Vehicles: Basic Inspection of Terminals program.

Existing law, the Basic Inspection of Terminals (BIT) program, makes it unlawful for a motor carrier to operate a specified type of vehicle, including, but not limited to, combination of a motortruck and a specified vehicle or vehicles that exceeds 40 feet in length when coupled together, without identifying to the Department of the California Highway Patrol all terminals, as defined, in this state where vehicles may be inspected by the department and where vehicle inspection and maintenance records and driver records will be made available for inspection. Existing law requires motor carriers to make vehicles and records available for inspection upon request by an authorized representative of the department. This bill would, until January 1, 2023, exclude an agricultural vehicle from being subject to the BIT program, and would define agricultural vehicle to mean a vehicle or combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating or a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,000 pounds or less if specified conditions are met, including that the vehicle is operated by certain individuals and is used exclusively in the conduct of agricultural operations when operating in commerce. The bill would require the Department of the California Highway Patrol, in consultation with the Department of Motor Vehicles, to, on or before January 1, 2022, report to the Governor and the Legislature about the impact of excluding agricultural vehicles from the BIT program, as specified. This bill would incorporate changes to Section 34500.6 of the Vehicle Code, as proposed to be added by this bill, that would become operative only if AB 995 is enacted on or before January 1, 2017, and adds Section 36103 to the Vehicle Code. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 34501.12 of the Vehicle Code proposed by AB 995, that would become operative only if this bill and AB 995 are both chaptered and become effective on or before January 1, 2017, and this bill is chaptered last.