Learn About The Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Current as of January 01, 2025 | Updated by Findlaw Staff
(a) Motor carriers.--A highly automated vehicle that is also a motor carrier vehicle that requires a commercial driver's license under section 1606 (relating to requirement for commercial driver's license) may operate on highways as a motor carrier with or without a highly automated vehicle driver. A highly automated vehicle operated without a highly automated vehicle driver shall operate under Federal and State law or regulation governing the operation of commercial vehicles and drivers, except provisions that by their nature reasonably apply only to a driver shall not apply to a highly automated vehicle.
(b) Applicability of Public Utility Code.--
(1) The provisions of 66 Pa.C.S. (relating to public utilities) shall apply to a certificate holder and the certificate holder's highly automated vehicles, except for provisions that by their nature reasonably apply only to a driver shall not apply to a highly automated vehicle.
(2) Except as provided for in paragraph (3), nothing contained in this subchapter shall be construed to prohibit the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission from requiring an authorization, license or approval from a certificate holder for the operation of a highly automated vehicle if the authorization, license or approval requirement is consistent with 66 Pa.C.S. and does not discriminate against a highly automated vehicle.
(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission may not require an authorization, license or approval from a certificate holder if the certificate holder:
(i) is not directly providing a commercial service regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission; and
(ii) is only providing a highly automated vehicle to another person that holds an authorization, license or approval from the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission for use in a commercial service regulated by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
(4) Except as provided for in subsection (c), a transportation network company licensed by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission may utilize a certificate holder's highly automated vehicle to provide transportation network services under 66 Pa.C.S. Ch. 26 (relating to transportation network service).
(c) Cities of the first class.--
(1) A transportation network company licensed by a parking authority of a city of the first class may utilize a certificate holder's highly automated vehicle to provide transportation network services under 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 57A (relating to transportation network companies).
(2) The provisions of 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 57A shall apply to a highly automated vehicle as described in paragraph (1), except for provisions that by their nature do not apply to a driver of a highly automated vehicle when the highly automated vehicle is operated without a highly automated vehicle driver.
(d) Limitation.--The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission under subsection (b) and a parking authority of a city of the first class under subsection (c) may not require, including as a requirement of an authorization, license or approval:
(1) A highly automated vehicle to be operated with a highly automated vehicle driver.
(2) Additional testing requirements for a highly automated vehicle.
(3) Operational standards for a highly automated vehicle that are substantially dissimilar to operational standards for a motor vehicle operating without an automated driving system.
(4) Compliance with additional standards related to a highly automated vehicle's automated driving system, ODD, DDT or DDT fallback.
(e) Commercial restrictions.--A highly automated vehicle may not:
(1) be operated as a school bus or school vehicle; or
(2) carry hazardous materials as defined in section 102 (relating to definitions) provided, however, that this prohibition does not apply to transporting articles and substances prepared in accordance with 49 CFR 172.315 (relating to limited quantities) or that otherwise do not require placarding pursuant to the Federal Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 C.F.R. Part 100 et seq.), unless the certificate holder receives certification from the department following the promulgation of regulations.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Pennsylvania Statutes Title 75 Pa.C.S.A. Vehicles § 8509. Commercial operation - last updated January 01, 2025 | https://codes.findlaw.com/pa/title-75-pacsa-vehicles/pa-csa-sect-75-8509/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature before relying on it for your legal needs.
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw’s Learn About the Law.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)