Vehicles: commercial inspection facilities and platform scales.

Existing law authorizes the Department of the California Highway Patrol to operate vehicle inspection facilities and platform scales for the purpose of determining whether vehicles are safely loaded or that the height, width, length, or weight of those vehicles is lawful. Existing law requires every driver of a commercial vehicle to stop and submit the vehicle to an inspection of the size, weight, equipment, and smoke emissions of the vehicle at any location where members of the Department of the California Highway Patrol are conducting tests and inspections of commercial vehicles and when signs are displayed requiring the stop. Existing law provides that every driver who fails or refuses to stop and submit the commercial vehicle to an inspection when signs are displayed requiring that stop is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would require, if the department or other state or local agencies provide information to drivers, including signage, on the hours of operation of a commercial inspection facility or platform scale, or whether a facility or scale is open or closed, that the department or agency update that information as soon as it changes to enhance driver awareness of when they are required to stop, pursuant to the above-described provision.