Section 114: Interpretation, Part VIII

Ontario

Highway Traffic Act

Part VIII: Weight

(1) In this Part,

"axle" means an assembly of two or more wheels whose centres are in one transverse vertical plane and which are transmitting weight to the highway; ("essieu")

"axle group weight" means that part of the gross vehicle weight in kilograms transmitted to the highway by a two axle group, three axle group or four axle group; ("poids d'un ensemble d'essieux")

"axle unit" means any single axle, dual axle or triple axle; ("unité d'essieu")

"axle unit weight" means that part of the gross vehicle weight in kilograms transmitted to the highway by an axle unit; ("poids d'unité d'essieu")

"Class A Highway" means a highway designated as such by the Minister; ("route de catégorie A")

"Class B Highway" means a highway not designated by the Minister as a Class A Highway; ("route de catégorie B")

"dual axle" means any two consecutive axles whose centres are more than one metre apart and that,

(a) are articulated from a common attachment to the vehicle, or

(b) are designed to automatically equalize the load between the two axles; ("essieu double")

"four axle group" means four consecutive axles, not including the front axle of a motor vehicle,

(a) that are entirely within either a motor vehicle or trailer or semi-trailer, and

(b) in which the spacings between the consecutive axles do not exceed 2.5 metres; ("ensemble de quatre essieux")

"front axle" means the front axle unit of a motor vehicle; ("essieu avant")

"gross vehicle weight" means the total weight in kilograms transmitted to the highway by a vehicle, or combination of vehicles, and load; ("poids brut du véhicule")

"liftable axle" means an assembly of two or more wheels whose centres are in one transverse vertical plane that is equipped with a device for altering (other than by longitudinal movement of the assembly only) the weight transmitted to the highway surface and that may be able to lift its tires from contact with that surface; ("essieu relevable")

"over-dimensional farm vehicles" means the same as it does in Part VII; ("véhicule agricole de dimensions excessives")

"semi-trailer" means the same as it does in Part VII; ("semi-remorque")

"single axle" means one or more axles whose centres are included between two parallel transverse vertical planes one metre apart; ("essieu simple")

"tank-truck" means a commercial motor vehicle to which there is attached or upon which there has been placed either permanently or otherwise a closed tank having a capacity of 2.3 kilolitres or more; ("camion-citerne")

"three axle group" means three consecutive axles, not including the front axle of a motor vehicle,

(a) that do not form a triple axle within the meaning of the definition of "triple axle",

(b) that are entirely within either a motor vehicle or trailer or semi-trailer,

(c) in which the spacings between the consecutive axles do not exceed 2.5 metres, and

(d) which are not included in a four axle group within the meaning of the definition of "four axle group"; ("ensemble de trois essieux")

"triple axle" means any three consecutive axles that,

(a) have their consecutive centres equally spaced, and

(b) have their consecutive centres more than one metre apart,

and that,

(c) are articulated from an attachment to the vehicle common to the consecutive axles, or

(d) are designed to automatically equalize the load between the three axles under all conditions of loading; ("essieu triple")

"two axle group" means two consecutive single axles, not including the front axle of a motor vehicle,

(a) that are entirely within either a motor vehicle or trailer or semi-trailer,

(b) in which the spacing between the consecutive axles is less than two metres, and

(c) which are not included in a three axle group within the meaning of the definition of "three axle group" or a four axle group within the meaning of the definition of "four axle group". ("ensemble de deux essieux") R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 114 (1); 2000, c. 26, Sched. O, s. 8.

Designation by Minister

(2) The Minister may designate a highway as a Class A Highway. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 114 (2).

Application of Part

(3) This Part does not apply to over-dimensional farm vehicles or to motor vehicles or to road-building machines operated by or on behalf of a municipality or other authority having jurisdiction over highways when the vehicle or machine is equipped with a snow clearing device. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 114 (3).

Consecutive axles

(4) Where three consecutive axles that are articulated from an attachment to the vehicle common to the consecutive axles are not a triple axle within the meaning of the definition of "triple axle" because their consecutive centres are not equally spaced, that one of the three consecutive axles that is most remote from the centre axle of the consecutive axles shall be deemed to be a single axle and the other two axles shall be deemed to be a dual axle. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 114 (4).

Idem

(5) Where three consecutive axles that are not articulated from an attachment to the vehicle common to the consecutive axles are not a triple axle within the meaning of the definition of "triple axle" because their consecutive centres are not equally spaced, any two of the axles that are articulated from an attachment to the vehicle common to the two axles shall be deemed to be a dual axle and the third of the three axles shall be deemed to be a single axle. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 114 (5).

Spacing between axles

(6) The spacing between axles is the shortest distance between the centre of rotation of one axle and the centre of rotation of the other. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 114 (6).

Axle spacing distance

(7) For the purposes of Tables 1 and 2, the axle spacing is the distance measured between the outer axles forming an axle unit. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 114 (7).

Idem

(8) For the purposes of Tables 3, 4 and 5, the axle group spacing is the distance measured between the outer axles forming a two axle group, three axle group or four axle group. R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8, s. 114 (8).

_________________________________

© King's Printer for Ontario, 2012-2021. The text is not the official version of Ontario's Highway Traffic Act or associated regulations. For official text, refer to www.ontario.ca/laws.