Okla. Stat. tit. 47, § 47-14-118

Saddlemounts - Exemptions and restrictions - Driveaway permits.

A. 1. Pursuant to such rules as may be prescribed by Oklahoma

agencies of jurisdiction, Oklahoma motor carriers may engage in any

activity in which carriers subject to the jurisdiction of the

federal government may be authorized by federal legislation to

engage. Provided further, the Transportation Commission shall

formulate for the State Trunk Highway System, including the National

System of Interstate and Defense Highways, and for all other

highways or portions thereof, rules governing the movement of

vehicles or loads which exceed the size or weight limitations

specified by the provisions of this chapter.

2. Such rules shall be the basis for the development of a

system by the Executive Director of the Department of Transportation

for the issuance of permits for the movement of oversize or

overweight vehicles or loads. Such system shall include, but not be

limited to, provisions for duration, seasonal factors, hours of the

day or days when valid, special requirements as to flags, flagmen

and warning or safety devices and other such items as may be

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consistent with the intent of this section. The permit system shall

include provisions for the collection of permit fees as well as for

the issuance of the permits by telephone, electronic transfer or

such other methods of issuance as may be deemed feasible.

3. The Department of Transportation is authorized to charge a

fee of Two Dollars ($2.00) for each permit requested to be issued by

facsimile machine or by any other means of electronic transmission,

transfer or delivery. The fee shall be in addition to any other fee

or fees assessed for the permit. The fee shall be deposited in the

State Treasury to the credit of the Department of Transportation and

the monies shall be expended by the Department of Transportation

solely for the purposes provided for in this chapter.

4. It is the purpose of this section to permit the movement of

necessary overweight and oversize vehicles or loads consistent with

the following obligations:

a. protection of the motoring public from potential

traffic hazards,

b. protection of highway surfaces, structures, and

private property, and

c. provision for normal flow of traffic with a minimum of

interference.

B. The Transportation Commission shall prepare and publish a

map of this state showing by appropriate symbols the various highway

structures and bridges in terms of maximum size and weight

restrictions. This map shall be titled "Oklahoma Load Limit Map"

and shall be revised periodically to maintain a reasonably current

status and in no event shall a period of two (2) years lapse between

revisions and publication of the printed version of the Oklahoma

Load Limit Map. This map shall also be made available by the

Department of Transportation on the Internet, and in no event shall

a period of six (6) months lapse between revisions of the

information provided on the Internet. Provided, further, the

Secretary of the Department of Transportation shall prepare and

publish a map of this state showing the advantages of this state as

a marketing, warehousing and distribution network center for motor

transportation sensitive industries.

C. The Executive Director of the Department of Transportation,

or an authorized representative, shall have the authority, within

the limitations formulated under provisions of this chapter, to

issue, withhold or revoke special permits for the operation of

vehicles or combinations of vehicles or loads which exceed the size

or weight limitations of this chapter. Every such permit shall be

carried in the vehicle or combination of vehicles to which it refers

and shall be open to inspection by any law enforcement officer or

authorized agent of any authority granting such permit, and no

person shall violate any of the terms or conditions of such special
cles or combinations of vehicles or loads which exceed the size

or weight limitations of this chapter. Every such permit shall be

carried in the vehicle or combination of vehicles to which it refers

and shall be open to inspection by any law enforcement officer or

authorized agent of any authority granting such permit, and no

person shall violate any of the terms or conditions of such special

permit.

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D. It shall be permissible in the transportation of empty

trucks on any road or highway to tow by use of saddlemounts, i.e.,

mounting the front wheels of one vehicle on the bed of another

leaving the rear wheels only of such towed vehicle in contact with

the roadway. One vehicle may be fullmounted on the towing or towed

vehicles engaged in any driveaway or towaway operation. No more

than three saddlemounts may be permitted in such combinations. The

towed vehicles shall be securely fastened and operated under the

applicable safety requirements of the United States Department of

Transportation and such combinations shall not exceed an overall

length of seventy-five (75) feet. Provided, a driveaway saddlemount

with fullmount vehicle transporter combination may reach an overall

length of ninety-seven (97) feet on the National Network of

Highways.

E. The Executive Director of the Department of Transportation,

upon application of any person engaged in the transportation of

forest products in the raw state, which is defined to be tree-length

logs moving from the forest directly to the mill, or upon

application of any person engaged in the hauling for hire or for

resale of round baled hay with a total outside width of eleven (11)

feet or less, shall issue an annual permit, upon payment of a fee of

Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) each year, authorizing the operation by

such persons of such motor vehicle load lengths and widths upon the

highways of this state except on the National System of Interstate

and Defense Highways. Provided, however, the restriction on use of

the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways shall not be

applicable to persons engaged in the hauling of round baled hay with

a total outside width of eleven (11) feet or less.

