87th Session Recap - Transportation

H.B. 1257 - Relating to the definition of personal property for purposes of removing personal property from a roadway or right-of-way.

H.B. 1257 is a bill specific to manufactured housing and supported by TMHA.  The new law adds manufactured homes to the list of property a constable has authority to remove from a road right of way. 

Unfortunately, sometimes homes, in particular older, dilapidated homes, are transported and for some reason left abandoned on the side of the road.  These negative images for passing cars harms the public’s perception of our industry and distorts from the modern, newer homes that we provide today.

TMHA supported this bill and the expeditious removal of old manufactured homes abandoned on the side of the road.

This new law is effective September 1, 2021.

S.B. 1814 - Relating to oversize and overweight vehicle permits.

Oversize and overweight vehicles are required to obtain both a permit and file a surety bond of $15,000 payable to both the TxDMV and the counties of the state, ostensibly to be accessed in the event the vehicle damages a county or state road on which it is traveling.

However, these bonds provide little value to the state as they create extra processes and costs for motor carriers and TxDMV. This law change eliminates the requirement to be payable to the state, however; the payable bond to the counties remains.

However, oversize and overweight permit bonds will continue for operators not required to register as a motor carrier.

Going forward under the new law changes, rather than sending monthly paper reports, the TxDMV will operate a website that provides each individual county, and the MH Division of TDHCA with information on permits that are being issued in that county. These include notice of permits for weight tolerance and manufactured housing permits.

This law goes into effect on September 1, 2021.

S.B. 1815 - Relating to motor vehicle size and weight limitations.

Texas state statute differs from federal standards in regards to size and weight limits when traveling on federal highways. Examples include: increased idle reduction technology, emergency vehicle weights, automobile transporters, and towaway trailer transportation combination lengths. Additionally, federal rules have also evolved with oversize and overweight permits.

S.B. 1815 updates the Transportation Code to ensure compliance with federal standards. Conforming state statute to federal standards reduces the risk of federal lawsuits and the potential loss of federal highway funds.

This law change does not have any impact on manufactured or modular home transportation, but could impact those transporters if they have other business interest transporting large equipment or commodities that cannot reasonable be dismantled.

This law change is effective on September 1, 2021.