DIVISION 14.8. SAFETY REGULATIONS [34500 - 34520.5]
( Division 14.8 added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 2148. )
The department shall regulate the safe operation of the following vehicles:
(a) Motortrucks of three or more axles that are more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating.
(b) Truck tractors.
(c) Buses, schoolbuses, school pupil activity buses, youth buses, farm labor vehicles, modified limousines, and general public paratransit vehicles.
(d) Trailers and semitrailers designed or used for the transportation of more than 10 persons, and the towing motor vehicle.
(e) Trailers and semitrailers, pole or pipe dollies, auxiliary
dollies, and logging dollies used in combination with vehicles listed in subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (j). This subdivision does not include camp trailers, trailer coaches, and utility trailers.
(f) A combination of a motortruck and a vehicle or vehicles set forth in subdivision (e) that exceeds 40 feet in length when coupled together.
(g) A vehicle, or a combination of vehicles, transporting hazardous materials.
(h) Manufactured homes that, when moved upon the highway, are required to be moved pursuant to a permit, as specified in Section 35780 or 35790.
(i) A park trailer, as described in Section 18009.3 of the Health and Safety Code, that, when moved upon a highway, is required to be moved pursuant to a permit pursuant to Section 35780.
(j) Any other motortruck not specified in subdivisions (a) to (h), inclusive, or subdivision (k), that is regulated by the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of Consumer Affairs, or the United States Secretary of Transportation.
(k) A commercial motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 or more pounds or a commercial motor vehicle of any gross vehicle weight rating towing a vehicle described in subdivision (e) with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds, except combinations including camp trailers, trailer coaches, or utility trailers. For purposes of this subdivision, the term “commercial motor vehicle” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 15210.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 370, Sec. 267. (SB 1371) Effective January 1, 2021.)
In addition to the duties imposed by Section 34500, the department shall regulate the safe operation of tour buses.
(Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1306, Sec. 13.)
No additional inspection shall be required under this division on any vehicle which is owned and operated by a public agency and is used for responding to and returning from an emergency, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 35002, during the duration of the emergency, as determined by the public agency, if an inspection pursuant to Section 1215 of Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations has been completed on the vehicle within the past 24 hours. Any vehicle used in responding to an emergency shall be inspected immediately upon the termination of the emergency.
(Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 899, Sec. 1. Effective September 14, 1990.)
(a) The department shall adopt rules and regulations that are designed to promote the safe operation of vehicles, regarding cargo securement standards. The regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall be consistent with the securement regulations adopted by the United States Department of Transportation in Part 393 (commencing with Section 393.1) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as those regulations now exist or are amended in the future.
(b) Regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (a) do not apply to a farmer transporting his or her own hay or straw, incidental to his or her farming operation, if that transportation requires that the farmer use a highway,
except that this subdivision does not relieve the farmer from loading and securing the hay or straw in a safe manner.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 451, Sec. 57. (SB 491) Effective January 1, 2016.)
(a) Not later than July 1, 2017, the Department of the California Highway Patrol shall implement a program to conduct safety inspections of modified limousine terminals that are operated by passenger stage corporations pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 1031) of Chapter 5 of Part 1 of Division 1 of the Public Utilities Code or by charter-party carriers of passengers pursuant to the Passenger Charter-party Carriers’ Act (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 5351) of Division 2 of the Public Utilities Code).
(b) (1) The inspection
program shall include, but is not limited to, the safe operation of the vehicle, the installation of safety equipment, the retention of maintenance logs, accident reports, and records of driver discipline, compliance with federal and state motor vehicle safety standards, the examination of a preventative maintenance program, and, if ownership of the modified limousine has been transferred, the transmission of relevant safety and maintenance information of the limousine.
(2) Pursuant to the safety inspection program, the department shall conduct an inspection of each terminal of a charter-party carrier of passengers and passenger stage corporation that operates modified limousines at least once every 13 months.
(3) The department shall adopt emergency regulations for purposes of this subdivision. The adoption by the department of regulations implementing this section shall be
deemed to be an emergency and necessary to avoid serious harm to the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the department is hereby exempted from the requirement that it describe facts showing the need for immediate action to the Office of Administrative Law. The emergency regulations shall remain in effect for no more than one year, by which time final regulations shall be adopted.
(4) (A) The department shall adopt regulations to establish an inspection fee to be collected every 13 months, based on the number of modified limousines operated by a single charter-party carrier or passenger stage corporation. The fee shall be in an amount sufficient to offset the costs to administer the inspection program and shall not be used to supplant or support any other inspection program conducted by the department. The fee shall be in addition to any
other required fee. When developing the regulations, the department shall consider measures that increase efficiencies to limit the financial impact to charter-party carriers of passengers and passenger stage corporations subject to the fee. The department shall promulgate the regulations in consultation with appropriate interested parties.
(B) The fee structure established pursuant to this subdivision shall apply to modified limousines that are required to undergo a safety inspection pursuant to this section.
(C) The fee established pursuant to this subdivision shall be collected by the Public Utilities Commission and deposited into the Motor Vehicle Account in the State Transportation Fund to cover the costs of the inspections conducted by the department.
(5) The department shall transmit to the Public Utilities
Commission inspection data of modified limousine terminals inspected pursuant to this program, as specified in the program regulations.
(c) Regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall be consistent with the established inspection program administered by the department for buses pursuant to this division.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 480, Sec. 2. (AB 863) Effective January 1, 2016.)
For purposes of this division, the term “commercial motor vehicle” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 15210, or any vehicle listed in Section 34500.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 451, Sec. 58. (SB 491) Effective January 1, 2016.)
(a) For purposes of this division, an agricultural vehicle is 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 all of the following conditions are met:
(1) Is operated by a farmer, an employee of a farmer, or an instructor credentialed in agriculture as part of an instructional program in agriculture at the high school, community college, or university level.
(2) Is used exclusively in the conduct of agricultural operations when operating in commerce.
(3) Is not used in the capacity of a for-hire carrier or for compensation.
(4) The towing vehicle has a gross weight rating of 16,000 pounds or less.
(5) Is used solely in intrastate commerce.
(b) On or before January 1, 2022, the Department of the California Highway Patrol, in consultation with the Department of Motor Vehicles, shall report to the Governor and the Legislature about the impact of excluding an agricultural vehicle, as defined in subdivision (a), from Section 34501.12. The report shall include, but is not limited to, information about collisions involving excluded vehicles and any traffic safety issues associated with excluded vehicles. The report shall be submitted pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code.
(c) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2026, and as of that date
is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2026, deletes or extends that date.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 209, Sec. 1. (AB 2415) Effective January 1, 2023. Repealed as of January 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)
(a) Subject to Section 34500, motor carriers, drivers, and vehicles shall comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations in Parts 385, 392, 393, 396, and 397 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), Daily Vehicle Inspection Reports are required for intrastate drivers and motor carriers pursuant to Section 1215 of Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations.
(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 219, Sec. 10. (SB 891) Effective January 1, 2024.)
(a) (1) The department shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations that, in the judgment of the department, are designed to promote the safe operation of vehicles described in Section 34500, regarding, but not limited to, controlled substances and alcohol testing of drivers by motor carriers, hours of service of drivers, equipment, fuel containers, fueling operations, inspection, maintenance, recordkeeping, accident reports, and drawbridges. The rules and regulations shall not, however, be applicable to schoolbuses, which shall be subject to rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 34501.5.
The rules and regulations shall exempt local law enforcement agencies, within a
single county, engaged in the transportation of inmates or prisoners when those agencies maintain other motor vehicle operations records which furnish hours of service information on drivers which are in substantial compliance with the rules and regulations. This exemption does not apply to any local law enforcement agency engaged in the transportation of inmates or prisoners outside the county in which the agency is located, if that agency would otherwise be required, by existing law, to maintain driving logs.
(2) The department may adopt rules and regulations relating to commercial vehicle safety inspection and out-of-service criteria. In adopting the rules and regulations, the commissioner may consider the commercial vehicle safety inspection and out-of-service criteria adopted by organizations such as the Commercial Vehicle Safety
Alliance, other intergovernmental safety group, or the United States Department of Transportation. The commissioner may provide departmental representatives to that alliance or other organization for the purpose of promoting the continued improvement and refinement of compatible nationwide commercial vehicle safety inspection and out-of-service criteria.
(3) The commissioner shall appoint a committee of 15 members, consisting of representatives of industry subject to the regulations to be adopted pursuant to this section, to act in an advisory capacity to the department, and the department shall cooperate and confer with the advisory committee so appointed. The commissioner shall appoint a separate committee to advise the department on rules and regulations concerning wheelchair lifts for installation and use on buses, consisting of
persons who use the wheelchair lifts, representatives of transit districts, representatives of designers or manufacturers of wheelchairs and wheelchair lifts, and representatives of the Department of Transportation.
(4) The department may inspect any vehicles in maintenance facilities or terminals, as well as any records relating to the dispatch of vehicles or drivers, and the pay of drivers, to ensure compliance with this code and regulations adopted pursuant to this section.
(b) (1) The department, using the definitions adopted pursuant to Section 2402.7, shall adopt regulations for the transportation of hazardous materials in this state, except the transportation of materials that are subject to other provisions of this code, that the department determines are
reasonably necessary to ensure the safety of persons and property using the highways. The regulations may include provisions governing the filling, marking, packing, labeling, and assembly of, and containers that may be used for, hazardous materials shipments, and the manner by which the shipper attests that the shipments are correctly identified and in proper condition for transport.
(2) (A) The regulations adopted under this section for vehicles engaged in interstate or intrastate commerce shall establish hazardous materials requirements that are consistent with the hazardous materials regulations adopted by the United States Department of Transportation in Chapter I of, and Part 397 of Subchapter B of Chapter III of, Subtitle B of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(B) If a carrier not subject to federal jurisdiction finds a regulation adopted pursuant to this section to be unnecessarily burdensome or impracticable, the carrier may apply to the department, at no cost, for an alternate method of compliance.
(3) Regulations adopted pursuant to this subdivision do not apply to the following:
(A) The transportation of explosives in an authorized emergency vehicle, as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 165, when operated by a peace officer, as defined in Sections 830.1 and 830.2 of the Penal Code, under the following conditions:
(i) The transportation is necessary for tactical operations or explosives detection or removal duties.
(ii) Storage and security is in compliance with the applicable provisions of “ATV Federal Explosives Laws and Regulations,” published by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
(B) The transportation of seized fireworks by a public agency as authorized by Part 2 (commencing with Section 12500) of Division 11 of the Health and Safety Code.
(c) (1) At least once every 13 months, the department shall inspect every maintenance facility or terminal of any person who at any time operates any bus. If the bus operation includes more than 100 buses, the inspection shall be without prior notice.
