Article 2 - Vehicles Transporting Workmen

California Vehicle Code — §§ 31400-31409

Sections (11)

Added by Stats. 1968, Ch. 1019.

Trucks used primarily or regularly for the transportation of workmen shall be:

(a)Equipped with seats securely fastened to the vehicle.

(b)Equipped, if a motortruck, with a railing or other suitable enclosure on the sides and end of the vehicle not less than 46 inches above the floor of the vehicle.

(c)Equipped with steps, stirrups, or other equivalent devices so placed and arranged that the vehicle may be safely mounted and dismounted.

§ 31401

Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 556, Sec. 3. Effective September 29, 1999.

(a)The department shall adopt regulations designed to promote the safe operation of farm labor vehicles described in Section 322, including, but not limited to, vehicular design, equipment, passenger safety, and seating.

(b)The department shall inspect every farm labor vehicle described in Section 322 at least once annually to ascertain whether its construction, design, and equipment comply with all provisions of law. No person shall drive any farm labor vehicle described in Section 322 unless there is displayed therein a certificate issued by the department stating that on a stated day, which shall be within 13 months of the date of operation, an authorized employee of the department inspected the vehicle and found on the date of inspection the vehicle complied with applicable regulations relating to construction, design, and equipment. The commissioner shall provide by rule or regulation for the issuance and display of distinctive inspection certificates.

(c)The department may inspect any vehicle subject to these regulations in maintenance facilities, terminals, labor camps, or other private property of the vehicle owner or the farm labor contractor to insure compliance with the provisions of this code and regulations adopted pursuant to this section.

(d)The owner of any farm labor vehicle or any farm labor contractor, as defined in Section 1682 of the Labor Code, who rents a farm labor vehicle or who otherwise uses a farm labor vehicle to transport individuals is responsible for the inspection required under subdivision (b).

(e)An owner of any farm labor vehicle or any farm labor contractor who operates a farm labor vehicle under the circumstances described in subdivision (d) may not operate that vehicle unless the vehicle has a current certificate described in subdivision (b).

(f)It is unlawful to violate any provision of these regulations or this section.

§ 31401.5

Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 557, Sec. 4. Effective September 29, 1999.

(a)The department shall develop, by regulation, specifications for a display sticker that shall be clearly displayed on every farm labor vehicle. This display sticker shall list the inspection certification date pursuant to this section and the “800” telephone reporting system required by Section 2429.

(b)The regulations of the department shall require every owner or operator of a farm labor vehicle to request the scheduling of the inspection required under subdivision (b) of Section 31401 as follows:

(1)The owner or operator of a farm labor vehicle that has a current inspection certificate pursuant to Section 31401 shall make the request for inspection not later than four weeks prior to the expiration date of the certificate.

(2)The owner or operator of a farm labor vehicle required to have its initial inspection shall make the request for inspection not later than three business days prior to the requested date.

(c)In no event shall the owner or operator of a farm labor vehicle allow the operation of a farm labor vehicle without the proper certification requirements specified under Section 31401.

§ 31402

Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 873, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2001.

(a)No person may operate any farm labor vehicle except as may be necessary to return the unladen vehicle or combination of vehicles to the residence or place of business of the owner or driver, or to a garage, after notice by the department to the owner that the vehicle is in an unsafe condition or is not equipped as required by this code, or any regulations adopted thereunder, until the vehicle and its equipment have been made to conform with the requirements of this code, or any regulations adopted thereunder, and approved by the department.

(b)(1) A person who operates a farm labor vehicle in violation of this section while the vehicle is in a condition that presents an immediate safety hazard is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both that fine and a sentence of confinement for not more than six months in the county jail. No part of any fine imposed under this subdivision may be suspended.

(2)As used in this subdivision, an “immediate safety hazard” is any equipment violation described in subdivision (a) of Section 31401 or Section 31405, including any violation of a regulation adopted pursuant to that provision or those provisions.

(c)Any member of the Department of the California Highway Patrol may impound a farm labor vehicle operated in violation of this section pursuant to Section 34506.4. A farm labor vehicle shall not be impounded unless a member of that department determines that a person has failed to comply with subdivision (a) or a person fails to comply with a lawful out-of-service order, as described in subdivision (b) of Section 2800.

§ 31403

Added by Stats. 1974, Ch. 1447.

