Lowboy Auto Hauler Fairness Act of 2025
The Lowboy Auto Hauler Fairness Act of 2025 is a bill that would update federal vehicle length rules to accommodate truck tractor–lowboy trailer combinations used to haul assembled highway vehicles. It does three main things: (1) formally define what a “lowboy trailer” is for purposes of the law; (2) set a specific length limit of less than 80 feet for certain truck-tractor–lowboy trailer combinations that have small front and rear overhangs (front overhang under 4 feet and rear overhang under 6 feet); and (3) exempt lowboy trailers from the rear overhang flag requirements currently in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. The overall effect is to provide a clearer, potentially more permissive framework for auto haulers using lowboy trailers, while removing a specific safety flag requirement for these trailers. In short, the bill aims to formalize the use of lowboy trailers within federal length standards and ease regulatory requirements for operators who transport assembled vehicles, with potential implications for truck configurations, operations, and safety practices.
Key Points
- 1Defines “lowboy trailer” as a semitrailer with a depressed section between the hitch and the first rear axle, used specifically for transporting assembled highway vehicles.
- 2Adds a new length condition: for a truck-tractor–lowboy trailer combination with a front overhang of less than 4 feet and a rear overhang of less than 6 feet, the total vehicle length must be less than 80 feet. This applies regardless of whether the tractor is capable of carrying cargo that would utilize the front or rear overhang.
- 3Exempts lowboy trailers from the rear overhang flag requirement in 49 CFR 393.87, meaning these trailers would not be required to display rear flags in the same way as other vehicles with rear overhangs.
- 4Overall title designates the measure as the “Lowboy Auto Hauler Fairness Act of 2025,” signaling a focus on fairness or parity for auto haulers using lowboy configurations.