Maine Revised Statutes
Subchapter 2: DIMENSION
29-A §2390. Maximum length limits

§2390. Maximum length limits
1. Tiny homes, trucks, trailers and recreational vehicles. The following maximum length limits apply to tiny homes, trucks, trailers and recreational vehicles and include permanent or temporary structural parts of the vehicle and load, but do not include refrigeration units or other nonload-carrying appurtenances permitted by federal regulation.
A. A vehicle may not exceed 45 feet, except as provided in this section. [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. The maximum overall length of a combination of vehicles may not exceed 65 feet unless otherwise permitted by law. [PL 1999, c. 753, §6 (AMD).]
C. A trailer or semitrailer may be greater than 45 feet but not more than 48 feet in structural length only if the distance between the center of the rearmost axle of the truck tractor and the center of the rearmost axle of the trailer or semitrailer does not exceed 38 feet.
The overall length of the combination of truck tractor and trailer or semitrailer in this paragraph may not exceed 69 feet, including all structural parts of the vehicle, permanent or temporary, and any load carried on or in the vehicle, including any rear overhang.
The interaxle distance and overall combination vehicle length maximum limits required by this paragraph do not apply on the Interstate Highway System and those qualifying federal aid primary system highways designated by the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, pursuant to the United States Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, Public Law 97-424, Section 411. [PL 2005, c. 170, §1 (AMD).]
D. The load on a combination vehicle transporting tree-length logs exclusively may extend rearward beyond the body of the vehicle by no more than 8 1/2 feet, as long as no more than 25% of the length of the logs extends beyond the body and the total length of the vehicle and load does not exceed 74 feet. [PL 2001, c. 267, §12 (AMD); PL 2001, c. 267, §16 (AFF).]
E. A combination of truck tractor and full trailer or semitrailer may be operated on the Interstate Highway System and those qualifying federal aid primary system highways designated by the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, pursuant to the United States Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, Public Law 97-424, Section 411, with an overall length in excess of 65 feet, if the trailer or semitrailer length does not exceed 48 feet. [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
F. A combination of truck tractor, semitrailer and full trailer, or a combination of truck tractor and 2 semitrailers, may be operated on the Interstate Highway System and those qualifying federal aid primary system highways designated by the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, pursuant to the United States Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, Public Law 97-424, Section 411, with an overall length in excess of 65 feet, if no semitrailer or trailer length exceeds 28.5 feet. This vehicle combination may also operate on other highways designated by the Commissioner of Transportation. [PL 2003, c. 166, §14 (AMD).]
G. A stinger-steered autotransporter may be operated on the Interstate Highway System and those qualifying federal aid primary system highways designated by the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, pursuant to the United States Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, Public Law 97-424, Section 411, with an overall length not to exceed 80 feet. [PL 2017, c. 165, §10 (AMD).]
H. A combination vehicle designed for and transporting automobiles may be operated with an additional front overhang of not more than 4 feet and rear overhang of not more than 6 feet. [PL 2017, c. 165, §10 (AMD).]
I. Drive-away saddlemount vehicle transporter combinations with an overall length not exceeding 97 feet may be operated on the Interstate Highway System and those qualifying federal aid primary system highways designated by the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation pursuant to the United States Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, Public Law 97-424, Section 411. [PL 2007, c. 306, §8 (AMD).]
J. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, a single semitrailer whose total structural length exceeds 48 feet but does not exceed 53 feet may be operated in combination with a truck tractor on a highway network if the following conditions are met.
(1) The wheelbase of the semitrailer, measured as the distance from the kingpin to the center of the rearmost axle of the semitrailer, may not exceed 45 feet, 6 inches.
(2) The kingpin setback of the semitrailer, measured as the distance from the kingpin to the front of the semitrailer, may not exceed 3 1/2 feet in length.
(3) The rear overhang of the semitrailer, measured as the distance from the center of the rear tandem axles of the semitrailer to the rear of the semitrailer, may not exceed 35% of the wheelbase of the semitrailer.
(4) The semitrailer must be equipped with a rear underride guard that is of sufficient strength to prevent a motor vehicle from penetrating underneath the semitrailer, extends across the rear of the semitrailer to within an average distance of 4 inches of the lateral extremities of the semitrailer, exclusive of safety bumper appurtenances, and is placed at a height not exceeding 22 inches from the surface of the ground as measured when the semitrailer is empty and is on a level surface.
