Texas Commercial Rules Section 14

One purpose of requiring registration papers on trucks at all times is to show:

The weight of the vehicle empty and how much it is registered to haul.

What are the three items that should be carried outside the city limits or you can't drive upon any divided highway from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise?

three flares or three red electric lanterns (or reflectors)

Two red flags must be used during the day

What does any vehicle 80" or more in width and 30' or more in length do when stopped on the roadway or shoulder?

Immediately actuate electric hazard warning signal lights, flashers which flash simultaneously. (Not required is parked legally in city limits or discharging passengers)

What type of fire extinguisher do buses, taxis, and other vehicles hauling passengers for hire or lease need?

A chemical type fire extinguisher of at least one quart capacity.

What are the mounting instructions for lighting and reflectors?

Reflectors not less than 24" or more than 60" in height about the ground on vehicles which are 80" or more in width.

What vehicles are exempt from lighting requirements?

Farm, fertilizer, and boat trailers.

Mobile homes being moved under permit.

On a divided highway, how far do flags need to be setup?

10', 100', 200' behind.

On a vision obscured road, how far do the flags need to be setup?

10', 100'

On a bus or trailer <80" in width, what color are the front turn signals?

white to amber

On a bus or trailer <80" in width, what lights are needed in back?

2 red tail-lamps, one on each side

2 red stop-lamps, one on each side

2 red reflectors, one on each side

Electric turn signal lamps, one on each side @ rear (amber to red)

On a bus or trailer <80" in width, what lights are needed on the side?

No requirements

On a bus or trailer >80" in width, what color are the front turn signals?

2 amber clearance lamps

turn signals (white to amber)

On a bus or trailer >80" in width, what lights are needed in back?

2 red tail-lamps on each side (*trucks prior to 1960 required to have at least one taillight)

2 red stop-lamps on each side

2 red reflectors on each side

Electric turn signal on each side (amber to red)

On a bus or trailer >80" in width, what lights are needed on the side?

Amber side marker lamp

Amber reflector

Red reflector

Red side marker lamp

What is required on the front of every truck-tractor?

2 amber clearance lamps

Head lamps

Electric turn signal (white to amber)

What is required on the rear of every truck-tractor?

2 red tail-lamps on each side

2 red stop-lamps on each side

2 red reflectors on each side

turn signals (amber to red)

What is required on the side of every truck-tractor?

No requirements

What is required on the front of every trailer 80" or more in width?

2 amber clearance lamps

What is required on the rear of every trailer 80" or more in width?

2 red clearance lamps

1 white license plate lamp

2 red tail lamps on each side

2 red stop lamps on each side

2 red reflectors on each side

turn signals (amber to red)

What is required on the side of every trailer 80" or more in width?

1 red side marker lamp (back)

2 amber side marker lamp (*intermediate side marker lamp and reflector required only on trailers measuring 30'+ in length)

1 red reflector (back)

2 amber reflectors

What is required on the front of every trailer <80" in width?

No requirements

What is required on the rear of every trailer <80" in width?

1 white license plate lamp

2 red tail-lamps on each side (*lamps and reflectors can be incorporated)

2 red stop-lamps on each side

2 red reflectors on each side

Turn signals (amber to red)

What is required on the side of every trailer <80" in width?

No requirements

What is required on the side of every pole trailer?

1 amber side-marker lamp (front)

1 amber reflector (front)

1 combination lamp showing amber to the front, red to the side, and red to the rear

What is required on the rear of every pole trailer?

1 white license plate lamp

2 red tail-lamps each side (lamps and reflectors can be incorporated)

2 red stop-lamps each side

turn signal (amber to red)

What vehicles are allowed to use flashing lights?

emergency vehicles, snow removal equipment, school buses when stopping, tow trucks under direction of law enforcement

What is required on the highway at night on all animal drawn vehicles, implements of husbandry, road machinery, road rollers, and farm tractors?

A white lamp on the front visible for 1000' and two red lights on the rear visible for 1000', or one red light to rear visible for 1000' and two red reflectors visible for 600'

What trailers are exempt from brake requirements?

- Trailers, semi-trailers, and pole trailers with a gross weight of <4500 lbs

- Trailers, semi-trailers, and pole trailers with a gross weight of 4500 lbs

What trailers require brakes?

4500 lbs

How many control devices must be used to operate all brakes on trailers?

One. (this doesn't prevent the use of additional control devices such as surge or inertia brake systems on trailers with a gross weight of <15000 lbs

What are the braking performance requirements for trailers?

1. If the trailer and combination is <3000lbs be able to stop within 40' at 20mph.

2. if >3000 lbs stop within 50' at 20mph.

What are the turn signal indicator requirements?

1. All vehicles, trailers (except motorcyles and certain trailers) require electric turn signals.

2. Not required for passenger cars or trucks <80" in width and made before 1960 (unless the body or load extends >24" to the side or >14" to the rear from the center of the top of the steering wheel.

(THE ANSWER IS 1959)

What are the mud flap requirements?

1. All trucks and trailers with four or more tires on the rear axle (reach to within 8" of the surface)

2. Does not apply to pole trailers or to a truck-tractor being operated alone and without being in combination with a semitrailer.

What are the lighting requirements for farm tractors and implements of husbandry?

1. If after 1972 - 2 head lamps, one taillight to the left, two red reflectors, flashers that are white/amber in front and red/amber in back. On when on highway.

What is a slow-moving vehicle emblem?

Operate at <25mph.

