Federal law requires dairy haulers to completely empty a farm’s milk tank before the hose to the truck can be removed. But because larger trucks are being used to accommodate larger bulk tanks used by dairy operators, the trucks are often overweight during the state’s spring road restrictions.
Effective March 20, 2008, a new law permanently exempts milk haulers from certain truck weight restrictions, limits and prohibitions, such as those that are implemented during the spring when the ground is soft. A vehicle may not exceed a weight restriction of 5 tons per axle by more than 2 tons per axle.
Rep. Al Juhnke (DFL-Willmar), who sponsors the law with Sen. Betsy Wergin (R-Princeton), said previous law gave haulers two choices: running illegally or ignoring federal law by unhooking and going out with the proper weight, thus risking the loss of their federal license.
HF1219*/SF2197/CH159
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