(2) This subdivision does not preclude
the department from conducting inspections of tour bus operations with fewer than 100 buses without prior notice. To the extent possible, the department shall conduct inspections without prior notice of any tour bus operation, including tour bus operations that have a history of noncompliance with safety laws or regulations, that have received unsatisfactory ratings, or that have had buses ordered out of service for safety violations.
(3) If a tour bus operator receives an unsatisfactory rating, the department shall conduct a followup inspection between 30 and 90 days after the initial inspection during which the unsatisfactory rating was received.
(d) The commissioner shall adopt and enforce regulations which will make the public or private users of any bus aware of the
operator’s last safety rating.
(e) It is unlawful and constitutes a misdemeanor for any person to operate any bus without the inspections specified in subdivision (c) having been conducted.
(f) The department may adopt regulations restricting or
prohibiting the movement of any vehicle from a maintenance facility or terminal if the vehicle is found in violation of this code or regulations adopted pursuant to this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 295, Sec. 20. (AB 2956) Effective January 1, 2023.)
A manufacturer or distributor of wheelchair lifts for buses, schoolbuses, youth buses, and general public transit vehicles, regardless of capacity, shall, prior to the distribution of the wheelchair lift model in California, provide to the Department of the California Highway Patrol proof of certification from an independent laboratory or registered mechanical engineer of this state that the wheelchair lift model complies with the California and any federal law and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
(Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 428, Sec. 1.)
(a) The regulations adopted under Section 34501 for vehicles engaged in interstate or intrastate commerce shall establish hours-of-service regulations for drivers of those vehicles that are consistent with the hours-of-service regulations adopted by the United States Department of Transportation in Part 395 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as those regulations now exist or are hereafter amended.
(b) The regulations adopted under Section 34501 for vehicles engaged in intrastate commerce that are not transporting hazardous substances or hazardous waste, as those terms are defined by regulations in Section 171.8 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as those
regulations now exist or are hereafter amended, shall have the following exceptions:
(1) (A) The maximum driving time within a work period shall be 12 hours for a driver of a truck or truck tractor, except for a driver of a tank vehicle with a capacity of more than 500 gallons transporting flammable liquid, who shall not drive for more than 10 hours within a work period.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the regulations may, consistent with applicable federal laws and regulations, authorize the driver of a tank vehicle with a capacity of more than 500 gallons to exceed the maximum driving time prescribed in subparagraph (A) and on-duty time prescribed in paragraph (2)
during a state of emergency declared by the Governor when operating within the state to transport fuel, pursuant to a contract with this state or the United States, used for the purpose of refueling aircraft used in emergency-related activities, including fire suppression.
(2) Except as provided in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), a motor carrier shall not permit or require a driver to drive, nor shall any driver drive, for any period after having been on duty for 80 hours in any consecutive eight days.
(3) (A) A driver
employed by an electrical corporation, as defined in Section 218 of the Public Utilities Code, a local publicly owned electric utility, as defined in Section 224.3 of that code, a gas corporation, as defined in Section 222 of that code, a telephone corporation, as defined in Section 234 of that code, a water corporation, as defined in Section 241 of that code, or a public water district as defined in Section 20200 of the Water Code, is exempt from all hours-of-service regulations while operating a public utility or public water district vehicle.
(B) A driver hired directly as a contractor by an electrical corporation, a local publicly owned electric utility, a gas corporation, a telephone corporation, a water corporation, or a public water district, as those entities are defined in subparagraph (A), or as a subcontractor hired directly by the
original contractor, is exempt from all hours-of-service regulations while operating a vehicle for the purpose of restoring utility service during an emergency on behalf of the entity that hired the original contractor. The driver shall maintain a driver’s record of duty status and shall keep a duplicate copy in their possession when driving a vehicle subject to this chapter. These records shall be presented immediately upon request by any authorized employee of the department, or any police officer or deputy sheriff.
(C) For purposes of subparagraph (B), “emergency” means a sudden, unexpected occurrence involving a clear and imminent danger, demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential public services.“Unexpected occurrence” includes, but is not limited to, fires,
floods, earthquakes or other soil or geologic movements, riots, accidents, inclement weather, natural disaster, sabotage, or other occurrence, whether natural or man-made, that interrupts the delivery of essential services, such as electricity, medical care, sewer, water, telecommunications, and telecommunication transmissions, or otherwise immediately threatens human life or public welfare.
(4) Any other exceptions applicable to drivers assigned to governmental fire suppression and prevention, as determined by the department.
(5) A driver employed by a law enforcement agency, as defined in Section 390.3(f)(2) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as that section now exists or is hereafter amended, during an emergency or to restore the public peace.
(c) The regulations adopted under Section 34501 for vehicles engaged in the transportation of farm products in intrastate commerce shall include all of the following provisions:
(1) A driver employed by an agricultural carrier, including a carrier holding a seasonal permit, or by a private carrier, when transporting farm products from the field to the first point of processing or packing, shall not drive for any period after having been on duty 16 hours or more following 8 consecutive hours off duty and shall not drive for any period after having been on duty for 112 hours in any consecutive eight-day period, except that a driver transporting special situation farm products from the field to the first point of processing or packing, or transporting livestock from pasture to pasture,
may be permitted, during one period of not more than 28 consecutive days or a combination of two periods totaling not more than 28 days in a calendar year, to drive for not more than 12 hours during any workday of not more than 16 hours. A driver who thereby exceeds the driving time limits specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) shall maintain a driver’s record of duty status, and shall keep a duplicate copy in their possession when driving a vehicle subject to this chapter. These records shall be presented immediately upon request by any authorized employee of the department, or any police officer or deputy sheriff.
(2) Upon the request of the Director of Food and Agriculture, the commissioner may, for good cause, temporarily waive the maximum on-duty time limits applicable to any eight-day period when an emergency exists due
to inclement weather, natural disaster, or an adverse economic condition that threatens to disrupt the orderly movement of farm products during harvest for the duration of the emergency. For purposes of this paragraph, an emergency does not include a strike or labor dispute.
(3) For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms have the following meanings:
(A) “Farm products” means every agricultural, horticultural, viticultural, or vegetable product of the soil, honey and beeswax, oilseeds, poultry, livestock, milk, or timber.
(B) “First point of processing or packing” means a location where farm products are dried, canned, extracted, fermented, distilled, frozen, ginned, eviscerated, pasteurized, packed, packaged,
bottled, conditioned, or otherwise manufactured, processed, or preserved for distribution in wholesale or retail markets.
(C) “Special situation farm products” means fruit, tomatoes, sugar beets, grains, wine grapes, grape concentrate, cotton, or nuts.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 699, Sec. 1. (SB 68) Effective January 1, 2024.)
(a) No motor carrier shall schedule a run or permit or require the operation of any motor vehicle subject to this division between points within a period of time which would do either of the following:
(1) Necessitate the vehicle being operated at speeds greater than those prescribed by this code.
(2) Require the driver of the vehicle to exceed the applicable maximum hours of service.
(b) A logbook of a driver, which reflects a trip or
trips between points within a period of time which would have necessitated excessive speed to complete, shall give rise to a rebuttable presumption that the driver exceeded the lawful speed limit.
(c) For a violation of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a), a first offense is punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), a second offense by a fine of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), and a third or subsequent offense by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 392, Sec. 1.)
Any driver subject to the hours of service limitations and logbook requirements of this division, who is unable to produce upon request of a representative of the department any driver’s logbook or is only able to produce an incomplete driver’s log book for the prior 24-hour period, is rebuttably presumed to be in violation of the hours of service limitations in Sections 34501 and 34501.2.
(Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1306, Sec. 15.)
(a) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations which, in the judgment of the department, are designed to promote the safe operation of vehicles described in Sections 39830 and 82321 of the Education Code and Sections 545 and 34500 of this code. The Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol shall appoint a committee of 11 members to act in an advisory capacity when developing and adopting regulations affecting school pupil transportation buses and school pupil transportation operations.
The advisory committee shall consist of 11 members appointed as follows:
(1) One member of the State Department of Education.
(2) One member of the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(3) One member of the Department of the California Highway Patrol.
(4) One member who is employed as a schoolbus driver.
(5) One member of the Office of Traffic Safety in the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency.
(6) Two members who are schoolbus contractors, one of whom shall be from an urban area of the state and one of whom shall be from a rural area of the state, as determined by the department.
(7) Two members who are representatives of school districts, one of whom shall be from an urban area of the state and one of whom shall be from a rural area of the state, as determined by the department.
(8) One professionally licensed member of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
(9) One member representing school pupil transportation operations other than schoolbus operations.
(b) The department shall cooperate and confer with the advisory committee appointed pursuant to this section prior to adopting rules or regulations affecting school pupil transportation buses and school pupil transportation operations.
(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 677, Sec. 50. Effective October 7, 2005.)
The governing board of a local educational agency that provides for the transportation of pupils shall adopt procedures that limit the operation of schoolbuses when atmospheric conditions reduce visibility on the roadway to 200 feet or less during regular home-to-school transportation service. Operational policies for school activity trips shall give schoolbus drivers discretionary authority to discontinue schoolbus operation if the driver determines that it is unsafe to continue operation because of reduced visibility.
(Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 624, Sec. 9. Effective September 14, 1992.)
(a) Any rules or regulations adopted pursuant to Section 34501 for the construction, testing, or certification of wheelchair lifts for installation and use on buses shall take into consideration the costs of implementing the regulations and shall be reviewed and brought up to date by the department annually.
(b) This section shall become operative on July 1, 1987.
(Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 969, Sec. 4. Section operative July 1, 1987, by its own provisions.)
(a) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall inspect every general public paratransit vehicle, as defined in Section 336, at least once each year to certify that its condition complies with all provisions of law, including being equipped with a fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, and three-point tie downs for transporting wheelchair passengers.
(b) On or after July 1, 1989, no person shall drive any general public paratransit vehicle unless there
is displayed therein a certificate issued by the Department of the California Highway Patrol stating that on a certain date, which shall be within 13 months of the date of operation, an authorized employee of the Department of the California Highway Patrol inspected the general public paratransit vehicle and found that on the date of inspection the general public paratransit vehicle complied with the applicable provisions of state law. The Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol shall provide, by rule or regulation, for the issuance and display of distinctive inspection certificates.
(c) The Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol shall determine a fee and method of collection for the annual inspection of general public paratransit vehicles. The fee, established by regulation, shall be sufficient to cover the cost to the department for general public paratransit vehicle inspections. All fees received shall be deposited in the Motor
Vehicle Account in the State Transportation Fund.
This section shall become operative January 1, 1989.
(Amended by Stats. 1988, Ch. 683, Sec. 5. Effective August 29, 1988. Section is inoperative from August 29, 1988, until January 1, 1989, by its own provisions from this amendment.)
(a) Nothing in this division or the regulations adopted under this division is intended to, or shall, affect the rate of payment of wages, including, but not limited to, regular, premium, or overtime rates, paid to any person whether for on-duty hours or driving hours or otherwise.
