HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7179 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7179
March 17, 1987
ART
f .1 To the May"and Members of the City Council
Subject: REVISION OF CHAPTER 22 AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A ,CONNERCIAL
VEHICLE INSPECTION PROGRAM
During the 1986-87 budget deliberations, the Office of Consumer Affairs
requested and was assigned the task of implementing a commercial vehicle
inspection program. This decision resulted from discussions regarding
the damage which was occurring due to large capacity vehicles being operated
on city streets and bridges far in excess of established legal weight limits.
The problem of overloaded trucks not only financially impacted on the city
through accelerated abuse and destruction of our street system but also
created a safety hazard to other users of these thoroughfares due to the
dangers caused when these vehicles were operated while exceeding their safe
operating limits. Since that time numerous meetings have been held between
staff and various other city and state offices to discuss the program and
its effects on the city, its impact on various users, how it could best
be implemented and what changes should be recommended to the city ordinance
to maximize its benefits while minimizing transitional resistance.
The need for such a program is not new, discussion and council action occurred
during a previous revision of Chapter 22, on February 27, 1979 (Reference
number TE-229, Ordinance number 7887) . That revision occurred as a result
of the Sixty-Fifth Legislature enacting Senate Bill 412, which increased
the legal gross load for ready-mixed concrete vehicles from 48,000 pounds
to 64,000 pounds. The state acknowledged that city constructed streets
may not have been designed to carry such weights without causing serious
and expensive damage and authorized cities to establish by ordinance reason-
able rules and regulations governing the operation of such vehicles. It
was then that eight wheel-load weighers (scales) were purchased to implement
a similar program. Unfortunately, due to budgetary constraints and the
subsequent necessity of reestablishing program priorities, it was never
begun.
To date, staff has contacted the Department of Public Safety and coordinated
training of three Consumer Products Inspectors who are experienced in weights
and measures activities; arranged for the testing and certification by
the Texas Department of Agriculture of the scales which will be used in
the enforcement activity; surveyed various city operated equipment to assess
the program impact on city provided services; discussed possible methods
of informing and educating various sectors of the citizenry which will be
affected by the program; and established liaison with other city departments
which will be involved in the implementation.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
P-2
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7179
0mysol'o March 17, 1987
10Rr To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
REVISION OF CHAPTER 22 AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMERCIAL
X Subject: VEHICLE INSPECTION PROGRAM
'875
In order to consolidate within one office as much as possible the necessary
functions and responsibilities for enforcing the program and to minimize
differences between city and state limits, staff recommends the following
changes be incorporated into Chapter 22:
- Establish authority for the Consumer Affairs Office to inspect
and weigh vehicles and to issue citations for violations;
- Establish authority for the Consumer Affairs Office to issue
overweight and oversize permits and to have filed with the
office all required bonds; and
- Amend current weight and size limits to establish, wherever
possible, conformity to those established and adopted by the
State of Texas.
The following compares STATE LIMITS, CURRENT CITY LIMITS and PROPOSED CITY
LIMITS:
LENGTH STATE CURRENT CITY PROPOSED
LIMITS LIMITS LIMITS
Single Motor Vehicle 45' 35' 45'
Truck-Tractor No Limit 35' No Limit
Bus 40' 40' 40'
Trailer (Full or Double) 282' N/A 282'
Semi-Trailer 57' N/A 57 '
Combination N/A 50' N/A
WIDTH 821 81 g2'
WEIGHT
Gross 80,000# 72,000# 72,000#
Single Axle 20,000# 18,000# 18,000#
Tandem Axle 34,000# 32,000# 32,000#
Wheel Load (#/Inch of 650#/Inch N/A 650#/Inch
Tire Width)
SPECIAL VEHICLE APPLICATIONS
Concrete Trucks
Gross 64,000# 48,000# 48,000#
Single Axle 20,000# 12,000# 12,000#
Tandem Axle 44,000# 36,000# 36,000#
Solid Waste Vehicles
Gross 64,000# N/A 64,000#
Single Axle 20,000# N/A 20,000#
Tandem Axle 44,000# N/A 44,000#
INDICATES DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STATE LIMITS AND PROPOSED CITY LIMITS.
-ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7179 p.3
007111'- To the Mayor and Members of the City Council March 17, 1987
0 1?
POW
X Subject: REVISION OF CHAPTER 22 AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMERCIAL
VEHICLE INSPECTION PROGRAM
In summary, staff proposes to establish a mobile weigh station manned by
one uniformed officer, for traffic control , and two consumer products
inspectors, to conduct the weighings and to issue citations on weight or
dimension violations. Sites will be selected based on information provided
by police traffic units, Department of Transportation/Public Works personnel ,
citizen complaints and staff observations. Scales to be used will be certified
by the Texas Department of Agriculture thereby providing court admissible
data. Requests for overweight or oversize permits will be handled through
the Consumer Affairs Office in an attempt to consolidate and coordinate
record keeping, equipment and personnel .
Due to the fact that there has been no enforcement program in recent history,
it is recommended that a sixty day moratorium on issuing citations for
violations be considered. It will also be necessary to promote awareness
of the program and its objectives to both industry and to the general public.
Suggestions have included spotlighting the program in the media as well
as in trade publications which will be read by that sector of the public
which will be directly affected.
Should additional information be required it will be provided upon request.
ouglas Harm
City Manager
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ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS