(a) The provisions of this section apply to the highway transportation of hazardous materials and hazardous waste for which the display of placards or markings is required pursuant to Section 27903. This section does not apply to hazardous materials being transported on specified routes pursuant to Section 31616 or 33000.

(b) Unless restricted or prohibited pursuant to Section 31304, the transportation shall be on state or interstate highways which offer the least overall transit time whenever practicable.

Terms Used In California Vehicle Code 31303

  • commercial vehicle: is a motor vehicle of a type required to be registered under this code used or maintained for the transportation of persons for hire, compensation, or profit or designed, used, or maintained primarily for the transportation of property. See California Vehicle Code 260
  • Department: means the Department of Motor Vehicles except, when used in Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 2100) of Division 2 and in Divisions 11 (commencing with Section 21000), 12 (commencing with Section 24000), 13 (commencing with Section 29000), 14 (commencing with Section 31600), 14. See California Vehicle Code 290
  • Highway: is a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. See California Vehicle Code 360
  • Road: means any existing vehicle route established before January 1, 1979, with significant evidence of prior regular travel by vehicles subject to registration pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 4000) of Chapter 1 of Division 3. See California Vehicle Code 527
  • transporter: is a person engaged in the business of moving any owned or lawfully possessed vehicle by lawful methods over the highways for the purpose of delivery of such vehicles to dealers, sales agents of a manufacturer, purchasers, or to a new location as requested by the owner. See California Vehicle Code 645
  • vehicle: is a device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved, or drawn upon a highway, excepting a device moved exclusively by human power or used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See California Vehicle Code 670

(c) The transporter shall avoid, whenever practicable, congested thoroughfares, places where crowds are assembled, and residence districts as defined in Section 515.

(d) Vehicles used for the transportation shall not be left unattended or parked overnight in a residence district as defined in Section 515.

(e) When transporting hazardous waste pursuant to § 25169.3 of the Health and Safety Code, all provisions of the waste hauler transportation safety plan, as approved by the State Department of Health Services, shall be complied with.

(f) Transportation which deviates from the routes required by this section shall not be excused on the basis of operating convenience.

(g) Notwithstanding subdivisions (b) and (c), vehicles engaged in the transportation may also use any of the following highways:

(1) Highways which provide necessary access to local pickup or delivery points consistent with safe vehicle operation.

(2) Highways which provide reasonable access to fuel, repairs, rest, or food facilities that are designed and intended to accommodate commercial vehicle parking, when that access is consistent with safe vehicle operation and when the facility is within one-half road mile of points of entry or exit from the state or interstate highway being used.

(3) Highways restricted or prohibited pursuant to this section when no other lawful alternative exists.

(h) This section shall become operative on January 1, 1987.

(Repealed (in Sec. 1) and added by Stats. 1985, Ch. 814, Sec. 2. Section operative January 1, 1987, by its own provisions. Note: See this section as modified on July 17, 1991, in Governor’s Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1991.)

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