(b) Nothing in this division or the regulations adopted under this division is intended to, or shall, affect the regulations adopted pursuant to other provisions of law concerning the rate or rates of payment of wages by any other public agency, including, but not limited to, the Industrial
Welfare Commission or the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement of the Department of Industrial Relations.
(Amended by Stats. 1987, Ch. 747, Sec. 2.5.)
The employer of any person required to keep log books, records of physical examination, and other driver records as may be required by the Department of the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Motor Vehicles, or the State Department of Health Services, shall register with the Department of the California Highway Patrol the address where the log books and other records are available for inspection.
(Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1452, Sec. 3. Effective September 28, 1988. Note: See this section as modified on July 17, 1991, in Governor's Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1991.)
(a) Vehicles and the operation thereof, subject to this section, are those described in subdivision (a), (b), (e), (f), (g), (j), or (k) of Section 34500, except an agricultural vehicle as defined in Section 34500.6.
(b) It is unlawful for a motor carrier to operate any vehicle of a type described in subdivision (a) without identifying to the department all terminals, as defined in Section 34515, in this state where vehicles may be inspected by the department pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 34501 and where vehicle inspection and maintenance records and driver records will be made available for inspection. Motor carriers shall make vehicles and records available for inspection upon request by an authorized representative of the department.
If a motor carrier fails to provide vehicles and records, an unsatisfactory terminal rating shall be issued by the department.
(1) The number of vehicles that will be selected for inspection by the department at a terminal shall be based on terminal fleet size and applied separately to a terminal fleet of power units and trailers, according to the following schedule:
Fleet Size | Representative
Sample |
1 or 2 | All |
3 to 8 | 3 |
9 to 15 | 4 |
16 to 25 | 6 |
26 to 50 | 9 |
51 to 90 | 14 |
91 or more | 20 |
(2) The lessor of any vehicle described in subdivision (a) shall make vehicles available for inspection upon request of an authorized representative of the department in the course of inspecting the terminal of the lessee. This section does not affect whether the lessor or driver provided by the lessor is an employee of the authorized carrier lessee, and compliance with this section and its attendant administrative requirements does not imply an employee-employer relationship.
(c) (1) The department may inspect any terminal, as defined in Section 34515, of a motor carrier who, at any time, operates any vehicle described in subdivision (a).
(2) The department shall adopt rules and regulations establishing a performance-based truck terminal inspection selection priority system. In adopting the
system’s rules and regulations, the department shall incorporate methodologies consistent with those used by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, including those related to the quantitative analysis of safety-related motor carrier performance data, collected during the course of inspection or enforcement contact by authorized representatives of the department or any authorized federal, state, or local safety official, in categories, including, but not limited to, driver fatigue, driver fitness, vehicle maintenance, and controlled substances and alcohol use. The department shall also incorporate other safety-related motor carrier performance data in this system, including citations and accident information. The department shall create a database to include all performance-based data specified in this section that shall be updated in a manner to provide real-time information to the department on motor carrier performance. The department shall prioritize for selection those motor carrier terminals
never previously inspected by the department, those identified by the inspection priority selection system, and those terminals operating vehicles listed in subdivision (g) of Section 34500. The department is not required to inspect a terminal subject to inspection pursuant to this section more often than once every six years, if a terminal receives a satisfactory compliance rating as the result of a terminal inspection conducted by the department pursuant to this section or Section 34501, or if the department has not received notification by the system of a motor carrier operating while exceeding the threshold of the inspection selection priority system. Any motor carrier that is inspected and receives less than a satisfactory compliance rating, or that falls below the threshold of the selection priority system, shall be subject to periodic inquiries and inspections as outlined in subdivision (f), and these inquiries and inspections shall be based on the severity of the violations.
(3) As used in this section and Section 34505.6, subdivision (f) of Section 34500 includes only those combinations in which the gross vehicle weight rating of the towing vehicle exceeds 10,000 pounds, but does not include a pickup truck or any combination never operated in commercial use, and subdivision (g) of Section 34500 includes only those vehicles transporting hazardous material for which the display of placards is required pursuant to Section 27903, a license is required pursuant to Section 32000.5, or for which hazardous waste transporter registration is required pursuant to Section 25163 of the Health and Safety Code. Notwithstanding Section 5014.1, vehicles that display special identification plates in accordance with Section 5011, historical vehicles, as described in Section 5004, implements of husbandry and farm vehicles, as defined in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 36000) of Division 16, and vehicles owned or operated by an agency
of the federal government are not subject to this section or Section 34505.6.
(d) It is unlawful for a motor carrier to operate, or cause to be operated, any vehicle that is subject to this section, Section 34520, or Division 14.85 (commencing with Section 34600), unless the motor carrier is knowledgeable of, and in compliance with, all applicable statutes and regulations.
(e) It is unlawful for a motor carrier to contract or subcontract with, or otherwise engage the services of, another motor carrier, subject to this section, unless the contracted motor carrier has complied with subdivision (d). A motor carrier shall not contract or subcontract with, or otherwise engage the services of, another motor carrier until the contracted motor carrier provides certification of compliance with subdivision (d). This certification shall be completed in writing by the contracted motor carrier
in a manner prescribed by the department. The certification, or a copy of the certification, shall be maintained by each involved party for the duration of the contract or the period of service plus two years, and shall be presented for inspection immediately upon the request of an authorized employee of the department. The certifications required by this subdivision and subdivision (b) of Section 34620 may be combined.
(f) (1) An inspected terminal that receives an unsatisfactory compliance rating shall be reinspected by the department within 120 days after the issuance of the unsatisfactory compliance rating.
(2) If a motor carrier’s Motor Carrier of Property Permit or Public Utilities Commission operating authority is suspended as a result of an unsatisfactory compliance rating, the department shall not conduct a reinspection for permit or authority
reinstatement until requested to do so by the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Public Utilities Commission, as appropriate.
(g) A motor carrier issued an unsatisfactory terminal rating may request a review of the rating within five business days of receipt of the notification of the rating. The department shall conduct and evaluate the review within 10 business days of the request.
(h) The department shall publish performance-based inspection completion data and make the data available for public review.
(i) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the Basic Inspection of Terminals program or BIT program.
(j) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2026, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2026, deletes or extends that date.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 561, Sec. 257) by Stats. 2022, Ch. 209, Sec. 2. (AB 2415) Effective January 1, 2023. Repealed as of January 1, 2026, by its own provisions. See later operative version, as amended by Sec. 3 of Stats. 2022, Ch. 209.)
(a) Vehicles and the operation thereof, subject to this section, are those described in subdivision (a), (b), (e), (f), (g), (j), or (k) of Section 34500.
(b) It is unlawful for a motor carrier to operate any vehicle of a type described in subdivision (a) without identifying to the department all terminals, as defined in Section 34515, in this state where vehicles may be inspected by the department pursuant to paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 34501 and where vehicle inspection and maintenance records and driver records will be made available for inspection. Motor carriers shall make vehicles and records available for inspection upon request by an authorized representative of the department. If a motor carrier fails to provide vehicles and records, an
unsatisfactory terminal rating shall be issued by the department.
(1) The number of vehicles that will be selected for inspection by the department at a terminal shall be based on terminal fleet size and applied separately to a terminal fleet of power units and trailers, according to the following schedule:
Fleet Size | Representative
Sample |
1 or 2 | All |
3 to 8 | 3 |
9 to 15 | 4 |
16 to 25 | 6 |
26 to 50 | 9 |
51 to 90 | 14 |
91 or more | 20 |
(2) The lessor of any vehicle described in subdivision (a) shall make vehicles available for inspection upon request of an authorized representative of the department in the course of inspecting the terminal of the lessee. This section does not affect whether the lessor or driver provided by the lessor is an employee of the authorized carrier lessee, and compliance with this section and its attendant administrative requirements does not imply an employee-employer relationship.
(c) (1) The department may inspect any terminal, as defined in Section 34515, of a motor carrier who, at any time, operates any vehicle described in subdivision (a).
(2) The department shall adopt rules and regulations establishing a performance-based truck terminal inspection selection priority system. In adopting the system’s rules and regulations, the department shall
incorporate methodologies consistent with those used by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, including those related to the quantitative analysis of safety-related motor carrier performance data, collected during the course of inspection or enforcement contact by authorized representatives of the department or any authorized federal, state, or local safety official, in categories, including, but not limited to, driver fatigue, driver fitness, vehicle maintenance, and controlled substances and alcohol use. The department shall also incorporate other safety-related motor carrier performance data in this system, including citations and accident information. The department shall create a database to include all performance-based data specified in this section that shall be updated in a manner to provide real-time information to the department on motor carrier performance. The department shall prioritize for selection those motor carrier terminals never previously inspected by the department, those
identified by the inspection priority selection system, and those terminals operating vehicles listed in subdivision (g) of Section 34500. The department is not required to inspect a terminal subject to inspection pursuant to this section more often than once every six years, if a terminal receives a satisfactory compliance rating as the result of a terminal inspection conducted by the department pursuant to this section or Section 34501, or if the department has not received notification by the system of a motor carrier operating while exceeding the threshold of the inspection selection priority system. Any motor carrier that is inspected and receives less than a satisfactory compliance rating, or that falls below the threshold of the selection priority system, shall be subject to periodic inquiries and inspections as outlined in subdivision (f), and these inquiries and inspections shall be based on the severity of the violations.
(3) As used
in this section and Section 34505.6, subdivision (f) of Section 34500 includes only those combinations in which the gross vehicle weight rating of the towing vehicle exceeds 10,000 pounds, but does not include a pickup truck or any combination never operated in commercial use, and subdivision (g) of Section 34500 includes only those vehicles transporting hazardous material for which the display of placards is required pursuant to Section 27903, a license is required pursuant to Section 32000.5, or for which hazardous waste transporter registration is required pursuant to Section 25163 of the Health and Safety Code. Notwithstanding Section 5014.1, vehicles that display special identification plates in accordance with Section 5011, historical vehicles, as described in Section 5004, implements of husbandry and farm vehicles, as defined in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 36000) of Division 16 and vehicles owned or operated by an agency of the federal government are not subject to this section or Section
34505.6.
(d) It is unlawful for a motor carrier to operate, or cause to be operated, any vehicle that is subject to this section, Section 34520, or Division 14.85 (commencing with Section 34600), unless the motor carrier is knowledgeable of, and in compliance with, all applicable statutes and regulations.
(e) It is unlawful for a motor carrier to contract or subcontract with, or otherwise engage the services of, another motor carrier, subject to this section, unless the contracted motor carrier has complied with subdivision (d). A motor carrier shall not contract or subcontract with, or otherwise engage the services of, another motor carrier until the contracted motor carrier provides certification of compliance with subdivision (d). This certification shall be completed in writing by the contracted motor carrier in a manner prescribed by the department. The certification, or a
copy of the certification, shall be maintained by each involved party for the duration of the contract or the period of service plus two years, and shall be presented for inspection immediately upon the request of an authorized employee of the department. The certifications required by this subdivision and subdivision (b) of Section 34620 may be combined.
