Under federal requirements, trailers and semi-trailers manufactured prior to December 1, 1993 must be retrofitted with retroreflective tape or an array of reflex reflectors. The final date for compliance is June 1, 2001.
The rule applies to trailers and semi-trailers that have an overall width of 2,302 mm (80 inches) or more and a gross vehicle weight rating of at least 4,536 kilograms (10,001 pounds). The exceptions are trailers that are manufactured exclusively for use as offices or dwellings, pole trailers, and trailers transported in a driveaway-towaway operation.
Fuel oil tankwagons, propane bobtails, and other straight trucks are not included in the final rule and do not need to meet the reflective-materials requirements. Trailers built after the 1993 date are delivered from the factory with reflective tape and do not need to be retrofitted.