To the editor,

It is autumn, and with the change of seasons comes lots of trucks doing agricultural work on our township, county and state roads. I had questions about some of the rules and regulations surrounding truck hauling, and I reached out to the Wisconsin State Patrol. Here are some useful facts to keep in mind during silage and manure hauling season.

All third-party trucks hauling silage or manure need the company name and DOT number on the truck. A farm also needs their own farm name and DOT number on the truck.

Semi-trucks with tankers that enter a field must have a front license plate. Straight trucks owned by a farm and entering their fields for their use do not need license plates. However, once a farm starts hauling for a different farmer, they lose a lot of the exemptions as they are no longer hauling for their own farm but instead become a private hauler.

Sometimes there are groups of trucks parked on a roadway to deliver manure or are waiting to enter a field. A sight distance of 500 feet is needed in both directions - this is the distance needed to see ahead of and behind the parked vehicle and is a safety issue for drivers if this is not adhered to. Also, a minimum open lane width of 15 feet is needed when trucks are parked on a road.

Please be safe driving, and if you spot any issues and can safely report them, you can reach the Pierce County Sheriff at 715-273-5051 and the Wisconsin State Patrol at 715-839-3800

Mike Davis

Elmwood