ORS 825.020: Applicability of chapter to certain vehicles and combinations over 26,000 pounds.

Except as otherwise provided in this section and ORS 825.030, this chapter does not apply to the persons or vehicles described in this section. The provisions of ORS 825.100, 825.137, 825.139, 825.141, 825.160, 825.164, 825.166, 825.168, 825.210 (1) and (3), 825.212, 825.450, 825.454, 825.470, 825.472, 825.474, 825.476, 825.480, 825.484, 825.488, 825.490, 825.492, 825.494, 825.496, 825.498, 825.504, 825.506, 825.507, 825.508 and 825.515 apply to any of the following vehicles or combinations of vehicles with a combined weight of more than 26,000 pounds: (1) Vehicles being used exclusively in the transportation of United States mail on a trip basis. (2) Vehicles being used in the transportation of persons for hire, in vehicles with a seating capacity of more than five persons, within a city and within three air miles of the city. When the three air mile radius extends into the corporate limits of another city, the two cities shall be considered as one city for the purposes of this subsection. The following apply to this subsection: (a) Service may also be provided to or from any area surrounding the area described under this subsection so long as the service does not compete with a carrier granted authority by the Department of Transportation under this chapter to operate in that surrounding area. (b) Any vehicle exempt from the provisions of this chapter under this subsection is subject to regulation by the city or cities in which it is operated. (3) Vehicles being used for the purpose of transporting persons or property in connection with the patrolling of forests for the prevention or fighting of forest fires. (4) Vehicles being used in towing or otherwise transporting vehicles at the direction of a police officer or in servicing, towing or transporting wrecked or disabled vehicles, or in towing or transporting a replacement vehicle for such wrecked or disabled vehicle if the vehicle: (a) Is not otherwise used in transporting goods and merchandise for compensation; and (b) In the case of towing, is specially constructed for that use or has a combined weight not exceeding 8,000 pounds. (5) Vehicles being used by a for-hire carrier to transport within this state free or at reduced rates: (a) The carrier’s officers, agents or employees, or dependent members of the families of those individuals, or the personal effects or household goods of those individuals. (b) Ministers of religions, inmates of hospitals and individuals exclusively engaged in charitable and eleemosynary work. Nothing in this subsection exempts vehicles being used by for-hire carriers transporting individuals engaged in charitable and eleemosynary work from federal motor carrier safety regulations. (c) Indigent, destitute and homeless individuals and the necessary agents employed in the transportation. (d) Witnesses attending legal investigations in which the carrier is interested. (e) Persons injured in wrecks and physicians and nurses attending those persons. (f) Persons providing relief in cases of general epidemic, pestilence or other emergency. (g) Persons traveling under commuter, party or excursion passenger tickets, if available to all persons applying under like circumstances or conditions. (h) Persons traveling under an exchange of passes between for-hire carriers. (6) Vehicles being used to transport plants, artificial and natural flowers and accompanying florist accessories in movements originating at retail shops. (7) Any vehicle used by a person licensed under ORS 508.235 while the person is transporting the person’s own, unsold catch of fish from the point of landing to the first point where fish from the catch will be sold, placed in storage or processed in any way. (8) Vehicles owned or operated by truck leasing companies operated empty over the public highways for the purpose of relocation of equipment. This exemption does not apply to motor vehicles operated empty as a result of or for the purpose of transporting passengers or property. [Formerly 767.027; 2007 c.31 §4; 2025 c.17 §6]