(f) (1) An inspected terminal that receives an unsatisfactory compliance rating shall be reinspected by the department within 120 days after the issuance of the unsatisfactory compliance rating.
(2) If a motor carrier’s Motor Carrier of Property Permit or Public Utilities Commission operating authority is suspended as a result of an unsatisfactory compliance rating, the department shall not conduct a reinspection for permit or authority reinstatement until requested to do so by the Department of Motor
Vehicles or the Public Utilities Commission, as appropriate.
(g) A motor carrier issued an unsatisfactory terminal rating may request a review of the rating within five business days of receipt of the notification of the rating. The department shall conduct and evaluate the review within 10 business days of the request.
(h) The department shall publish performance-based inspection completion data and make the data available for public review.
(i) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the Basic Inspection of Terminals program or BIT program.
(j) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2026.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 561, Sec. 258) by Stats. 2022, Ch. 209, Sec. 3. (AB 2415) Effective January 1, 2023. Operative January 1, 2026, by its own provisions.)
If the inspection of a carrier facility, maintenance facility, or terminal of any person who operates a schoolbus results in an unsatisfactory terminal rating by the department, the department shall notify the school board of the district that is responsible for the terminal.
(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 1007, Sec. 24.5. Effective January 1, 2000.)
(a) Notwithstanding Section 34501.12, for purposes of this division, safety inspections of grape gondolas are governed by this section.
(b) Every registered owner of a grape gondola shall submit an application and the fee specified in subdivision (g) to the department for the initial inspection required by this section. The initial application shall be submitted on or before July 1, 1993. The inspection term for a grape gondola shall expire 25 months from the date the department
conducts the inspection, and issues a certificate indicating the gondola has passed the inspection, and every 25 months thereafter. Applications and fees for subsequent inspections and certificates shall be submitted not later than seven months before the expiration of the then current inspection term. If the registered owner has submitted the inspection application and the required accompanying fees, but the department is unable to complete the inspection within the 25-month inspection period, then no additional fee shall be required for the inspection requested in the original application.
(c) On and after July 1, 1993, no person may operate any grape gondola without having submitted an inspection application and the required fees to the department as required by this section.
(d) On and after January 1, 1995, no person may operate any grape gondola, without the inspection
described in subdivision (e) having been performed and a certificate having been issued to the owner.
(e) The safety inspection undertaken pursuant to this section shall be limited to an inspection of the brake system, steering, lights, connections, wheels and tires, frame, and suspension.
(f) For purposes of undertaking the inspection of grape gondolas under this section, the department shall schedule all inspections at one central location during a continuous eight-week period every odd-numbered year with at least two days of each week during that eight-week period devoted to the actual inspection. If the gondola does not pass its first inspection, it may be reinspected during the eight-week period at no additional cost.
(g) Fees shall be established by the department in an amount equal to the actual costs incurred
by the department in carrying out this section, but not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25) for each inspection or reinspection.
(h) As used in this section, “grape gondola” means a motor vehicle which has been permanently altered and is attached to a grape tank by two means. The first mean is by use of a kingpin on the trunk which is centered through a turntable assembly on the tank. The second means of attachment is through the use of a pair of horizontal crossarms between the drive axle and the rear tank axle. The tank is designed to pivot off of the chassis on two support arms during dumping, and is further designed to be specifically compatible with dumping facilities of the wineries.
(i) This section only applies to a grape gondola that is used under all of the following conditions:
(1) For 60 days or less
during any calendar year.
(2) For not more than 500 miles in any calendar year.
(3) Only for the transportation of grapes.
(Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 724, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1993.)
(a) The regulations adopted pursuant to Section 34501 shall require that any driver of a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in Section 15210, be ordered out of service for 24 hours if the driver is found to have 0.01 percent or more, by weight, of alcohol in his or her blood.
(b) This section shall become operative on January 1, 1992, and shall remain operative until the director determines that federal regulations adopted pursuant to the Commercial Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 (49 U.S.C. Sec. 2701 et seq.) contained in that act and Section 391.15 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations do not require the state to order the operator of a commercial vehicle out of service for 24 hours when the operator has a measurable concentration of alcohol in his or her blood.
(c) The director shall submit a notice of the determination under subdivision (b) to the Secretary of State, and this section shall be repealed upon the receipt of that notice.
(Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1114, Sec. 40. Section operative January 1, 1992, by its own provisions. Inoperative upon determination described in subd. (b). Repealed upon notification prescribed in subd. (c).)
(a) Every employer of a commercial driver shall provide information to that employee at the time of hiring and to all employed commercial drivers annually, concerning all of the following:
(1) The prohibition against driving a commercial motor vehicle with over 0.04 percent or more, by weight, alcohol in his or her blood on and after January 1, 1992.
(2) The requirement to be placed out of service
for 24 hours if the person’s blood-alcohol concentration is tested to be 0.01 percent or more, by weight, on and after January 1, 1992.
(b) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall include the information prescribed in subdivision (a), together with information concerning the alcohol concentration in a person’s blood resulting from consumption of alcoholic beverages, in each publication of the commercial driver’s handbook published after January 1, 1990.
(c) This section shall remain operative until the director determines that federal regulations adopted pursuant to the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986 (49 U.S.C. Sec. 2701 et seq.) do not require the state to implement the prohibitions and requirements in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (a).
(d) The director shall submit a notice of the determination
under subdivision (c) to the Secretary of State, and this section shall be repealed upon the receipt of that notice.
(Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1114, Sec. 41. Inoperative upon determination described in subd. (c). Repealed upon notification prescribed in subd. (d).)
(a) All paratransit vehicles shall be regularly and systematically inspected, maintained, and lubricated by the owner or operator in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, or more often if necessary to ensure the safe operating condition of the vehicle. The maintenance shall include, at a minimum, in-depth inspection of the vehicle’s brake system, steering components, lighting system, and wheels and tires, to be performed at intervals in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
(b) All owners or operators of paratransit vehicles shall document each systematic inspection, maintenance, and lubrication and repair performed for each vehicle subject to this section. Required records shall include service performed, the name of the person performing the service, the date that the service was performed, and the odometer reading of the vehicle at the time of the service. The records shall be maintained for the period that the vehicle is in service at the place of business in this state of the owner or operator of the vehicle, and shall be presented upon demand to any authorized representative of the department. The odometer of a paratransit vehicle shall be maintained in proper working order.
(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 241, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1999.)
(a) Every motor carrier regularly employing more than 20 full-time drivers shall report to the department whenever it replaces more than half of its drivers within a 30-day period. Within 21 days of receipt of that report, the department shall inspect the motor carrier to ensure that the motor carrier is complying with all safety of operations requirements, including, but not limited to, controlled substances testing and hours-of-service regulations. The reporting requirement of this subdivision does not apply to a motor carrier who, through
normal seasonal fluctuations in the business operations of the carrier, or through termination of a contract for transportation services, other than a collective bargaining agreement, replaces drivers in one geographical location with drivers in another geographical location.
(b) For the purposes of subdivision (a), “employing” means having an employer-employee relationship with a driver or contracting with an owner-operator, as described in Section 34624, to provide transportation services for more than 30 days within the previous year.
(c) For the purposes of subdivision (a), “full-time” means that the driver is on-duty with the motor carrier for an average of 30 hours or more per week during the course of his or her employment or contract with the motor carrier.
(Added by Stats. 2001, Ch. 789, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2002.)
A vehicle described in Section 34500 shall comply with the equipment requirements specified in Part 393 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, relating to automatic brake adjusters and brake adjustment indicators, antilock brake systems, frames, cab and body components, wheels, suspension systems, and steering wheel systems. In the application of this section to a vehicle, “commercial motor vehicle” and “motor vehicle” have the same meanings as those terms are defined in Section 390.5 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(Added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 295, Sec. 21. (AB 2956) Effective January 1, 2023.)
In adopting rules and regulations, the Department of the California Highway Patrol shall consider as evidence of generally accepted safety standards the rules and regulations which have been adopted by the Public Utilities Commission.
(Added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 2148.)
It is the legislative intention in enacting this division that the rules and regulations adopted by the Department of the California Highway Patrol pursuant to this division shall apply uniformly throughout the State of California, and no state agency, city, city and county, county, or other political subdivision of this State, including, but not limited to, a chartered city, city and county, or county, shall adopt or enforce any ordinance or regulation which is inconsistent with the rules and regulations adopted by the department pursuant to this division.
(Added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 2148.)
The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall enforce the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 34501. Rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 34501 shall become effective on March 1, 1965.
(Added by Stats. 1963, Ch. 2148.)
(a) Tour bus operators shall, in addition to the systematic inspection, maintenance, and lubrication services required of all motor carriers, require each tour bus to be inspected at least every 45 days, or more often if necessary to ensure safe operation. This inspection shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Brake adjustment.
(2) Brake system components and leaks.
(3) Steering and suspension systems.
(4) Tires and wheels.
(b) A tour bus shall not be used to transport passengers until all defects listed during the inspection conducted pursuant to subdivision (a) have been corrected and attested to by the signature of the operator’s authorized representative.
(c) Records of inspections conducted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be kept at the operator’s maintenance facility or terminal where the tour bus is regularly garaged. The records shall be retained by the operator for one year, and shall be made available for inspection upon request by any authorized employee of the department. Each record shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Identification of the vehicle, including make, model, license number, or other means of
positive identification.
(2) Date and nature of each inspection and any repair performed.
(3) Signature of operator’s authorized representative attesting to the inspection and to the completion of all required repairs.
(4) Company vehicle number.
(Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1306, Sec. 16.)
(a) Upon determining that a tour bus carrier or modified limousine carrier has either
failed to comply with the requirements specified in paragraph (1) or (2), or has been issued an out-of-service order for either an imminent hazard or an unsatisfactory or unfit rating by the United States Secretary of Transportation,
the department shall recommend to the Public Utilities Commission that the carrier’s operating authority be suspended, denied, or revoked, or to the United States Department of Transportation that appropriate administrative action be taken against the carrier’s interstate operating authority, whichever is appropriate:
(1) The tour bus carrier or modified limousine carrier has failed to maintain any vehicle of the carrier in a safe operating condition or to comply with the Vehicle Code or with regulations contained in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations relative to motor carrier safety, and, in the department’s opinion, the failure presents an imminent danger to public safety or constitutes such a consistent failure as to justify a recommendation to the Public Utilities Commission or the United States Department of Transportation.
(2) The tour bus carrier or modified limousine carrier has failed to
enroll all drivers in the pull-notice system as required by Section 1808.1.
