35580.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares that  a substantial
number of container trailers using California highways exceed weight
limitations authorized for California highways.  Intermodal container
trailers are containers which have been unloaded from ships or
trains and placed on truck chassis, or are piggyback trailers
unloaded from trains, for subsequent transport upon the highways.
Container trailers are usually loaded by shippers in other states or
foreign countries where gross and axle weight restrictions imposed by
this code are of no concern to the loader.  These loading practices
often result in overweight vehicles traveling on California highways,
which contributes to highway deterioration.
   (b) The Legislature further finds and declares that the continued
growth of intermodal transportation within the United States and the
Pacific Rim makes it important for California to initiate a program
to  allow intermodal freight to be weighed at major terminal
locations prior to operation on the highways, to ensure that these
vehicles are within the established weight limits.  The Legislature
finds that the imposition of heavy fines and assessments is one means
of reducing the number of overweight vehicles on the highways.  A
more effective, and preferable, alternative is to assure that
intermodal container trailers are properly loaded at the outset by
the party responsible for loading goods into the container trailer,
so that vehicles meet weight requirements prior to their operation on
the highways.



35581.  (a) The Department of Transportation, in cooperation with
the Department of the California Highway Patrol, shall develop a plan
for implementing or identifying new or existing scale facilities at
major intermodal terminals which may serve as intermodal weighing
facilities for weighing commercial vehicles which transport
intermodal freight, prior to their entry onto any highway which is
not specifically exempted from weight limitations by a local
authority.  The plan shall include consideration of options for
financing the construction of required intermodal weighing
facilities.  The plan shall be submitted to the Legislature not later
than August 1, 1989.
   (b) The Department of Transportation may enter into agreements
with local authorities or private entities to provide for exemption
from weight restrictions for short distance movement to an intermodal
weighing facility.