption was effective April 24, 2010.
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) has adopted Parts 382, 390, 391, 392, 393, 395, and 396 the FMCSRs for motor carriers regulated by the commission. This adoption was effective May 20, 1995.
The PennDOT adoption applies to a vehicle or combination of vehicles used on a highway in intrastate commerce with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight of 17,001 pounds or more (whichever is greater) or transporting hazardous materials which are required to be placarded.
The PUC regulates motor carriers that transport property or household goods between points in Pennsylvania for compensation. The adopted regulations apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating or registered gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds, or a vehicle that is being used to transport hazardous materials of a type or quantity that requires the vehicle to be marked or placarded.
Lightweight vehicles are also subject to the regulations adopted by the PUC with the exception of Part 393, and Sec. 395.8. A lightweight vehicle is defined by the Public Utilities Commission as a vehicle manufactured on or after January 1, 1972, with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or less, in the case of a single vehicle, or a manufacturer’s gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 10,000 pounds or less, in the case of an articulated vehicle. If a vehicle manufactured before January 1, 1972, has a gross weight including its load and the gross weight of a vehicle being towed by the motor vehicle of 10,000 pounds or less it is considered a lightweight vehicle. A vehicle is not considered lightweight if it is used to transport passengers for hire or is being used to transport hazardous materials in a quantity that requires placarding.