(b) For purposes of this section, two consecutive unsatisfactory compliance ratings for an inspected terminal assigned because the tour bus carrier or modified limousine carrier failed to comply with the periodic report requirements of Section 1808.1 or the cancellation of the carrier’s enrollment by the Department of Motor Vehicles for nonpayment of required fees may be determined by the department to be a consistent failure. However, when recommending denial of an application for new or renewal authority, the department need not
conclude that the carrier’s failure presents an imminent danger to public safety or that it constitutes a consistent failure. The department need only conclude that the carrier’s compliance with the safety-related matters described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) is sufficiently unsatisfactory to justify a recommendation for denial. The department shall retain a record, by carrier, of every recommendation made pursuant to this section.
(c) Before transmitting a recommendation pursuant to subdivision (a), the department shall notify the carrier in writing of all of the following:
(1) That the department
has determined that the carrier’s safety record is unsatisfactory, furnishing a copy of any documentation or summary of any other evidence supporting the determination.
(2) That the determination may result in a suspension, revocation, or denial of the carrier’s operating authority by the Public Utilities Commission or the United States Department of Transportation, as appropriate.
(3) That the carrier may request a review of the determination by the department within five days of its receipt of the notice required under this subdivision. If a review is requested by the carrier, the department shall conduct and evaluate that review prior to transmitting
a notification pursuant to subdivision (a).
(d) Notwithstanding subdivision (a) or (c), upon determining during a terminal inspection or at any other time that the condition of a tour bus
shows multiple safety violations of a nature that operation of the tour bus could constitute an imminent danger to public safety, the department shall immediately order the tour bus out of service. The tour bus shall not be subsequently operated with passengers until all of the safety violations have been corrected and the department has verified the correction of the safety violations upon a subsequent inspection by the department of the tour bus, which shall occur within five business days of the submission of a reinspection request from the tour bus carrier to the department.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 311, Sec. 10. (SB 814) Effective January 1, 2022.)
(a) In furtherance of the requirements specified in subdivision (c) of Section 34501, upon the request of, and in consultation with, representatives of a local government in a jurisdiction where tour buses operate, the Department of the California Highway Patrol shall develop protocols for entering into memoranda of understanding with local governments to allow the department to increase the number of the locally operating tour buses that are being inspected by the department.
(b) A memorandum of understanding entered into with a local government pursuant to subdivision (a) shall include a provision that the local government will reimburse the department for all actual costs associated
with conducting additional inspections.
(c) Any inspection conducted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall
not be duplicative of an inspection conducted by the department to meet the requirements specified in subdivision (c) of Section 34501.
(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 685, Sec. 1. (AB 1677) Effective January 1, 2017.)
(a) Every motor carrier operating any vehicle described in subdivision (a), (b), (e), (f), (g), (j), or (k) of Section 34500, except those vehicles exempted under Section 34501.12, shall, as a part of the systematic inspection, maintenance, and lubrication services required of all motor carriers, require the vehicle or vehicles for which it is responsible pursuant to Section 34501.12 to be inspected at least every 90 days, or more often if necessary to ensure safe operation. Vehicles which are out of service for periods greater than 90 calendar days are not required to be inspected at 90-day intervals if they are inspected before operation on the highway. This inspection shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Brake adjustment.
(2) Brake system components and leaks.
(3) Steering and suspension systems.
(4) Tires and wheels.
(5) Vehicle connecting devices.
(b) No vehicle subject to this section shall be operated on the highway other than to a place of repair until all defects listed during the inspection conducted pursuant to subdivision (a) have been corrected and attested to by the signature of the motor carrier’s authorized representative.
(c) Records of inspections conducted pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be kept at the motor carrier’s terminals, as designated
in accordance with Section 34501.12. The records shall be retained by the motor carrier for two years, and shall be made available for inspection upon request by any authorized employee of the department. Each record shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Identification of the vehicle, including make, model, license number, company vehicle number, or other means of positive identification.
(2) Date and nature of each inspection and any repair performed.
(3) Signature of the motor carrier’s authorized representative attesting to the inspection and to the completion of all required repairs.
(d) Printouts of inspection and maintenance records maintained in computer systems shall be accepted in lieu of signed inspection or repair
records if the printouts include the information required in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subdivision (c).
(e) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, records of 90-day inspections need not be retained in California for interstate vehicles which are not physically based in California. However, when these vehicles are present in California, they are subject to inspection by the department. If the inspection results indicate maintenance program deficiencies, the department may require the motor carrier to produce the maintenance records or copies of those records for inspection within 10 working days.
(f) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.
(Repealed (in Sec. 7) and added by Stats. 2013, Ch. 500, Sec. 8. (AB 529) Effective January 1, 2014. Section operative January 1, 2016, by its own provisions.)
(a) Upon determining that a motor carrier of property, as defined in Section 34601, either is subject to paragraph (1) or (2), or has been issued an out-of-service order for either an imminent hazard or an unsatisfactory or unfit rating by the United States Secretary of Transportation, the department shall recommend that the Department of Motor Vehicles suspend or revoke the carrier’s motor carrier permit, or, for interstate operators, the department shall recommend to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that appropriate administrative action be taken against the carrier.
(1) The motor carrier of property has failed to maintain any vehicle of a type described above in a
safe operating condition or to comply with the Vehicle Code or with regulations contained in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations relative to motor carrier safety, and, in the department’s opinion, that failure presents an imminent danger to public safety or constitutes a consistent failure so as to justify a recommendation to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(2) The motor carrier of property has failed to enroll all drivers in the pull-notice system as required by Section 1808.1.
(b) Upon determining that a household mover, or a household mover transporting used office, store, or institution furniture and fixtures under its household mover permit issued under Section 19241 of the Business and Professions Code, either is subject to paragraph (1) or (2), or has been
issued an out-of-service order for either an imminent hazard or an unsatisfactory or unfit rating by the United States Secretary of Transportation, the department shall recommend that the Department of Consumer Affairs deny, suspend, or revoke the carrier’s household mover permit, or, for interstate operators, the department shall recommend to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that appropriate administrative action be taken against the household mover.
(1) The motor carrier of property has failed to maintain any vehicle of the carrier in a safe operating condition or to comply with the Vehicle Code or with regulations contained in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations relative to motor carrier safety, and, in the department’s opinion, that failure presents an imminent danger to public safety or constitutes a
consistent failure so as to justify a recommendation to the Department of Consumer Affairs.
(2) The motor carrier of property has failed to enroll all drivers in the pull-notice system as required by Section 1808.1.
(c) For purposes of this section, two consecutive unsatisfactory compliance ratings for an inspected terminal assigned because the motor carrier failed to comply with the periodic report requirements of Section 1808.1 or the cancellation of the carrier’s enrollment by the Department of Motor Vehicles for the nonpayment of required fees is a consistent failure. The department shall retain a record, by operator, of every recommendation made pursuant to this section.
(d) Before transmitting a recommendation pursuant to
subdivision (a), the department shall notify the carrier in writing of all of the following:
(1) That the department has determined that the carrier’s safety record or compliance with Section 1808.1 is unsatisfactory, furnishing a copy of any documentation or summary of any other evidence supporting the determination.
(2) That the determination may result in a suspension, revocation, or denial of the carrier’s motor carrier permit by the Department of Motor Vehicles, suspension, revocation, or denial of the carrier’s household mover permit suspended, revoked, or denied, by the Department of Consumer Affairs, or administrative action by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
(3) That the carrier may
request a review of the determination by the department within five days of its receipt of the notice required under this subdivision. If a review pursuant to this paragraph is requested by the carrier, the department shall conduct and evaluate that review prior to transmitting any notification pursuant to subdivision (a) or (b).
(e) Upon receipt of a written recommendation from the department that a motor carrier permit or household mover permit be suspended, revoked, or denied, the Department of Motor Vehicles or Department of Consumer Affairs, as appropriate, shall, pending a hearing in the matter pursuant to Section 34623 or appropriate Department of Consumer Affairs authority, suspend the motor carrier permit or household mover permit. The written recommendation shall specifically indicate compliance with subdivision
(d).
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 295, Sec. 22. (AB 2956) Effective January 1, 2023.)
(a) Upon determining that a private carrier of passengers, as defined in Section 34681 of the Vehicle Code, has either failed to comply with the
requirements specified in paragraph (1) or (2), or has been issued an out-of-service order for either an imminent hazard or an unsatisfactory rating by the United States Secretary of Transportation, the department shall make a written recommendation to the Department of Motor Vehicles that the carrier’s registration be suspended:
(1) The private carrier of passengers has failed to maintain any vehicle of the carrier in a safe operating condition or to comply with the Vehicle Code or with regulations contained in Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations
relative to motor carrier safety, and, in the department’s opinion, the failure presents an imminent danger to public safety or constitutes such a consistent failure as to justify a recommendation to the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(2) The private carrier of passengers has failed to enroll all drivers in the pull-notice system as required by Section 1808.1.
(b) For purposes of this section, two consecutive unsatisfactory terminal ratings assigned for failure to comply with the periodic report requirements in Section 1808.1, or cancellation of an employer’s enrollment by the Department of Motor Vehicles for nonpayment of fees, constitutes a consistent failure. The department shall retain a record, by operator, of every recommendation made pursuant
to this section.
(c) Before transmitting a recommendation pursuant to subdivision (a), the department shall give written notice to the carrier of all of the following:
(1) That the department has determined that the carrier’s safety record is unsatisfactory, furnishing a copy of any documentation or summary of any other evidence supporting the determination.
(2) That the determination may result in a suspension or revocation of the carrier’s registration by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
(3) That the carrier may request a review of the determination by the department within five days of its receipt of the notice required by this subdivision. If a review pursuant to this paragraph is requested by the carrier, the department shall conduct and evaluate that review prior to transmitting
a notification pursuant to subdivision (a).
(d) Commercial vehicle inspection facilities along the border of Mexico, including those in Calexico and Otay Mesa, shall be staffed at all times by a Department of the California Highway Patrol inspector whenever those facilities are open to the public. The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall also assign, as staffing permits, a commercial inspector to control truck traffic entering the United States at the Tecate border crossing.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 311, Sec. 11. (SB 814) Effective January 1, 2022.)
(a) A charter-party carrier of passengers engaged in charter bus transportation shall ensure that the driver of a vehicle as described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 5363 of the Public Utilities Code that is designed to carry 39 or more passengers shall instruct or play a video for all passengers on the safety equipment and emergency exits on the vehicle prior to the beginning of any trip and provide each passenger with written or video instructions that include, at a minimum, a demonstration of the location and operation of all exits, including emergency exits, the requirement to wear a seatbelt, if available, and that not wearing a seatbelt is punishable by a fine.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law, no later than July 1, 2018,
the department shall adopt standards and criteria for the implementation of the safety requirements specified in this section.
