Pole and utility vehicles/trailers – Oregon

Public utilities / vehicle length

Notwithstanding the maximum allowable length of vehicles and loads on vehicles under Table I of ORS 818.080, public utilities, telecommunications utilities, people's utilities districts and cooperative rural electrification districts or common or contract carriers when acting as agent for or on direct orders of such a utility or district, for the purpose of transporting and hauling poles, piling or structures used or to be used in connection with their business, may use and operate any combination of vehicles having an overall length including load which is not in excess of 80 feet unless an emergency exists.

Specialized equipment for transporting logs or poles

The following two combinations of vehicles are considered the same as a truck-tractor with semitrailer and trailer combinations:

• A combination of vehicles capable of carrying no more than two loads of logs placed end to end consisting of a log-truck and pole trailer pulling a trailer; or
• A combination of vehicles transporting logs and consisting of a log-truck and two load carrying stinger-steered pole trailers with the first stinger-steered pole trailer supporting one end of the logs loaded on the log-truck and one end of logs loaded on the second stinger-steered pole trailer.

These combinations of vehicles:

• May not travel unladen;
• Must only be used to transport logs or poles;
• The distance measured from the log bunk on the truck to the rear of the second stinger-steered pole trailer or trailers must not exceed 68 feet;
• The reach of the pole trailer may not extend more than five feet from the end of the tunnel housing; and
• The overall length is not restricted.

No part of any load carried on the trailer, or the second stinger-steered pole trailer may extend beyond the rear more than five feet.

The routes approved for operation of these combinations of vehicles consist only of those highways listed in CFR Title 23, Part 658, Appendix A and other approved highways as displayed on Route Map 7.

Permits

The rules that apply to and govern the issuance of permits by the DOT for the movement of vehicles transporting logs, poles, piling and structural members which, when loaded, have overall lengths more than those permitted by ORS or by OAR 734, division 71, include rules governing:

• Application for permit;
• Types of vehicle combinations authorized;
• Rear overhang;
• Approved routes and allowable overall length;
• Days of travel and peak traffic hour restrictions;
• Warning signs and flag required;
• Pilot vehicles;
• Permit cancellation; and
• Permit duration.

Key definitions

The definition of "trailer" includes pole trailers.