(5) The semitrailer must be equipped with vehicle lights that comply with or exceed federal standards and reflective material approved by the Commissioner of Transportation that must be located on the semitrailer in a manner prescribed by the commissioner. The semitrailer must display a conspicuous warning on the rear of the semitrailer indicating that the vehicle combination has a wide turning radius.
(8) Except as provided in subparagraph (10), the overall length of the truck tractor and semitrailer combination of vehicles traveling beyond the national network may not exceed 74 feet, including all structural parts of the vehicle, permanent or temporary, and any load carried on or in the vehicle. For the purposes of this subparagraph, "national network" means those highways in the State identified under 23 Code of Federal Regulations, Appendix A to Part 658.
(9) Notwithstanding section 2380, the width of the semitrailer must be 102 inches, except that the width of the rear safety bumper and appurtenances to the safety bumper may not exceed 103 inches and except that the width of a flatbed or lowboy semitrailer, measured as the distance between the outer surface edges of the semitrailer's tires, must be at least 96 inches but no more than 102 inches.
(10) For vehicles whose overall length exceeds 74 feet, including all structural parts of the vehicle, permanent or temporary, and any load carried on or in the vehicle, access is permitted to service facilities or terminals within one mile of the national network. For purposes of this subparagraph, "national network" means those highways in the State identified under 23 Code of Federal Regulations, Appendix A to Part 658.
(12) This vehicle combination may not transport cargo that has been prohibited for this vehicle combination by the Commissioner of Transportation.
(13) This paragraph does not apply to a trailer or semitrailer when transporting or returning empty from transporting a nondivisible load or object under the provisions of an overlimit permit granted by section 2382.
Nothing in this paragraph limits the authority of the department under Title 23, section 52 to adopt rules prohibiting or limiting access by semitrailers or other vehicles to a highway or portion of a highway or other segment of the transportation infrastructure in order to ensure public safety. [PL 2019, c. 606, §1 (AMD).]
K. A tow-away transporter combination may be operated with an overall length not exceeding 82 feet on the interstate highway system and those qualifying federal aid primary system highways designated by the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation pursuant to the federal Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, Public Law 114-94, Section 5523 (2016). [PL 2017, c. 229, §34 (NEW).]
[PL 2019, c. 606, §1 (AMD); PL 2019, c. 650, §20 (AMD).]
2. Articulated buses. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, articulated buses may be operated or caused to be operated as long as the following conditions are met:
A. The total length of the vehicle does not exceed 61 feet, excluding bumpers; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
B. The rearmost axle of the vehicle is self-steering; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
C. The vehicle is equipped with an interlock device to prevent the vehicle from jackknifing while backing up; [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
D. The vehicle is equipped with an audible or visible signal that indicates to the driver who overrides the interlock device when the vehicle is nearing the jackknife position; and [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
F. The turntable floor is properly aligned to maintain a level surface while the vehicle is in operation. [PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
3. Exemption. Fire department vehicles and disabled motor vehicles being towed to a repair facility are exempt from length restrictions.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
4. Rules of access. The Commissioner of Transportation shall adopt rules consistent with the United States Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, Public Law 97-424, to ensure reasonable access to vehicles described in subsection 1, paragraphs E, F, G and I between the Interstate Highway System and those qualifying federal aid primary system highways designated by the Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, pursuant to the United States Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, Public Law 97-424, Section 411, and terminals, facilities for food, fuel, repairs and rest and points of loading and unloading for household goods carriers. The commissioner may issue permits for that travel.
[PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 1993, c. 683, Pt. B, §5 (AFF).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1993, c. 683, §A2 (NEW). PL 1993, c. 683, §B5 (AFF). PL 1995, c. 441, §1 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 776, §44 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 470, §26 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 753, §§6,7 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 267, §§12,13 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 267, §16 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 166, §§14-16 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 253, §4 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 253, §5 (AFF). PL 2005, c. 170, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 478, §1 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 306, §8 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 165, §10 (AMD). PL 2017, c. 229, §34 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 606, §1 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 650, §20 (AMD).