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Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has finalized updated regulations pertaining to truck safety devices.
The new regulations (540 CMR 4.00, sections 10-13) reflect a provision in a 2022 law that requires certain heavy-duty vehicles to be outfitted with safety devices.
The law requires lateral protective devices, convex mirrors, crossover mirrors, and backup cameras on motor vehicles, trailers, semi-trailers or semi-trailer units classified as Class 3 or above by the Federal Highway Administration, with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more, that are leased or purchased by the Commonwealth on or after Jan. 1, 2023, or operated under a contract with the Commonwealth on or after Jan. 1, 2025.
The regulations specifically exempt vehicles of 10,001 pounds or more operating under a municipal contract, as well as grant programs funded with state aid through state agencies.
Initial guidance on draft regulations provided by MassDOT in June noted that municipal contractors and municipal fleets working on projects funded by state aid may be subject to the device requirements. The MMA had opposed this legislative interpretation, citing regulatory overreach and other concerns.
MassDOT offers online guidance on the new regulations, with additional guidance forthcoming.