No vehicle or load shall exceed a height of 14 feet measured from the surface upon which the vehicle stands, except that a double-deck bus may not exceed a height of 14 feet, 3 inches. Any vehicle or load which exceeds a height of 13 feet, 6 inches, shall only be operated on those highways where deemed to be safe by the owner of the vehicle or the entity operating the bus.
Chapter 3Height
Section § 35250
This law states that vehicles and their loads must not be taller than 14 feet. However, double-deck buses can be up to 14 feet, 3 inches high. If a vehicle or load is taller than 13 feet, 6 inches, it can only be driven on highways that the owner or operator considers safe for that height.
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Section § 35251
This law requires that any boom or mast, which is part of a vehicle or machine and can be raised or lowered by hydraulics, must be securely fastened when the vehicle is being driven or transported on a highway. This ensures that it complies with safety regulations.
However, if the hydraulic boom's design is such that it naturally stays secure during transit, then additional restraints are not necessary.
(a)CA Vehicle Code § 35251(a) A boom or mast which is designed to be raised and lowered by hydraulic mechanisms and which is a constituent part of or an attachment to a vehicle or machine, shall be securely chained or otherwise restrained to ensure compliance with Section 35250 while the vehicle or machine is being transported as a load or driven upon any highway.
(b)CA Vehicle Code § 35251(b) Subdivision (a) does not apply when the configuration and design of the hydraulic boom effectively restrain the movement of the boom
during transit.
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Section § 35252
This law allows a pilot car to use a tool to measure vertical clearance heights if they're helping a vehicle that's taller than usual. They can also use it when checking paths in advance. The device must be safe, securely attached, and not damage anything overhead or cause traffic hazards. When using this device, the driver can't slow down more than 20 mph below the speed limit and must stay in the vehicle while measuring overhead structures.
(a)CA Vehicle Code § 35252(a) A pilot car may operate a vertical clearance measuring device with a height in excess of 14 feet when escorting a permitted overheight load. The pilot car may also operate the vertical clearance measuring device when surveying a route for a permitted overheight load.
(b)CA Vehicle Code § 35252(b) Any vertical measuring device used by a pilot car shall be designed and operated so as to avoid any damages to overhead structures. The measuring device shall be securely affixed to the pilot car, and shall be operated in a manner that does not create a hazard to surrounding traffic.
(c)CA Vehicle Code § 35252(c) The operator of the pilot car shall not reduce the vehicle’s speed more than 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit on the roadway to measure overhead clearance, nor exit the vehicle to measure the clearance of overhead structures from a vantage point on or above the roadway.
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