Chapter 14 Special Requirements For Texas Commercial Motor Vehicles Flashcards
Flares, fusees, or reflectors
No person shall operate a truck, bus, truck tractor, or any motor vehicle towing a house trailer, upon any highway outside the city limits or upon any divided highway at any time from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise unless there shall be carried in such vehicle the following:
At least three flares, or three red electric lanterns, or three portable red emergency reflectors
Flares, fusees, or reflectors
During times when lighted lamps are not required:
Two red flags must be used in place of flares, lights, or reflectors.
Flares, fusees, or reflectors
Motor vehicles transporting explosives or any cargo tank truck used for the transportation of any flammable liquid or compressed flammable gases, or any motor vehicle using compressed gas as a fuel shall:
Not use flares, fusees, or any signals produced by flame. DOT approved triangular reflectors can be used in lieu of the above equipment
Flares, fusees, or reflectors
What is the first thing the driver of a disabled vehicle must do?
Put out the proper flares, flags, or reflectors
Hazard warning signal lights
When any truck, bus, truck tractor, trailer, semi trailer, or pole trailer 80 inches or more in width or 30 feet or more and overall length is stopped upon a roadway or adjacent shoulder, the driver shall immediately actuate electric hazard warning signal lights, flashers which flash simultaneously. However,
These lights need not be displayed, by a vehicle legally parked inside the city limits or when stopped to receive or discharge passengers
Fire extinguisher
All schoolbuses, buses, taxis, and other vehicles hauling passengers for hire or lease must carry a:
Chemical type fire extinguisher of at least 1 quart capacity
Fire extinguisher
Commercial vehicles that are subject to the Federal motor carrier safety regulations must be equipped with a fire extinguish that is:
Properly filled and located so that it is readily assessable for use and must be securely mounted on the vehicle.
Note: extinguishers, when required, must meet the standards of 393.95 of the Code of Federal Regulations
Lighting and reflectors
Reflectors must be mounted:
Not less than 24 inches nor more than 60 inches in height above the ground on every pole trailer and on trucks, buses, truck tractors, trailers, semi trailers which are 80 or more inches in width
Lighting and reflectors
Under certain conditions, farm, fertilizer, and boat trailers are exempt from lighting requirements.
Mobile homes being moved under permit are exempt from lighting and reflector requirements.
For further information concerning lighting requirements for these vehicles request the departments publication on lighting and reflector requirements for trailers.
This publication is available at any department of public safety office or by writing to the Austin headquarters
Flags when lamps are not required
On a two-way road way
Front: One flag at 100 feet
Rear: One flag at 10 feet; one at 100 feet
Flags when lamps are not required
On a divided highway (one way)
Rear only: One flag at 10 feet; one at 100 feet; one at 200 feet
Flags when lamps are not required
Vision is obscured (due to a curve in roadway)
Front: One flag at 100 feet
Rear: One flag at 10 feet; one flag at least 100 feet but not more than 500 feet
Vehicle lighting and reflector requirements
On every truck or bus less than 80 inches in width
Front: Electric turn signal lamps one on each side (Color white to Amber)
Rear: One white license plate lamp
Two red taillamps one on each side
Two red stop lamps one on each side
Two red reflector lamps one on each side
On each side: no requirements
Vehicle lighting and reflector requirements
On every truck or bus 80 inches or more in width
Front: Two Amber clearance lamps (up top if trailer is tall)
Rear: Two red clearance lamps (up top if trailer is tall)
On each side:
Amber side marker lamp (up top if trailer is tall)
Amber reflector
Red reflector
Red side marker lamp (up top if trailer is tall)
Vehicle lighting and reflector requirements
On every truck – tractor
Front: Two Amber clearance lamps
Rear: same with normal vehicle
On each side: no requirements
Vehicle lighting and reflector requirements
On every trailer 80 inches or more and overall width
Front: Two Amber clearance lamps
Rear: Two Red clearance lamps
On each side: Amber side marker lamp (top) Amber reflector Red side marker lamp (top) Red reflector
if trailer measures 30 feet or more in length then you will need an amber reflector and lamp in the middle
Vehicle lighting and reflector requirements
On every trailer less than 80 inches in width
Front: no requirements
Rear: Standard vehicle
On each side: no requirements
Vehicle lighting and reflector requirements
On every pole trailer
On each side:
Amber side lamp
Amber reflector
Rear: standard vehicle
Flashing lights
This is fucking common sense
If you don’t believe me read page 14–10 top left
Special regulations for certain vehicles
When operated on the highway at night all animal – drawn vehicles, implements of husbandry, road machinery, road rollers, and farm tractors not otherwise required to have lamps or lighting devices must have:
A white light on the front visible for 1000 feet and two red lights on the rear visible for 1000 feet
OR
One red light to the rear visible for 1000 feet and two red reflectors visible for 600 feet
Brakes
Trailers, semi trailers, and pole trailers with a gross weight of 4500 pounds or less are:
Exempt from brake requirements
Brakes
Trailers, semi trailers, and pole trailers with a gross weight in excess of 4500 pounds and which do not exceed 15,000 pounds…
…and operated at speeds of 30 mph or less are not required to be equipped with brakes.
Brakes
Trailers, semi trailers, and pole trailers with a gross weight in excess 4500 pounds and which do not exceed 15,000 pounds and are operated at speeds in excess of 30 mph hour…
Must have breaks acting on both wheels of the rear axle
Brakes
Every vehicle equipped with brakes:
Shall have the braking system so arranged that one control device can be used to operate all brakes.
Surge or inertia should brake systems may be used on trailers and semi trailers with the gross weight of 15,000 pounds or less
