New Jersey § 39:4-54

§ 39:4-54.

No motor vehicle shall be used on the public highways while drawing more than 2 motor-drawn

vehicles. A “ double saddle-mount, ” herein defined, means mounting the front of a motor vehicle by use of a coupling

device, known as a “saddle-mount,” on the rear of a towing vehicle and mounting the

front of another motor vehicle by use of another “saddle-mount” on the rear of the

towed vehicle. The director by regulation may prescribe standards to insure the sufficiency of

the coupling, or “saddle-mount,” devices, the lighting, braking and towing methods

in double saddle-mount operations or in any other combination of 2 motor-drawn vehicles. In no event shall the over-all length of a double saddle-mount operation or any

other combination of vehicles exceed the over-all length limitation prescribed in

Revised Statutes 39:3-84 for combinations of vehicles, and any violation thereof shall

be subject to the penalty provided in this Title for violations of the over-all length

limitation in said section. Trailers shall, when operated on the highways of this State, be connected to the towing

vehicle by at least one chain or cable, in addition to the hitch bar, of sufficient

strength to hold the motor-drawn vehicle on a hill if the hitching bar becomes disconnected,

or shall be provided with an adequate device to prevent its rolling backward. An attachable auxiliary motor vehicle axle, herein defined, means a single axle mounted

on 2 or more wheels, an equal number of wheels on each side, which may be attached,

and at times dismounted, to a truck or truck tractor to form a tandem axle. When a tandem axle is thus formed, the allowable gross weight thereon shall be the

same as set forth in Revised Statutes 39:3-84 for tandem axles, if the centers of

the axles are on or between 2 parallel transverse vertical planes spaced 40 inches,

but less than 96 inches apart. Violations of the allowable gross weight shall be treated in the same manner and

be subject to the same penalty as provided in Revised Statutes 39:3-84.3. An attachable auxiliary axle, upon proof of ownership satisfactory to the director,

may be registered on a gross weight basis in the same manner as commercial vehicles

under Revised Statutes 39:3-20 and shall display one registration plate or tab of

a classification to be determined by the director and located on the auxiliary axle

in a manner as may be prescribed by the director. Unless so registered and displaying a registration plate or tab no such attachable

auxiliary axle owned by a resident of this State shall be operated on the highways

of this State, and no such attachable auxiliary axle owned by a non-resident shall

be operated on the highways of this State unless registered in accordance with the

laws respecting the registration of motor vehicles of the State, Territory, Federal

district of the United States or province of the Dominion of Canada, or foreign country,

in which the non-resident resides, if such registration is required therein, and which

has conspicuously displayed thereon an identification marker if furnished by said

jurisdiction. When an attachable auxiliary axle registered under this Title is operated on a highway

in conjunction with a tractor-semitrailer combination, and one unit of the combination

is registered in this State and the other in a foreign jurisdiction, known as a “mixed

combination,” the registered weight of the auxiliary axle may be added to the registered

weight of the New Jersey registered unit in determining if the over-all registered

weight conforms with the “mixed combination” registration requirements of Revised

Statutes 39:3-20. If the over-all registered weight of the auxiliary axle and the New Jersey registered

unit is less than 1 / 2 the combined gross weight of the entire combination, then the owner, lessee and bailee

shall be subject to the penalty formula set forth in Revised Statutes 39:3-20. When an auxiliary axle or a converter dolly registered under this Title appears on

a highway as part of a tractor-semitrailer combination or a combination of 2 motor-drawn

vehicles registered in a foreign jurisdiction or jurisdictions, the entire combination

shall be deemed to be of foreign origin and the registration requirements as to “mixed

combinations” shall not apply, provided the auxiliary axle or converter dolly is registered

with the director for a gross weight of 10,000 pounds. A converter dolly, herein defined, means an attachable auxiliary frame with hitch

bar and fifth wheel with the axle or axles mounted on 2 or more wheels, an equal number

of wheels on each side, which may be attached, and at times dismounted, to a semitrailer

to form a trailer. A converter dolly, upon proof of ownership satisfactory to the director, may be registered

on a gross weight basis in the same manner as commercial vehicles under Revised Statutes

39:3-20 and shall display one registration plate or tab of a classification to be

determined by the director and located on the dolly in a manner as may be prescribed

by the director. Unless so registered and displaying a registration plate or tab no such converter

dolly owned by a resident of this State shall be operated on the highways of this

State, and no such converter dolly owned by a non-resident shall be operated on the

highways of this State unless registered in accordance with the laws respecting the

registration of motor vehicles of the State, Territory, Federal district of the United

States or province of the Dominion of Canada, or foreign country, in which the non-resident

resides if such registration is required therein, and which has conspicuously displayed

thereon an identification marker if furnished by said jurisdiction. It shall be unlawful for any combination of 2 motor-drawn vehicles registered under

this Title having gross weight of load and vehicles in excess of the gross weight

provided on the registration certificates to be operated on the highways of this State. In any violation thereof, the owner, lessee and bailee shall be subject to the penalty

formula provided in Revised Statutes 39:3-20. In any combination of 2 motor-drawn vehicles, with or without use of a converter dolly,

and part or parts of the combination is registered in New Jersey and part or parts

in a foreign jurisdiction or jurisdictions, the registration requirements as to “mixed

combinations” and the penalty formula for violations thereof as provided in Revised

Statutes 39:3-20 shall apply. An auxiliary axle or converter dolly, for the purposes of this section shall not be

considered a “vehicle” or “motor vehicle” as defined in Revised Statutes 39:1-1. A person violating this section, except as specifically provided herein, shall be

subject to a fine not exceeding $100.00. In default of the payment thereof, there shall be imposed imprisonment in the county

jail for a period not exceeding 10 days.