(c) This section does not alter or affect the requirements of the Passenger Charter-party Carriers’ Act (Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 5351) of Division 2 of the Public Utilities Code).
(d) The amendments to this section as added by the act that added this subdivision shall be operative on July 1, 2018.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 593, Sec. 4. (SB 20) Effective January 1, 2018. Amended version operative July 1, 2018, pursuant to earlier operation of new subdivision (d).)
(a) An ocean marine terminal that receives and dispatches intermodal chassis may conduct the intermodal roadability inspection program, as described in this section, in lieu of the inspection required by Section 34505.5, if the terminal meets all of the following conditions:
(1) More than 1,000 chassis are based at the ocean marine terminal.
(2) The ocean marine terminal, following the two most recent consecutive
inspections required by Section 34501.12, has received satisfactory compliance ratings, and the terminal has received no unsatisfactory compliance ratings as a result of any inspection conducted in the interim between the consecutive inspections conducted under Section 34501.12.
(3) Each intermodal chassis exiting the ocean marine terminal shall have a current decal and supporting documentation in accordance with Section 396.17 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(4) The ocean marine terminal’s intermodal roadability inspection program shall consist of all of the following:
(A) Each time an intermodal chassis is released from the ocean marine terminal, the chassis shall be inspected. The inspection shall include, but not be limited to, brake adjustment, brake system components and leaks, suspension
systems, tires and wheels, vehicle connecting devices, and lights and electrical system, and shall include a visual inspection of the chassis to determine that it has not been tampered with.
(B) Each inspection shall be recorded on a daily roadability inspection report that shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(i) Positive identification of the intermodal chassis, including company identification number and vehicle license plate number.
(ii) Date and nature of each inspection.
(iii) Signature, under penalty of perjury, of the ocean marine terminal operator or an authorized representative that the inspection has been performed.
(iv) The inspector shall affix a green
tag to a chassis that has passed inspection and a red tag to a chassis that has failed inspection. The tag shall contain the name of the inspector and the date and time that the inspection was completed and shall be placed in a conspicuous location so that it may be viewed from the rear of the vehicle. The tag shall be provided by the marine terminal operator and shall meet specifications determined by the Department of the California Highway Patrol. The provisions of this subparagraph shall also be applicable to an intermodal chassis inspected by a marine terminal operator pursuant to Section 34505.5.
(C) Records of each inspection conducted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be retained for 90 days at the ocean marine terminal at which each chassis is based and shall be made available upon request by any authorized employee of the department.
(D) Defects noted on any intermodal
chassis shall be repaired, and the repairs shall be recorded on the intermodal chassis maintenance file, before the intermodal chassis is released from the control of the ocean marine terminal. No vehicle subject to this section shall be released to a motor carrier or operated on the highway other than to a place of repair until all defects listed during the inspection conducted pursuant to subparagraph (A) have been corrected and attested to by the signature of the operator’s authorized representative.
(E) Records of maintenance or repairs performed pursuant to the inspection in subparagraph (A) shall be maintained at the ocean marine terminal for two years and shall be made available upon request of the department. Repair records may be retained in a computer system if printouts of those records are provided to the department upon request.
(F) Individuals performing ocean marine
terminal roadability inspections pursuant to this section shall be qualified, at a minimum, as set forth in Section 396.19 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Evidence of each inspector’s qualification shall be retained by the ocean marine terminal operator for the period during which the inspector is performing intermodal roadability inspections.
(b) The records maintained pursuant to paragraphs (C) and (E) of subdivision (a) and Section 34505.5 shall be made available during normal business hours to any motor carrier or driver or the authorized representative thereof who has been engaged to transport an intermodal container on a chassis inspected pursuant to this section or Section 34505.5 from the ocean marine terminal.
(c) Any citation issued for the violation of any state or federal law related to the defective condition of an intermodal chassis subject to
inspection pursuant to this section or Section 34505.5, that is not owned by that motor carrier or commercial driver, shall be issued to the entity responsible for the inspection and maintenance of the intermodal chassis, unless the officer determines that the defective condition of the intermodal chassis was caused by the failure of the driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle in a safe manner.
(d) Any provision contained in a contract between the registered owner or lessee of an intermodal chassis subject to inspection pursuant to this section, or any other entity responsible for the inspection and maintenance of the intermodal chassis, and any motor carrier or any contract between a motor carrier and another motor carrier engaged to transport an intermodal container on a chassis subject to inspection pursuant to this section that contains a hold harmless or indemnity clause concerning defects in the physical condition of that chassis
shall be void as against public policy. This subdivision shall not apply to damage to the intermodal chassis caused by the negligent or willful failure of the motor carrier to operate a commercial motor vehicle in a safe manner.
(e) Following a terminal inspection in which the department determines that an operator of an ocean marine terminal has failed to comply with the requirements of this section, the department shall conduct a reinspection within 120 days as specified in subdivision (h) of Section 34501.12. If the terminal fails the reinspection, the department shall direct the operator to comply with the requirements of Section 34505.5 until eligibility to utilize the inspection program described in this section is reestablished pursuant to subdivision (a). If any inspection results in an unsatisfactory rating due to conditions presenting an imminent danger to the public safety or due to the operator’s repeated failure to inspect and
repair intermodal chassis pursuant to this section, the department shall immediately forward a recommendation to the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend the operator’s motor carrier property permit, and forward a recommendation to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for administrative or other action deemed necessary against the carrier’s interstate operating authority, pursuant to Section 34505.6 or 34505.7.
(f) Any driver who believes that an intermodal chassis is in an unsafe operating condition may request that the chassis be reinspected by the entity responsible for the inspection and maintenance of the chassis pursuant to this section or Section 34505.5. The request for reinspection, any corrective action taken, or the reason why corrective action was not taken shall be recorded in the intermodal chassis maintenance file.
(g) No commercial driver shall be
threatened, coerced, or otherwise retaliated against by any ocean marine terminal operator for contacting a law enforcement agency with regard to the physical condition of an intermodal chassis or for requesting that the intermodal chassis be reinspected or repaired.
(h) For the purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:
(1) “Intermodal chassis” means a trailer designed to carry intermodal freight containers.
(2) “Ocean marine terminal” means a terminal, as defined in Section 34515, located at a port facility that engages in the loading and unloading of the cargo of oceangoing vessels.
(i) Nothing in this section shall relieve a commercial driver or commercial motor carrier of any duty imposed by state or federal law related to the
safe operation of a commercial motor vehicle.
(j) Nothing in this section shall affect the rights, duties, and obligations set forth in Section 2802 of the Labor Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 897, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2003.)
Motor carriers who contract or subcontract transportation service for other motor carriers shall retain all required records relating to the dispatch of vehicles and drivers and the pay of drivers that are not required to be retained by the carrier for whom the contracted or subcontracted service is performed.
(Added by Stats. 1997, Ch. 652, Sec. 12. Effective January 1, 1998.)
It is a misdemeanor to fail to comply with any rule or regulation adopted by the Department of the California Highway Patrol pursuant to Section 34501, 34501.5, 34508, or 34513 regarding any of the following:
(a) Hours of service of drivers.
(b) Hazardous material transportation.
(c) Schoolbus construction, design, color, equipment, maintenance, or operation.
(d) Youth
bus equipment, maintenance, or operation.
(e) Tour bus equipment, maintenance, or operation.
(f) Equipment, maintenance, or operation of any vehicle described in subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), or (g) of Section 34500.
(g) Equipment, maintenance, or operation of any school pupil activity bus.
(Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 928, Sec. 36. Effective October 14, 1991.)
Except as otherwise provided in this division, it is an infraction to fail to comply with any rule or regulation adopted by the department pursuant to this division.
(Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 298, Sec. 2.)
(a) Any member of the Department of the California Highway Patrol may remove from the highway and have placed in a storage facility, any vehicle described in subdivision (a) of Section 22406, subdivision (g) of Section 34500, and any motortruck with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10,000 pounds, which is in an unsafe condition.
(b) Any member of the Department of the California Highway Patrol may impound any farm labor vehicle operated in violation of subdivision
(b) of Section 2800, subdivision (a) of Section 24002.5, or subdivision (a) of Section 31402, subject to the following requirements:
(1) A farm labor vehicle impounded for a first violation of subdivision (b) of Section 2800, subdivision (a) of Section 24002.5, or subdivision (a) of Section 31402 may be released within 24 hours upon delivery to the impounding authority of satisfactory proof that the vehicle will be legally moved or transported to a place of repair.
(2) A farm labor vehicle shall be impounded for not less than 10 days for a second violation of subdivision (b) of Section 2800, subdivision (a) of Section 24002.5, or subdivision (a) of Section 31402, or any combination of two of those provisions, if the original equipment or maintenance violation has not been repaired to comply with existing law. The farm labor vehicle shall be released after 10 days upon delivery to
the impounding authority of satisfactory proof that the vehicle has been repaired to comply with existing law, or upon delivery to the impounding agency of satisfactory proof that the vehicle will be lawfully moved or transported to a place of repair.
(3) A farm labor vehicle shall be impounded for not less than 30 days for a third or subsequent violation of subdivision (b) of Section 2800, subdivision (a) of Section 24002.5, or subdivision (a) of Section 31402, or any combination of three or more of those provisions, if the original equipment or maintenance violation has not been repaired to comply with existing law. The farm labor vehicle shall be released after 30 days upon delivery to the impounding authority of satisfactory proof that the vehicle has been repaired to comply with existing law, or upon delivery to the impounding agency of satisfactory proof that the vehicle will be lawfully moved or transported to a place of repair.
(c) All towing and storage fees for a vehicle removed under this section shall be paid by the owner.
(Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 873, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2001.)
(a) A farm labor vehicle is subject to forfeiture as a nuisance if it is driven on a highway in violation of subdivision (b) of Section 2800, subdivision (a) of Section 24002.5, or subdivision (a) of Section 31402 and has been impounded for a second or subsequent time pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 34506.4.
(b) (1) A registered or legal owner of record at the time of impoundment may request a hearing to determine the validity of the
impoundment pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (n) of Section 14607.6.
(2) If it is determined that the necessary repairs had been completed and the farm labor vehicle complied with existing laws at the time of impoundment, the agency employing the person who directed the impoundment shall be responsible for the costs incurred for towing and storage.
(c) Procedures established in subdivisions (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), (k), (l), (o), (p), (q), (r), (t), (u), and (v) of Section 14607.6 shall be utilized for the forfeiture of an impounded farm labor vehicle.
(Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 873, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2001.)
To assist the department in enforcing this division, a vehicle that is subject to this division and to the jurisdiction, control, and regulation of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Public Utilities Commission, or the United States Secretary of the Department of Transportation shall have displayed prominently a distinctive identifying symbol as required by Section 34507.5.
(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 288, Sec. 16. Effective January 1, 2007.)