Exceptions - construction vehicles in a construction area, implement being towed by a vehicle bearing an emblem

What is the max height for a vehicle?

14'

What is the max width?

102"

What is the max length for a vehicle?

- 45' for single motor vehicle other than a trucktractor

- 59' for semitrailer as a semi-truck combination

- 28.5' semitrailer or trailer

- 65' no combination of vehicles other than a truck-tractor-trailer combination

What are the rules for vehicle combinations?

- if <2500lbs no more than one other vehicle

- not more than 3 vehicles in any combination

What are the load limits?

-80,000 lbs is the highest (w/out permit)

- load limits based on size of vehicle, number and distance of axles, and tire size.

When might you need to unload your vehicle?

If the gross weight exceeds the max gross weight allowed by law + tolerance of 5%.

What are the rules on extensions over the front and rear?

- no vehicle can carry a load >3' beyond front, >4' beyond the rear (unless permit)

- if extends >4' a 12" red-square flag must be used.

- transporting poles or pipes exempt but can't go faster than 50mph and not at night.

What are the towing requirements?

Cable not >15' (doesn't apply to pole trailers).

When chain, rope, or cable is used a 12"sq white flag must be attached

What are the standard vehicle size exemptions?

1. Water well drilling, highway building, farm tractors, husbandry exempt from width on all hwys (not interstates) during daylight.

2. Cotton seed equip can be 120" wide. Hay cylinders can be up to 144" wide.

3. Buses w/air brakes that have 3+ axles or four tires on the rear axle can be 45' long; otherwise 35'.

4. Length reqs do not apply if operated only within city limits

5. Combination of vehicles (other than tractor-trailer) of <90' can be used in the day to haul poles, timber, and logs to a mill <125 miles away.

6. <75' to haul poles for electric lines during the day and <50mph.

7. Cotton vehicles <48'

8. Fire dept vehicles exempt from length, width, weight

9. Transporting a combine <75'

What are the rear extension exemptions?

A load may extend >4' if the load

- is designed to be carried at the rear of the trailer.

- is used to load or unload a commodity

- does not extend >7'

What is the rule for coasting?

Illegal to coast down any grade even with the clutch disengaged while the transmission is left in gear.

What is the rule for following?

Keep far enough back to allow another vehicle to overtake can enter the space in front.

What are the rules for railroad crossing grades?

- outside a business or residence district any bus must stop unless a cop says otherwise

- all super-heavy equipment must stop

- trucks carrying explosives

- doesn't apply to streetcar crossings, abandoned tracks, industrial switching tracks or where a traffic signal directs traffic to proceed.

What are the reqs for right turns with large equipment?

Must have curb clearance for rear wheels. Turn by...

- Approach in proper lane, 4' from curb, when front wheels pass corner turn wide to the right, swing over the center if necessary.

- In narrow lane approach the same then swing left enough to miss curb.

What are the rules for passing two-wheeled vehicles?

- Allow at least 6' to the left

- Do not share a lane with the vehicle.

What are the registration requirements?

- Exempt (farm tractors, cottonseed trailers, husbandry, power sweepers, golfcarts)

- with a $5.00 license plate (machines for drilling water wells, construction, farm trailers 4000-20000lbs

- non-resident can get 30 day temp for farm stuff during harvest

- temporary tags good for 20 days

- farm vehicles used to go to church, school, doctor, or supplies for family (not employment)

Trucks manufactured or assembled prior to model year 1960

requires to have at least one taillight

On a undivided highway, how far do flags need to be setup?

100';10';100'

All school buses, buses, taxis and other vehicles hauling passengers for hire must carry a chemical type fire extinguisher of at least

one quart capacity

Vehicles transporting loose materials (sand,dirt,etc.) that is capable of spilling or blowing from the vehicle must:

Always have the load covered to prevent spilling or blowing

The height from the ground for mounted reflectors must be at least?

24 inches

Registration papers are required to be in possession of the driver or the vehicle when operating:

all commercial motor vehicle (all cdl holders)

When a truck brakes down on the highway in the daytime the driver should set out:

3 red reflectors

The length requirement of State law for vehicles or combination of vehicles including extensions over front and rear, don't apply:

within city limits

Every bus or truck manufactured after year model 1959 must be equipped on the rear with

2 stoplights

No passenger vehicle may be coupled with more than

1 trailer

To find out the details about registering your particular vehicle you should consult

Your local Tax Collector and Assessor Office

Clearance lights are required by state law for trucks and buses if the width is

80 inches or more

When a load extends more than four feet over the rear of a vehicle, what color flag must be attached to the extreme end of the load in the daytime

red

Which of the following vehicles are required by State law to carry a chemical type fire extinguisher?

taxi cabs

It is unlawful to operate any motor vehicles on a highway with

cleats, studs, spikes, flanges, lugs or other extensions on the rim that could cause damage to the road

To operate on the highway a motor vehicle or trailer having medal tires and weighing 5,000 pounds or more, you must

obtain a special permit from the Department of Transportation

The first thing the driver of a disabled truck or bus should do is

set out flares, reflectors or flags

When going down a commercial vehicle, it is unlawful to

coast

To haul a load or move equipment that is wider, heavier, or longer than the law permits, you must

obtain a special permit from the Department of Transportation

Before going down a steep grade with a commercial vehicle, you should

shift to a lower gear

To prevent damage to the highway, it is unlawful to operate any motor vehicle with

studs or spikes on the wheel

The maximum number of trailers that may be towed by a commercial motor vehicle with an unloaded weight in excess of 2,500 pounds is

2 trailers