What's happening
This bill allows agricultural plated trucks engaged in farm operations to use certain state highways and parkways previously restricted to them, under specific conditions.
Why it matters
Expands farm vehicle access. By allowing agricultural plated trucks to use certain state highways and parkways, the bill reduces logistical barriers for farms, potentially lowering transportation costs and improving efficiency for moving crops, livestock, and supplies.
Sets clear operational limits. The exemption only applies to trucks under 12,000 pounds, meeting height restrictions, and not operating south of Interstate 84 on the Taconic Parkway—balancing farm needs with road safety and infrastructure preservation.
Supports a broad range of farm activities. The definition of “farm operation” covers commercial production, marketing, timber, equine, nursery, and dairy activities, so the bill benefits diverse types of agricultural businesses, not just traditional farms.
Maintains emergency flexibility. The legislation explicitly allows the governor to waive all road restrictions for agricultural vehicles during a declared emergency, ensuring rapid farm response and supply movement when needed.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Farmers using agricultural-plated trucks
The bill would expand access to state highways and parkways for farm work, with the new exemption requiring trucks to weigh less than 12,000 pounds and meet road height restrictions, and barring parkway operation south of the Interstate 84–Taconic Parkway intersection.
Nursery growers, dairy farmers and livestock producers
Agricultural-plated trucks carrying their own commodities or supplies could qualify for the bill’s farm-operation access exemptions.
State Department of Transportation and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
The bill would prohibit their rules from excluding qualifying agricultural-plated vehicles from state highways and parkways, subject to the specified conditions.
Headline styles
Let Farm Trucks Use Highways
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1308
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 14, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SERINO -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to exceptions from prohibitions on the operation of agricultural plated trucks on certain state highways and parkways
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraphs 9 and 22 of subdivision (a) of section 1621 of the vehicle and traffic law, paragraph 9 as amended and paragraph 22 as added by chapter 1008 of the laws of 1983, are amended to read as follows:
9. Exclude trucks, commercial vehicles, tractors, tractor-trailer combinations, tractor-semitrailer combinations, or tractor-trailer-semitrailer combinations from highways specified by the commissioner. Such exclusion shall not be construed to prevent the delivery or pickup of merchandise or other property along the highways from which such vehicles and combinations are otherwise excluded, nor shall such exclusion apply to agricultural plated trucks directly engaged in the furtherance of the farm operation.
22. Exclude trucks, commercial vehicles, tractors, tractor-trailer combinations, tractor-semitrailer combinations, or tractor-trailer-semitrailer combinations in excess of any designated weight, designated length, designated height, or eight feet in width, from highways or set limits on hours of operation of such vehicles on particular state highways or segments of such highways. Such exclusion shall not be construed to prevent the delivery or pickup of merchandise or other property along the highways from which such vehicles or combinations are otherwise excluded, nor shall such exclusion apply to agricultural plated trucks directly engaged in the furtherance of the farm operation.
§ 2. Section 1621 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new subdivision (e) to read as follows:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06804-01-9
S. 1308 2
(e) 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, and subject to the terms and conditions set forth in paragraph two of this subdivision, no rule or regulation of the department of transportation or the office or parks, recreation and historic preservation shall exclude from any state highway or parkway an agricultural plated vehicle directly engaged in the furtherance of the farm operation. For the purposes of this section, "farm operation" shall mean the land and on-farm buildings, equipment, manure processing and handling facilities, and practices which contribute to the production, preparation and marketing of crops, livestock and livestock products as a commercial enterprise, including a "commercial horse boarding operation," a "timber operation," "compost, mulch or other biomass crops" and "commercial equine operation" as defined in subdivision eleven of section three hundred one of the agricultural and markets law. For the purposes of this section, "agricultural plated truck" shall mean a truck and an agricultural trailer shall be a trailer, other than a coach or house trailer or semitrailer, owned by a person engaged in production by means of the planting, cultivation and harvesting of agricultural, vegetable and food products of the soil, including horticultural specialties such as nursery stock, ornamental shrubs, ornamental trees and flowers, the raising, feeding and care of livestock, bees and poultry or dairy farming. Such agricultural truck and agricultural trailer shall be used only for the transportation of his own agricultural or dairy commodities or supplies or for personal passenger use, or use in conjunction with lumbering operations connected with but only incidental to the operation of a farm as defined in section four hundred one of this chapter.
2. An agricultural plated truck shall be exempt from exclusion pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision if the operation of such vehicle on a state highway or parkway meets the following terms and conditions:
(i) the operator is operating the agricultural plated truck for the furtherance of the farm operation;
(ii) the vehicle weighs less than twelve thousand pounds;
(iii) the vehicle meets the height restrictions for any such highway or parkway; and
(iv) the vehicle must not operate on any such parkway south of the intersection of Interstate 84 and the Taconic Parkway.
3. Nothing contained in this subdivision shall be deemed to impair the ability of the governor to waive all restrictions for operation on a state highway pursuant to a declared state of emergency.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to exceptions from prohibitions on the operation of agricultural plated trucks on certain state highways and parkways
Purpose
To provide for limited access to the State's Parkway system by agricul- tural plated trucks, weighing 12,000 pounds or less.
Summary of provisions
This bill amends § 1621 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law to authorize limited access to the State's parkways by agricultural plated trucks, weighing 12,000 pounds or less, engaged directly in business of the farm operation.
Such access will only be allowed when:
-the agriculturally plated truck is being actively used to travel for business associated with the agricultural operation.
-the vehicle weighs 12,000 pounds or less
-the vehicle meets the height restrictions to travel safely on the Park- way
-the vehicle is operating on the Taconic State Parkway north of Inter- state 84.
Justification
Agricultural plated trucks are considered commercial vehicles because they are used for business purposes. Due to these vehicles being labeled commercial, they are banned from being used on the Taconic Parkway. This creates a burden for farmers who would like to take a direct route to pick up or deliver and forces them to either take alternative routes out of the way or pay high tolls to drive on Interstate 87. This bill will help to save farmers money by eliminating the need to drive out of the way to reach their destinations.
This legislation would allow vehicles with agricultural truck plates to drive on the Taconic State Parkway, north of the intersection of Inter- state 84 and the Taconic State Parkway as long as the vehicle is being used for farm purposes. The vehicle would be required to be under 12,000 pounds and meet the height restrictions for the Parkway.
Legislative history
2017-18: S.6563 Referred to Transportation
Fiscal implications
To be determined. This bill will increase economic activity with small and medium size farmers, thus increasing revenue to the state by other means.
Effective date
This act shall take effect 90 days after enactment, except regulations may be promulgated on or before the effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.