(a) A motor carrier, as defined in Section 408, whose principal place of business is in this state, who operates from a terminal in this state, or who is required to be licensed pursuant to Section 32000.5, a motor carrier of property, and a for-hire motor carrier of property, as defined in Section 34601, shall obtain a carrier identification number from the department. Application for a carrier identification number shall be on a form furnished by the department. The department may furnish the form online and require the form to be completed and submitted electronically via the department’s internet website. Information provided in connection with an application for a carrier identification number shall be true and accurate. Information relating
to a carrier identification number shall be updated by a motor carrier upon
request from the department and within 15 days of a change of information, or the cessation or resumption of regulated activity at any of the motor carrier’s terminals.
(1) A motor carrier required to obtain a carrier identification number shall first obtain a United States Department of Transportation number from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and provide that number on the application for a carrier identification number. The department shall not assign a carrier identification number unless the application includes the United States Department of Transportation number assigned to, and properly identifying, the motor carrier.
(2) A motor carrier shall ensure information associated with the United States Department of Transportation number assigned to the
motor carrier is true and accurate. The information shall be updated as required by Section 390.19T of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, before the motor carrier operates a commercial motor vehicle, at least once every two calendar years, and within 15 days of any change of information, or cessation or resumption of regulated activity.
(b) The carrier identification number assigned to the motor carrier under whose operating authority or motor carrier permit the vehicle or combination of vehicles is being operated shall be displayed on both sides of each vehicle, or on both sides of at least one motor vehicle in each combination of the following vehicles:
(1) Each vehicle set forth in Section 34500.
(2) A
motortruck of two or more axles that is more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating.
(3) Any other motortruck or motor vehicle used to transport property for compensation.
(c) The carrier identification number of a motor carrier operating a vehicle or combination of vehicles listed in subdivision (b) under a rental agreement with a term of not more than 30 calendar days need not be displayed if all of the following requirements are met:
(1) The name or trademark of the lessor are displayed on both sides of each vehicle or on both sides of one of the vehicles in each combination of vehicles.
(2) Any of the following numbers issued to the lessor are displayed
on both sides of each vehicle or on both sides of one of the vehicles in each combination of vehicles:
(A) The carrier identification number issued by the United States Department of Transportation.
(B) A valid operating authority number.
(C) A valid motor carrier of property number.
(3) (A) A copy of the rental agreement entered into by the lessor and the vehicle operator is in the vehicle or combination of vehicles.
(B) The rental agreement shall be available for inspection immediately upon the request of an authorized employee of the department, a regularly employed and salaried
police officer or deputy sheriff, or a reserve police officer or reserve deputy sheriff listed pursuant to Section 830.6 of the Penal Code.
(C) If the rented vehicle or combination of vehicles is operated in conjunction with a commercial enterprise, the rental agreement shall include the operator’s carrier identification number or motor carrier of property permit number.
(d) A vehicle or combination of vehicles that is in compliance with Section 390.21T of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations shall be deemed to be in compliance with subdivision (c).
(e) This section does not apply to any of the following vehicles:
(1) A vehicle described in
subdivision (f) of Section 34500, that is operated by a private carrier as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 34601, if the gross vehicle weight rating of the towing vehicle is 10,000 pounds or less, or the towing vehicle is a pickup truck, as defined in Section 471. This exception does not apply to a vehicle combination described in subdivision (k) of Section 34500.
(2) A vehicle described in subdivision (g) of Section 34500, that is operated by a private carrier as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 34601, if the hazardous material transportation does not require the display of placards pursuant to Section 27903, a license pursuant to Section 32000.5, or hazardous waste hauler registration pursuant to Section 25163 of the Health and Safety Code.
(3) A historical vehicle,
as described in Section 5004, and a vehicle that displays special identification plates in accordance with Section 5011.
(4) An implement of husbandry as defined in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 36000) of Division 16.
(5) A vehicle owned or operated by an agency of the federal government.
(6) A pickup truck, as defined in Section 471, and a two-axle daily rental truck with a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 26,001 pounds, when operated in noncommercial use.
(f) Subdivision (b) does not apply to the following:
(1) A vehicle that displays a valid identification number assigned by the
United States Secretary of the Department of Transportation.
(2) A vehicle that is regulated by, and that displays a valid operating authority number issued by, the Bureau of Household Goods and Services, including a household mover as defined in Section 19225.5 of the Business and Professions Code.
(3) A for-hire motor carrier of passengers.
(g) The display of the carrier identification number shall be in sharp contrast to the background, and shall be of a size, shape, and color that it is readily legible during daylight hours from a distance of 50 feet.
(h) The carrier identification number for a company no longer in business, no longer operating with the same
name, or no longer operating under the same operating authority, identification number, or motor carrier permit shall be removed before sale, transfer, or other disposal of a vehicle marked pursuant to this section.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 295, Sec. 23. (AB 2956) Effective January 1, 2023.)
(a) Every operator of transportation service which is exempt from regulation as a charter-party carrier of passengers pursuant to subdivision (k) or (l) of Section 5353 of the Public Utilities Code, and which furnishes that transportation service in a bus, shall obtain a carrier identification number from the Department of the California Highway Patrol. Application for a carrier identification number shall be on a form furnished by the Department of the California Highway Patrol.
(b) (1) The carrier identification number so obtained by the
operator shall be displayed on both sides of each bus used in that transportation service.
(2) The display of the carrier identification number shall be in sharp contrast to the background, and shall be of a size, shape, and color as to be readily legible during daylight hours from a distance of at least 50 feet.
(3) The carrier identification number shall be removed before the sale, transfer, or other disposal of the bus.
(Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1039, Sec. 2.)
The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall adopt and enforce rules and regulations relating to the equipment, maintenance, construction, design, color, and operation of schoolbuses.
(Amended by Stats. 1981, Ch. 774, Sec. 11.)
Vanpool vehicles, as defined in Section 668, and vanpool vehicles when used for purposes other than traveling to and from a work location and transporting not more than 10 persons including the driver, shall be exempt from the regulations adopted pursuant to Section 34501, except that the following shall apply:
(a) The vanpool vehicle shall be equipped with an operable fire extinguisher which is of the dry chemical or carbon dioxide type with an aggregate rating of at least 4-B:C and which is securely mounted and readily accessible.
(b) The vanpool vehicle shall be equipped with a first aid kit, conforming to the minimum requirements for schoolbuses. First aid kits shall be readily visible, accessible, and plainly marked “First Aid Kit.”
(c) The vanpool vehicle shall be regularly and systematically inspected, maintained, and lubricated in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, or more often if necessary to ensure the safe operating condition of the vehicle. The maintenance shall include, as a minimum, an in-depth inspection of the vehicle’s brake system, steering components, lighting system, and wheels and tires, to be performed at intervals of not more than every six months or 6,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
(d) Operators of vanpool vehicles shall document each systematic inspection, maintenance, and lubrication and repair performed for each vehicle under their control.
Required records shall include services performed, the person performing the service, the date, and the mileage on the vehicle at the time of the repair. The records shall be maintained with the vehicle for one year, and shall be presented upon demand to any authorized representative of the California Highway Patrol.
(e) Vanpool vehicles being operated pursuant to the exemptions specified in this section shall display, upon the rear and sides of the vehicle, a sign or placard, clearly visible and discernable for a distance of not less than 50 feet, indicating that the vehicle is being used as a vanpool vehicle.
(Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 46, Sec. 11.)
Persons operating vehicles, or combinations of vehicles, in the transportation of hazardous material and subject to this division, shall carry in the vehicle while en route any shipping papers required to accompany the vehicle in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to Section 2402. The bill of lading or other shipping paper shall be displayed upon demand of any member of the California Highway Patrol or any police officer of a city who is on duty for the exclusive or main purpose of enforcing the provisions of this code.
(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 504, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 2002.)
(a) (1) A broker of construction trucking services, as defined in Section 3322 of the Civil Code, shall not furnish construction transportation services to any construction project unless it has secured a surety bond of not less than fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) executed by an admitted surety insurer. The surety bond shall ensure the payment of the claims of a contracted motor carrier of property in dump truck equipment if the broker fails to pay the contracted motor carrier within the time period specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 3322 of the Civil Code.
(2) (A) A broker of construction trucking services annually shall provide written evidence of the broker’s valid surety bond to a
third-party nonprofit organization that is related to the industry and regularly maintains a published database of bonded brokers or post a current copy of the surety bond on the broker’s Internet Web site.
(B) When a copy of a surety bond is provided to a third-party nonprofit organization, the broker shall notify the third-party nonprofit organization if at any time the surety bond is cancelled or expired. When a copy of the surety bond is posted on the broker’s Internet Web site, the broker shall remove the copy of the surety bond from his or her Internet Web site if at any time the surety bond is cancelled or expired.
(C) A third-party nonprofit organization shall not charge a broker for posting evidence of a valid surety bond or limit the posting of the bond only to the organization’s members.
(D) A third-party
nonprofit organization shall not be liable for any damages caused by the publication of any information provided pursuant to this paragraph that is erroneous or outdated.
(b) A broker of construction trucking services shall not hire, or otherwise engage the services of, a motor carrier of property to furnish construction transportation services unless the broker provides, prior to the commencement of work each calendar year, written evidence of the broker’s valid surety bond to any person that hires, or otherwise engages the services of, the broker to furnish construction transportation services and also to the hired motor carrier of property.
(c) A broker of construction trucking services who furnishes construction transportation services in violation of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(d) In any civil action brought against a broker of construction trucking services by a motor carrier of property in dump truck equipment with whom the broker contracted during any period of time in which the broker did not have a surety bond in violation of this section, the failure to have the bond shall create a rebuttable presumption that the broker failed to pay to the motor carrier the amount due and owing.
(e) For purposes of this section, “a broker of construction trucking services” does not include a facility that meets all the following requirements:
(1) Arranges for transportation services of its product.
(2) Primarily handles raw materials to produce a new product.
(3) Is a rock
product operation (such as an “aggregate” operation), a hot mixing asphalt plant, or a concrete, concrete product, or Portland cement product manufacturing facility.
(4) Does not accept a fee for the arrangement.
(f) For the purposes of this section, “written evidence of the broker’s valid surety bond” includes a copy of the surety bond, a certificate of insurance, a continuation certificate, or other similar documentation originally issued from the surety that includes the surety’s and broker’s name, the bond number, and the effective and expiration dates of the bond.
(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 76, Sec. 197. (AB 383) Effective January 1, 2014.)
Any violation of any provision of this division or regulation adopted pursuant thereto may be enjoined in a civil action brought by the Attorney General in the name of the people of the State of California, upon request of the department, except that it shall not be necessary to show lack of adequate remedy at law or to show irreparable damage or loss.
