HB 672

As Introduced
136th General Assembly
    Regular Session  H. B. No. 672
        2025-2026
  Representatives Klopfenstein, Peterson
Cosponsors: Representatives Thomas, D., King, Claggett, Robb Blasdel, Williams,
       Workman, Salvo, Hoops, Ritter, Lorenz, Creech, Hiner, Ghanbari
  To amend section 5577.05 of the Revised Code to  1
  exempt a vehicle towing farm machinery from the  2
  statutory vehicle size limits.  3
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
      Section 1. That section 5577.05 of the Revised Code be  4
amended to read as follows:  5
      Sec. 5577.05. (A) No vehicle shall be operated upon the  6
public highways, streets, bridges, and culverts within the  7
state, whose dimensions exceed those specified in this section.  8
      (B) No such vehicle shall have a width in excess of:  9
      (1) One hundred four inches for passenger bus type  10
vehicles operated exclusively within municipal corporations;  11
      (2) One hundred two inches, excluding such safety devices  12
as are required by law, for passenger bus type vehicles operated  13
over freeways, and such other state roads with minimum pavement  14
widths of twenty-two feet, except those roads or portions of  15
roads over which operation of one hundred two-inch one-hundred-  16
two-inch buses is prohibited by order of the director of  17
transportation;  18
H. B. No. 672  Page 2
As Introduced
       (3) One hundred thirty-two inches for traction engines;  19
       (4) One hundred two inches for recreational vehicles,  20
excluding safety devices and retracted awnings and other  21
appurtenances of six inches or less in width and except that the  22
director may prohibit the operation of one hundred two inch one-  23
hundred-two-inch recreational vehicles on designated state  24
highways or portions of highways;  25
       (5) One hundred two inches, including load, for all other  26
vehicles, except that the director may prohibit the operation of  27
one hundred two-inch one-hundred-two-inch vehicles on such state  28
highways or portions of state highways as the director  29
designates.  30
       (C) No such vehicle shall have a length in excess of:  31
       (1) Sixty-six feet for passenger bus type vehicles and  32
articulated passenger bus type vehicles operated by a regional  33
transit authority pursuant to sections 306.30 to 306.54 of the  34
Revised Code;  35
       (2) Forty-five feet for all other passenger bus type  36
vehicles;  37
       (3) Fifty-three feet for any semitrailer when operated in  38
a commercial tractor-semitrailer combination, with or without  39
load, except that the director may prohibit the operation of any  40
such commercial tractor-semitrailer combination on such state  41
highways or portions of state highways as the director  42
designates.  43
       (4) Twenty-eight and one-half feet for any semitrailer or  44
trailer when operated in a commercial tractor-semitrailer-  45
trailer or commercial tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer  46
combination, except that the director may prohibit the operation  47
H. B. No. 672  Page 3
As Introduced
of any such commercial tractor-semitrailer-trailer or commercial  48
tractor-semitrailer-semitrailer combination on such state  49
highways or portions of state highways as the director  50
designates;  51
       (5)(a) Ninety-seven feet for drive-away saddlemount  52
vehicle transporter combinations and drive-away saddlemount with  53
fullmount vehicle transporter combinations when operated on any  54
interstate, United States route, or state route, including  55
reasonable access travel on all other roadways for a distance  56
not to exceed one road mile from any interstate, United States  57
route, or state route, not to exceed three saddlemounted  58
vehicles, but which may include one fullmount;  59
       (b) Seventy-five feet for drive-away saddlemount vehicle  60
transporter combinations and drive-away saddlemount with  61
fullmount vehicle transporter combinations, when operated on any  62
roadway not designated as an interstate, United States route, or  63
state route, not to exceed three saddlemounted vehicles, but  64
which may include one fullmount;  65
       (6) Sixty-five feet for any other combination of vehicles  66
coupled together, with or without load, except as provided in  67
divisions (C)(3) and (4), and in division (E) of this section;  68
       (7) Forty-five feet for recreational vehicles;  69
       (8) Fifty feet for all other vehicles except trailers and  70
semitrailers, with or without load.  71
       (D) No such vehicle shall have a height in excess of  72
thirteen feet six inches, with or without load.  73
