2022 22LSO-0157
STATE OF WYOMING
SENATE FILE NO. SF0017
Automated transport of cargo or goods.
Sponsored by: Joint Transportation, Highways & Military Affairs Interim Committee
A BILL
for
1 AN ACT relating to regulation of traffic; regulating the
2 operation of personal delivery devices; preempting
3 inconsistent local regulation; providing definitions;
4 making the provisions part of the Uniform Act Regulating
5 Traffic on Highways; and providing for an effective date.
6
7 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:
8
9 Section 1. W.S. 31-5-1801 through 31-5-1807 are
10 created to read:
11
12 ARTICLE 18
13 PERSONAL DELIVERY DEVICES
14
15 31-5-1801. Definitions.
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1
2 (a) As used in this article:
3
4 (i) "Agent" means a director, officer, employee
5 or other individual authorized to act on behalf of a
6 business entity;
7
8 (ii) "Pedestrian area" includes a sidewalk,
9 crosswalk, school crosswalk, school zone or safety zone;
10
11 (iii) "Personal delivery device" means a
12 ground-based device that:
13
14 (A) Is used for transporting cargo and
15 goods in a pedestrian area or other area as provided in
16 W.S. 31-5-1804;
17
18 (B) Is equipped with automated driving
19 technology, including software and hardware, that enables
20 the operation of the device with the remote support and
21 supervision of a human; and
22
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1 (C) Does not exceed five hundred fifty
2 (550) pounds excluding cargo and goods.
3
4 31-5-1802. Device operation; applicable traffic laws.
5
6 (a) A personal delivery device operated under this
7 article shall:
8
9 (i) Operate in a manner that complies with:
10
11 (A) The provisions of this title applicable
12 to pedestrians, unless the provision cannot by its nature
13 apply to the device; and
14
15 (B) The provisions of this article.
16
17 (ii) Yield or not obstruct the right-of-way to
18 all other traffic, including pedestrians;
19
20 (iii) Not unreasonably interfere with other
21 traffic, including pedestrians;
22
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1 (iv) Be marked and equipped as required by W.S.
2 31-5-1805(a) and if operated at nighttime, display the
3 lights required by W.S. 31-5-1805(b);
4
5 (v) Comply with any applicable regulations
6 adopted by a local authority that are not inconsistent with
7 this article;
8
9 (vi) Not transport hazardous materials regulated
10 under the federal Hazardous Materials Transportation Act
11 (49 U.S.C. ยงยง 5101 et seq.) unless placarded under 49 C.F.R
12 part 172 subpart F; and
13
14 (vii) Be operated, monitored and controlled as
15 provided by W.S. 31-5-1803.
16
17 (b) A personal delivery device operated in compliance
18 with this article is not considered to be a vehicle and is
19 not subject to titling and registration requirements under
20 this title.
21
22 31-5-1803. Operator of a personal delivery device.
23
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1 (a) A personal delivery device shall only be operated
2 by an individual pursuant to this subsection. An individual
3 may operate a personal delivery device under this article
4 only if the individual is:
5
6 (i) An agent of a business entity;
7
8 (ii) A human; and
9
10 (iii) Capable of monitoring or exercising remote
11 physical control over the navigation and operation of the
12 device.
13
14 (b) Except as provided by subsection (c) of this
15 section, when a personal delivery device is being operated,
16 the business entity that the agent represents is considered
17 to be the operator of the device for the purpose of
18 liability and assessing compliance with applicable traffic
19 laws.
20
21 (c) When an agent operates a personal delivery device
22 in a manner that is outside the scope of the agent's office
23 or employment, the agent is considered to be the operator
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1 of the device for the purpose of liability and assessing
2 compliance with applicable traffic laws.
3
4 (d) An individual is not considered to be the
5 operator of a personal delivery device solely because the
6 individual requests a delivery or service provided by the
7 device.
8
9 31-5-1804. Areas of operation.
10
11 (a) A personal delivery device operated under this
12 article shall only be operated:
13
14 (i) In a pedestrian area at speeds not to exceed
15 twelve (12) miles per hour; or
16
17 (ii) In an area that is not a pedestrian area on
18 the shoulder of a street or highway proceeding in the same
19 direction as motor vehicles at speeds not to exceed twenty
20 (20) miles per hour.
21
22 (b) A personal delivery device operated under this
23 article shall not be operated on an interstate highway.
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1
2 31-5-1805. Personal delivery device equipment.
3
4 (a) A personal delivery device operated under this
5 article shall at a minimum be equipped with:
6
7 (i) A marker that clearly states the name and
8 contact information of the business entity owner and a
9 unique identification number;
10
11 (ii) A braking system that enables the device to
12 come to a controlled stop.
13
14 (b) A personal delivery device operated under this
15 article at nighttime shall be equipped with lights on the
16 front and rear of the device that are visible and
17 recognizable under normal atmospheric conditions on all
18 sides of the device from one (1) to five hundred (500) feet
19 from the device when the light is directly in front of
20 lawful lower beams of motor vehicle headlamps.
21
22 31-5-1806. Local regulation.
23
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1 A local authority shall not regulate the operation of a
2 personal delivery device on a street or highway or in a
3 pedestrian area in a manner inconsistent with this article,
4 including limiting the hours of operation or areas of
5 operation. This section does not affect the authority of a
6 local authority's peace officers to enforce the laws of
7 this state relating to the operation of a personal delivery
8 device.
9
10 31-5-1807. Insurance.
11
12 A business entity that operates one (1) or more personal
13 delivery devices in this state under this article shall
14 maintain an insurance policy that includes general
15 liability coverage of not less than one hundred thousand
16 dollars ($100,000.00) in any one (1) accident for damages
17 arising from the operation of the device.
18
19 Section 2. W.S. 31-5-102(a)(lix) is amended to read:
20
21 31-5-102. Definitions.
22
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1 (a) Except as otherwise provided, as used in this
2 act:
3
4 (lix) "This act" means W.S. 31-5-101 through
5 31-5-1601 and 31-5-1801 through 31-5-1807;
6
7 Section 3. This act is effective immediately upon
8 completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law
9 as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming
10 Constitution.
11
12 (END)
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Statutes affected: Introduced: 31-5-102