The department may not submit a request for civil action and the Attorney General may not bring action pursuant to this section unless the person charged with a violation of this division or regulation adopted pursuant thereto fails to take corrective action after
being notified of the violation by the department, in writing, on at least two occasions over a 60-day period. Prior to the submission of the department’s request for civil action, the person charged shall receive, at his or her request, a departmental hearing on the matter and the department’s request for civil action shall be forwarded by the department to, and approved by, the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol.
(Added by Stats. 1982, Ch. 789, Sec. 3.)
The department shall adopt rules and regulations relating to the equipment and maintenance of tour buses.
(Added by Stats. 1986, Ch. 1306, Sec. 19.)
(a) Beginning with the 1990–91 fiscal year, the department shall, upon appropriation of the requisite funds by the Legislature, annually conduct additional roadside vehicle safety inspections of vehicles described in Section 34501.12. These roadside inspections shall be in addition to the maintenance facility and terminal inspections required by that section, and over and above the number of roadside vehicle safety inspections conducted during the 1987–88 fiscal year.
(b) It is
the intent of the Legislature that, beginning with the 1990–91 fiscal year, funds are to be appropriated to the department annually, for the purposes of subdivision (a), from the Motor Vehicle Account in the State Transportation Fund, to the extent that sufficient funds are collected pursuant to Section 34501.12.
(Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1243, Sec. 100. Effective September 30, 1992.)
(a) As used in this division and in regulations adopted pursuant to this division, “maintenance facility or terminal” means any place or places where a vehicle of a type listed in Section 34500 is regularly garaged or maintained, or from which it is operated or dispatched. “Maintenance facility or terminal” includes a private business or residence.
(b) For the purpose of the inspections conducted pursuant to Section 34501.12, “terminal” means the location or locations in this state that are designated by a motor carrier, where subject vehicles may be inspected by the department and where vehicle maintenance and inspection records and drivers’ records will be made available for inspection.
(c) This section shall become operative on January 1, 2016.
(Repealed (in Sec. 11) and added by Stats. 2013, Ch. 500, Sec. 12. (AB 529) Effective January 1, 2014. Section operative January 1, 2016, by its own provisions.)
(a) No person shall use or arrange for the use of a refrigerated motor vehicle, tank truck, dry van, or other motor vehicle, to provide transportation of food products for human consumption if the vehicle has been used to transport solid waste destined for landfills, or if precluded from use in accordance with subdivision (c).
(b) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor.
(c) If, pursuant to a federal statute having the same purposes as the act which added this section to the Public Utilities Code during
the 1990 portion of the 1989–90 Regular Session, the United States Secretary of Transportation publishes a list of categories of solid waste or hazardous substances which he or she determines make food unsafe as a result of having been transported in a refrigerated motor vehicle, tank truck, dry van, or other motor vehicle also used to transport food products for human consumption, subdivisions (a) and (b) apply to those substances.
(d) A person or corporation charged with a violation of this section may avoid liability upon a showing by clear and convincing evidence that the transportation alleged to violate this section did not in fact endanger the public health, due to the specific protective or remedial actions taken by the person or corporation charged.
(Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1685, Sec. 12.)
(a) With respect to a commercial motor vehicle from another country, a person shall not operate the vehicle outside the boundaries of a designated commercial zone unless the required operating authority from the United States Secretary of the Department of Transportation has first been obtained.
(b) A violation of subdivision (a) is an infraction punishable by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(c) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, shall issue a citation for a violation of subdivision (a) to the driver of the vehicle and order the driver of the vehicle to return the vehicle to its country of origin. The peace officer may impound a vehicle cited pursuant to this section and its cargo until the citation and all charges related to the impoundment are cleared. The impoundment charges are the responsibility of the vehicle’s owner.
(d) As used in this section, “designated commercial zone” means a commercial zone, as defined in Part 372 (commencing with Section 372.101) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(Amended by Stats. 2006, Ch. 288, Sec. 18. Effective January 1, 2007.)
(a) A foreign motor carrier or foreign private motor carrier required to have a certificate of registration issued by the United States Secretary of the Department of Transportation pursuant to Part 368 (commencing with Section 368.1), or required to be registered pursuant to Part 365 (commencing with Section 365.101), of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations shall not do any of the following:
(1) Operate in this state without the required certificate in the vehicle.
(2) Operate beyond the limitations or restrictions specified in the certificate as issued.
(3) Refuse to show the certificate upon request of a peace officer.
(4) Provide point-to-point transportation services, including express delivery services, within the United States for goods other than international cargo.
(b) A motor carrier required to be registered with the United States Secretary of the Department of Transportation pursuant to Section 13902 of Title 49 of the United States Code, Part 365 (commencing with Section 365.101), Part 390 (commencing with Section 390.1), or Section 392.9a of Title 49 of the Code of
Federal Regulations shall not do any of the following:
(1) Operate in this state without the required registration.
(2) Operate beyond the limitations or restrictions specified in its registration.
(3) Operate in this state without the required operating authority.
(c) A violation of subdivision (a) or (b) is an infraction punishable by a fine of one thousand dollars ($1,000).
(d) A member of the Department of the California Highway Patrol may impound a vehicle operated in violation of subdivision (a) or (b) and its cargo, until the citation and all charges related to the impoundment are cleared. The impoundment charges are the responsibility of the vehicle’s owner.
(e) (1) A motor carrier granted permanent operating authority pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not operate a vehicle on a highway, unless the vehicle is inspected by a Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance-certified inspector every three months and displays a current safety inspection decal attesting to the successful completion of those inspections for at least three years after receiving permanent operating authority.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a motor carrier granted authority to operate solely in a commercial zone on the United States-Mexico International Border.
(f) As used in this section “limitations” or “restrictions” include definitions of “commercial zones,” “municipality,” “contiguous municipalities,” “unincorporated area,” and “terminal areas,” in Part 372 (commencing with
Section 372.101) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(Amended by Stats. 2010, Ch. 491, Sec. 48. (SB 1318) Effective January 1, 2011.)
(a) Motor carriers and drivers shall comply with the controlled substances and alcohol use, transportation, and testing requirements of the United States Secretary of Transportation as set forth in Part 382 (commencing with Section 382.101) of, and Sections 392.4 and 392.5 of, Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) (1) A motor carrier shall make available for inspection, upon the request of an authorized employee of the department, copies of all results and other records pertaining to controlled substances and alcohol use and testing conducted pursuant to federal law, as specified in subdivision (a), including those records contained in individual
driver qualification files.
(2) For the purposes of complying with the return-to-duty alcohol or controlled substances test requirements, or both, of Section 382.309 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations and the followup alcohol or controlled substances test requirements, or both, of Section 382.311 of that title, the department may use those test results to monitor drivers who are motor carriers.
(3) Evidence derived from a positive test result in the possession of a motor carrier shall not be admissible in a criminal prosecution concerning unlawful possession, sale, or distribution of controlled substances.
(c) A drug or alcohol testing consortium, as defined in Section 382.107 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, shall mail a copy of all drug and alcohol positive test result summaries to the
department within three days of the test. This requirement applies only to drug and alcohol positive tests of those drivers employed by motor carriers who operate terminals within this state.
(d) A transit agency receiving federal financial assistance under Section 3, 9, or 18 of the Federal Transit Act, or under Section 103(e)(4) of Title 23 of the United States Code, shall comply with the controlled substances and alcohol use and testing requirements of the United States Secretary of Transportation as set forth in Part 655 (commencing with Section 655.1) of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(e) The owner-operator shall notify all other motor carriers with whom he or she is under contract when the owner-operator has met the requirements of subdivision (c) of Section 15242. Notwithstanding subdivision (i), a violation of this subdivision is an infraction.
(f) Except as provided in Section 382.301 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, an applicant for employment as a commercial driver or an owner-operator seeking to provide transportation services and meeting the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 34624, may not be placed on duty by a motor carrier until a preemployment test for controlled substances and alcohol use meeting the requirements of the federal regulations referenced in subdivision (a) have been completed and a negative test result has been reported.
(g) An applicant for employment as a commercial driver or an owner-operator, seeking to provide transportation services and meeting the requirements of subdivision (b) of Section 34624, may not be placed on duty by a motor carrier until the motor carrier has completed a full investigation of the driver’s employment history meeting the requirements of the
federal regulations cited under subdivision (a). Every motor carrier, whether making or receiving inquiries concerning a driver’s history, shall document all activities it has taken to comply with this subdivision.
(h) A motor carrier that utilizes a preemployment screening service to review applications is in compliance with the employer duties under subdivisions (e) and (f) if the preemployment screening services that are provided satisfy the requirements of state and federal law and the motor carrier abides by any findings that would, under federal law, disqualify an applicant from operating a commercial vehicle.
(i) It is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for six months and a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both the imprisonment and fine, for a person to willfully violate this section. As used in this subdivision, “willfully”
has the same meaning as defined in Section 7 of the Penal Code.
(j) This section does not apply to a peace officer, as defined in Section 830.1 or 830.2 of the Penal Code, who is authorized to drive vehicles described in Section 34500, or to a firefighter, as defined in subdivision (f) of Section 15250.6, who is authorized to operate firefighting equipment as defined in subdivision (g) of Section 15250.6, if that peace officer or firefighter is participating in a substance abuse detection program within the scope of his or her employment.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 451, Sec. 59. (SB 491) Effective January 1, 2016.)
(a) For the purposes of this section, a “school transportation vehicle” is a vehicle that is not a schoolbus, school pupil activity bus, or youth bus, and is used by a school district or county office of education for the primary purpose of transporting children.
(b) A school district or county office of education that employs drivers to drive a school transportation vehicle, and the driver of those vehicles, who are not otherwise required to participate in a testing program of
the United States Secretary of Transportation, shall participate in a program that is consistent with the controlled substances and alcohol use and testing requirements of the United States Secretary of Transportation that apply to schoolbus drivers and are set forth in Part 382 (commencing with Section 382.101) of, and Sections 392.5(a)(1) and (3) of, Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that this section be implemented in a manner that does not require a school district or county office of education to administer a program for drivers of school transportation vehicles that imposes controlled substance and alcohol use and testing requirements greater than those applicable to school bus drivers under existing law.
(Added by Stats. 2005, Ch. 324, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2006.)
(a) All employers of drivers who operate paratransit vehicles, and the drivers of those vehicles, who are not otherwise required to participate in a testing program of the United States Secretary of Transportation, shall participate in a program consistent with the controlled substances and alcohol use and testing requirements of the United States Secretary of Transportation as set forth in Part 382 (commencing with Section 382.101), Part 653 (commencing with Section 653.1), or Part 654 (commencing with Section 654.1) of Title 49 of the
Code of Federal Regulations.
(b) Section 34520 is applicable to any controlled substances or alcohol testing program undertaken under this section.
(c) The employer of a paratransit vehicle driver shall participate in the pull notice system defined in Section 1808.1.
(Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 1007, Sec. 25. Effective January 1, 2000.)