F. The Executive Director of the Department of Transportation,

upon application of any person engaged in the transportation of

overwidth or overheight equipment used in soil conservation work

with a total outside width of twelve (12) feet or less, shall issue

an annual permit, upon payment of a fee of Twenty-five Dollars

($25.00) each year, authorizing the operation by such persons of

such motor vehicle load lengths and widths upon the highways of this

state except on the National System of Interstate and Defense

Highways.

G. Farm equipment including, but not limited to, implements of

husbandry as defined in Section 1-125 of this title shall be

exempted from the requirement for special permits due to size. Such

equipment may move on any highway, except those highways which are

part of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways,

during the hours of darkness and shall be subject to the

requirements as provided in Section 12-215 of this title. In

addition to those requirements, tractors pulling machinery over

thirteen (13) feet wide must have two amber flashing warning lamps

symmetrically mounted, laterally and widely spaced as practicable,

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visible from both front and rear, mounted at least thirty-nine (39)

inches high.

H. Any rubber-tired road construction vehicle including rubber-

tired truck cranes and special mobilized machinery either self-

propelled or drawn carrying no load other than component parts

safely secured to the machinery and its own weight, but which is

overweight by any provisions of this chapter, shall be authorized to

move on the highways of this state. Movement of such vehicles shall
.

H. Any rubber-tired road construction vehicle including rubber-

tired truck cranes and special mobilized machinery either self-

propelled or drawn carrying no load other than component parts

safely secured to the machinery and its own weight, but which is

overweight by any provisions of this chapter, shall be authorized to

move on the highways of this state. Movement of such vehicles shall

be authorized on the National System of Interstate and Defense

Highways only by special permit secured from the Executive Director

of the Department of Transportation or an authorized representative

upon determination that the objectives of this section will be

served by such a permit and that federal weight restrictions will

not be violated. The special permit shall be:

1. A single-trip permit issued under the provisions of this

section and Section 14-116 of this title; or

2. A special annual overweight permit which shall be issued for

one calendar year period upon payment of a fee of Sixty Dollars

($60.00).

The weight of any such vehicle shall not exceed six hundred

fifty (650) pounds multiplied by the nominal width of the tire. The

vehicle shall be required to carry the safety equipment adjudged

necessary for the health and welfare of the driving public. If any

oversized vehicle does not come under the other limitations of the

present laws, it shall be deemed that the same shall travel only

between the hours of sunrise and sunset. The vehicle, being

overweight but of legal dimension, shall be allowed continuous

travel. The vehicles, except special mobilized machinery, shall be

exempt from the laws of this state relating to motor vehicle

registration, licensing or other fees or taxes in lieu of ad valorem

taxes.

I. 1. When such machinery has a width greater than eight and

one-half (8 1/2) feet, or a length, exclusive of load, of forty-five

(45) feet, or a height in excess of thirteen and one-half (13 1/2)

feet, then the permit may restrict movement to a fifty-mile radius

from an established operating base, and may designate highways to be

traveled, hours of travel and when flagmen may be required to

precede or follow the equipment.

2. Possession of a permit shall in no way be construed as

exempting such equipment from the authority of the Executive

Director of the Department of Transportation to restrict use of

particular highways, nor shall it exempt owners or operators of such

equipment from the responsibility for damage to highways caused by

movement of the equipment. Nothing in this subsection shall apply

to machinery used in highway construction or road material

production.

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3. Upon the issuance of a special mobilized machinery driveaway

permit as provided in this subsection, special mobilized machinery

manufactured in Oklahoma shall be permitted to move upon the

highways of this state from the place of manufacture to the state

line for delivery and exclusive use outside the state, and may be

temporarily returned to Oklahoma for modification and repair, with

subsequent movement back out of the state. Special driveaway

permits for such movements shall be issued by the Executive Director

of the Department of Transportation, who may act through designated

agents, upon the payment of a fee in the amount of Fifteen Dollars

($15.00) for each movement.

4. The size of the special mobilized machinery shall not be

such as to create a safety hazard in the judgment of the Executive

Director of the Department of Transportation. Permits for such

special mobilized machinery shall specify a maximum permissible road

speed of sixty (60) miles per hour, designate safety equipment to be

carried and may exclude use of highways of the interstate system.

5. When such equipment has a width greater than eight and one-

half (8 1/2) feet, or a length exclusive of load of forty-five (45)
rector of the Department of Transportation. Permits for such

special mobilized machinery shall specify a maximum permissible road

speed of sixty (60) miles per hour, designate safety equipment to be

carried and may exclude use of highways of the interstate system.

5. When such equipment has a width greater than eight and one-

half (8 1/2) feet, or a length exclusive of load of forty-five (45)

feet, or a height in excess of thirteen and one-half (13 1/2) feet,

the permit may designate highways to be traveled, hours of travel

and when flagmen may be required to precede or follow the equipment.

6. Possession of a special driveaway permit shall in no way be

construed as exempting such equipment from the authority of the

Executive Director of the Department of Transportation to restrict

use of particular highways, nor shall it exempt the owners or

operators of such equipment from the responsibility for damage to

highways caused by the movement of such equipment.