       (E) An automobile transporter or boat transporter shall be  74
allowed a length of sixty-five feet and a stinger-steered  75
automobile transporter or stinger-steered boat transporter shall  76
H. B. No. 672  Page 4
As Introduced
be allowed a length of seventy-five feet, except that the load  77
thereon may extend no more than four feet beyond the rear of  78
such vehicles and may extend no more than three feet beyond the  79
front of such vehicles, and except further that the director may  80
prohibit the operation of a stinger-steered automobile  81
transporter, stinger-steered boat transporter, or a B-train  82
assembly on any state highway or portion of any state highway  83
that the director designates.  84
       (F) The widths prescribed in division (B) of this section  85
shall not include side mirrors, turn signal lamps, marker lamps,  86
handholds for cab entry and egress, flexible fender extensions,  87
mud flaps, splash and spray suppressant devices, and load-  88
induced tire bulge.  89
       The width prescribed in division (B)(5) of this section  90
shall not include automatic covering devices, tarp and tarp  91
hardware, and tiedown assemblies, provided these safety devices  92
do not extend more than three inches from each side of the  93
vehicle.  94
       The lengths prescribed in divisions (C)(2) to (8) of this  95
section shall not include safety devices, bumpers attached to  96
the front or rear of such bus or combination, nonproperty  97
carrying devices or components that do not extend more than  98
twenty-four inches beyond the rear of the vehicle and are needed  99
for loading or unloading, B-train assembly used between the  100
first and second semitrailer of a commercial tractor-  101
semitrailer-semitrailer combination, energy conservation devices  102
as provided in any regulations adopted by the secretary of the  103
United States department of transportation, or any noncargo-  104
carrying refrigeration equipment attached to the front of  105
trailers and semitrailers. In special cases, vehicles whose  106
H. B. No. 672  Page 5
As Introduced
dimensions exceed those prescribed by this section may operate  107
in accordance with rules adopted by the director.  108
       (G)(G)(1) This section does not apply to fire engines,  109
fire trucks, or other vehicles or apparatus belonging to any  110
municipal corporation or to the volunteer fire department of any  111
municipal corporation or used by such department in the  112
discharge of its functions. This section does not apply to  113
vehicles and pole trailers used in the transportation of wooden  114
and metal poles, nor to the transportation of pipes or well-  115
drilling equipment, nor to farm machinery and equipment.  116
       (2) This section does not apply to a vehicle that is  117
towing or hauling farm machinery and equipment, provided that  118
one of the following applies:  119
       (a) The towing or hauling vehicle would otherwise meet the  120
dimension requirements of this section if it was not engaged in  121
towing or hauling the farm machinery and equipment.  122
       (b) The owner or operator of the towing or hauling vehicle  123
has the proper permits to cover the dimensions of the towing or  124
hauling vehicle, without consideration of the added dimensions  125
of the farm machinery and equipment that is being towed or  126
hauled.  127
       The owner or operator of any vehicle, machinery, or  128
equipment not specifically enumerated in this section but the  129
dimensions of which exceed the dimensions provided by this  130
section, when operating the same on the highways and streets of  131
this state, shall comply with the rules of the director  132
governing such movement that the director may adopt. Sections  133
119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code apply to any rules the  134
director adopts under this section, or the amendment or  135
H. B. No. 672  Page 6
As Introduced
rescission of the rules, and any person adversely affected shall  136
have the same right of appeal as provided in those sections.  137
       This section does not require the state, a municipal  138
corporation, county, township, or any railroad or other private  139
corporation to provide sufficient vertical clearance to permit  140
the operation of such vehicle, or to make any changes in or  141
about existing structures now crossing streets, roads, and other  142
public thoroughfares in this state.  143
       (H) As used in this section, "recreational vehicle" has  144
the same meaning as in section 4501.01 of the Revised Code.  145
       Section 2. That existing section 5577.05 of the Revised  146
Code is hereby repealed.  147