Vehicles: buses: axle weight.

Existing law, operative January 1, 2016, provides that the gross weight on any one axle of a bus shall not exceed 20,500 pounds. Existing law exempts from this limitation a transit bus procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued before January 1, 2013. A violation of this provision is a crime. This bill would exempt from the weight limitation transit buses procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued before January 1, 2016. The bill would provide that the weight limitation would not apply to a bus purchased during an option period in a multiyear contract to purchase transit buses that is entered into before January 1, 2016, by a publicly owned or operated transit system, or an operator of a transit system under contract with a publicly owned or operated transit system, provided that the option period does not exceed 5 years from the date of the original contract, or extend beyond January 1, 2021, whichever is earlier. This bill would also establish certain weight limitations for transit buses procured through a solicitation process pursuant to which a solicitation was issued at a specified time. The bill would provide that these provisions do not authorize the operation of a transit bus on a bridge or certain other structures if the gross weight of the transit bus is greater than the maximum weight which the bridge or other structure can safely sustain. The bill would require, if the gross weight imposed upon the highway by the wheels on any one axle of a transit bus exceeds 20,000 pounds, the axle to be supported by 4 wheels bearing load upon the highway. Because a violation of these provisions would be a crime, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require a transit operator operating an articulated bus to provide notice, by July 1, 2016, to all cities and counties in whose jurisdiction the bus will operate in the upcoming calendar year, of the approximate routes upon which the bus will operate. The bill would also require an annual notice by July 1 thereafter to all cities and counties under whose jurisdiction the bus will operate, identifying any changes to the service on those routes or any new routes upon which the bus is expected to be scheduled for the upcoming calendar year. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.