A farm labor vehicle known to an owner, farm labor contractor, or driver, to be unsafe, or not equipped as required by this code, or any regulations adopted thereunder, shall not be used for transporting any passengers until it is examined and repaired or equipped as required by this code, or any regulations adopted thereunder, and certified by a competent mechanic to be safe and lawfully equipped.

§ 31404

Amended by Stats. 1999, Ch. 556, Sec. 4. Effective September 29, 1999.

Any person who operates, or any owner or farm labor contractor who knowingly allows the operation of, a farm labor vehicle in violation of subdivision (b) or (d) of Section 31401 or Section 31402 or 31403 is guilty of a misdemeanor. When a person has been convicted of willfully violating those provisions, the person shall, in addition, be fined not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each violation, and no part of the fine may be suspended. If passengers are in the vehicle at the time of the violation, the person shall, in addition, be fined five hundred dollars ($500) for each passenger, not to exceed a total of five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each violation, and no part of this fine may be suspended. As used in this section, the terms “knowingly” and “willfully” have the same meaning as prescribed in Section 7 of the Penal Code.

§ 31405

Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 308, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2001.

(a)Except as authorized under paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), every farm labor vehicle issued an inspection certificate under Section 31401 shall be equipped at each passenger position with a Type 1 or Type 2 seatbelt assembly, conforming to the specifications set forth in Section 571.209 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, that is anchored to the vehicle in a manner that conforms to the specifications of Section 571.210 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(b)Except as authorized under paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), the department may not issue an initial inspection certificate under Section 31401 to any farm labor vehicle that is not equipped with a seatbelt assembly at each passenger position, as described in subdivision (a).

(c)The owner of a farm labor vehicle shall maintain all seatbelt assemblies and seatbelt assembly anchorages required under this section in good working order for the use of passengers.

(d)Except as authorized under paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) or subdivision (d) of Section 23116, no person may operate a farm labor vehicle on a highway unless that person and all passengers are properly restrained by a seatbelt assembly that conforms to this section.

(e)(1) Until January 1, 2007, this section does not apply to a farm labor vehicle that meets the definition in subdivision (a) of Section 233, meets all state and federal standards for safety and construction, and is not currently required to have seatbelts.

(2)On or after January 1, 2007, any farm labor vehicle that meets the conditions set forth in paragraph (1) shall be equipped at each passenger position with a seatbelt assembly as described in subdivision (a), unless exempted from this requirement under the regulations promulgated under Section 31401.

(f)The department shall adopt regulations to implement this section.

§ 31406

Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 308, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2001. Section operative March 31, 2002, by its own provisions.

(a)No person may be transported in a farm labor vehicle that does not have all passenger seating positions in compliance with Section 571.207 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as that provision exists now or may hereafter be amended.

(b)No person may install a seat or seating system in a farm labor vehicle unless that seat or seating system is in compliance with Section 571.207 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as that provision exists now or may hereafter be amended.

(c)This section shall become operative on March 31, 2002.

§ 31407

Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 308, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 2001.

All cutting tools or tools with sharp edges carried in the passenger compartment of a farm labor vehicle shall be placed in securely latched containers that are firmly attached to the vehicle. All other tools, equipment, or materials carried in the passenger compartment shall be secured to the body of the vehicle to prevent their movement while the vehicle is in motion. Under no circumstances shall those tools, equipment, or materials obstruct an aisle or an emergency exit.

§ 31408

Added by Stats. 1999, Ch. 556, Sec. 5. Effective September 29, 1999.

No person may operate a farm labor vehicle on a highway unless both headlamps required under Section 24400 are lighted, regardless of the time of day.

§ 31409

Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 308, Sec. 6. Effective January 1, 2001.

Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 322, any vehicle owned or operated by or for a public transit system that is purchased with funds appropriated pursuant to Item 2660-103-0046 of Section 2.00 of the Budget Act of 2000 (Chapter 52 of the Statutes of 2000) or pursuant to Section 5309 of Title 49 of the United States Code and is used to transport farmworkers for any farmworker transportation program shall comply with the farm labor vehicle provisions contained in, and the regulations promulgated under, this chapter, relating to the following:

(a)(1) Annual farm labor vehicle inspection and certification.

(2)Following initial certification, the inspection and certification of buses designed, used, or maintained for carrying more than 15 persons, including the driver, shall be conducted during the inspection required by subdivision (c) of Section 34501.

(b)Seatbelt installation.

(c)Illumination of headlamps.

(d)Storage and securing of tools in passenger compartments.