Regulates the length of car carriers and tow trucks

BILL NUMBER:S6623B

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to the length of car carriers and tow trucks

Purpose

To allow for three feet of "overhang," which is defined to include that portion of a transported vehicle that extends beyond the rear bumper of a car carrier and to provide that a wheel lift shall not be included as part of the length of a tow truck or car carrier when engaged in the towing of another vehicle.

Summary of provisions

Section 1. Adds a new section, § 105-a, of the vehicle and traffic law to define a "car carrier."

Section 2. Amends section 127 of the vehicle and traffic law to define "overhang" to include that portion of a transported motor vehicle that extends beyond the rear bumper of a car carrier.

Section 3. Adds a new section 160 to define a "wheel lift."

Section 4. Adds a new subdivision (g) of section 385 (3) of the vehicle and traffic law to allow for three feet of overhang on a car carrier and to provide that a wheel lift or other such device shall not be included as part of the length of a tow truck or car carrier when engaged in the towing of another vehicle.

Section 5. Provides that the act shall take effect immediately.

Justification

Many car carriers are more than thirty nine feet in length unloaded. When loaded, the rearmost vehicle usually extends beyond the rear bumper of the car carrier by approximately three feet, which exceeds the forty-foot "bumper to bumper" limit that is permitted under New York law. As a result, these vehicles cannot be utilized to their fullest capacity in New York, thereby reducing the efficiencies that were contemplated when they were designed. This underutilization, in turn, results in greater fuel consumption and increased traffic on our highways. It should also be noted that hundreds of these car carriers were brought into New York State to remove cars that were damaged during Super Storm Sandy. Accordingly, this bill seeks to allow these vehicles to operate legally in New York.

Also, many tow trucks and car carriers are designed to be just shy of 40 feet in length (measured with a fully retracted wheel lift) because it is unsafe to tow a heavy load with a vehicle with a shorter wheel base. In this regard, a tow truck is not unlike a teeter totter with the rear wheels acting as the fulcrum. A heavy load (i.e., a tractor, cement truck, etc.) that is positioned 10 to 15 feet behind the rear wheels can actually lift the front wheels of a tow truck with a short wheel base off the ground. Recently, some police agencies have interpreted the law to require a car carrier or tow truck to remain under the 40 foot length with a wheel lift that is extended. Such an

interpretation, which is out of sync with the rest of the country, would render many car carriers, all heavy duty tow trucks and some medium duty tow trucks illegal while towing another vehicle. More importantly, it would also make it impossible to safely tow a heavy load.

Legislative history

New bill

Fiscal impact on the state

None.

Effective date

Immediately.