Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 55 - PUBLIC SAFETY
Part I - State Police
Chapter 23 - Weights and Standards
Section I-2303 - Definitions

A. For the purposes of these rules, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this Section.

Axle Group- a combination of two or more consecutive axles considered together in determining their combined load effect on a highway (as tandem, tridum, or quadrum axle groups).

Axle with Single-Mounted Tires- any single or individual axle which is composed of one tire on each side of the vehicle (as opposed to dual-mounting).

Department- Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Public Safety Services

Designated Truck Routes: (National Network-NN)- highways designated by the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development in accordance with the Federal Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982 that includes provisions for truck-semi trailer-trailer combinations and maximum vehicle width of 8 feet, 6 inches.

Domicile- the fixed, permanent, and principal residence for legal purposes.

Dromedary Unit- a load carrying compartment on a truck-tractor located between the cab and fifth wheel.

Dummy Axle- a single axle attached independently to the frame of a vehicle and so designed and placed as to indicate the appearance of and to carry a uniformly distributed load of a normal axle group.

Gross Weight- the weight of a vehicle and/or combination of vehicles plus the weight of any load thereon.

Individual Axle- any of the two, three, or four axles which make up the tandem, tridum, or quadrum axle groups.

Interstate Commerce- trade, traffic, or transportation in the United States:

a. between a place in a state and a place outside of such state (including a place outside of the United States);

b. between two places in a state through another state or a place outside of the United States; or

c. between two places in a state as part of trade, traffic, or transportation originating or terminating outside the state or the United States.

Intrastate Commerce-any trade, traffic, or transportation in any state which is not described in the term interstate commerce.

Length-the total longitudinal dimension of a single vehicle, a trailer, or a semi-trailer. Length of a trailer or semi-trailer is measured from the front of the cargo-carrying unit to its rear and includes load-holding devices thereon.

Loose Material-dirt, sand, gravel, or other material that is capable of blowing spilling from a vehicle as a result of movement or exposure to air, wind currents, or weather but shall not include agricultural products in their natural state or wood chips.

Quadrum Axle-any four consecutive axles whose centers are 40 or more inches but not more than 96 inches apart. A quadrum axle must be designed to equalize the load between the axles.

Single Axle-any single axle or any assembly of two or more axles whose centers are less than 40 inches apart.

Semi-Trailer-any single vehicle without motive power designed for carrying property and passengers and so designed in conjunction and used with a motor vehicle that some part of its own weight and that of its own load rests or is carried by another vehicle and having one or more load-carrying axles.

Solid Waste-includes residential solid waste, agricultural waste, commercial solid waste, construction or demolition debris, garbage, industrial solid waste, trash, white goods, wood waste, and yard trash.

Stinger-Steered Combination-a truck-tractor semi-trailer wherein the fifth wheel is located on a drop frame located behind and below the rear-most axles of the power unit.

Tandem Axle-any two consecutive axles whose centers are 40 or more inches but not more than 96 inches apart. A tandem axle must be designed to equalize the load between axles.

Trailer-any single vehicle without motive power designed for carrying property or passengers wholly on its own structure, drawn by a motor vehicle which carries no part of the weight and load of the trailer on its own wheels and having two or more load carrying axles.

Trunion Axle-an axle configuration with two individual axles mounted in the same transverse plane, with four tires on each axle, connected at a pivot point which allows each individual axle to oscillate in a vertical plane to provide constant and equal weight distribution on each individual axle.

Trunion Axle Group-two or more consecutive trunion axles which are individually attached to, and/or articulated, from the vehicle by a weight equalizing suspension system.

Variable Load Suspension Axles-axles which can be regulated by the driver of the vehicle either through the use of an in-cab valve or switch or by turning a valve on the outside of the truck. These axles are controlled by hydraulic and air suspension systems, mechanically, or by a combination of these methods.

Vehicle-any device by which a person or things may be transported upon a public highway or bridge. A trailer or semi-trailer shall be a separate vehicle.

Width-the total outside transverse dimension of a vehicle including any load or load-holding devices thereon, but, excluding approved safety devices and tire bulge due to load.