The Legal Size and Weight Distribution Limits
Goods to or from Mississippi Port Terminals and Facilities: Trucks transporting goods to or from terminals or port facilities on the Mississippi River may operate beyond size or weight limits set by law, unless exceeding federal restrictions would affect federal state assistance. or if the cargo exceeds the limits, applicable in a State immediately adjacent to the district in which the port or terminal facilities are located. If the movement occurs entirely in a county with a bridge over the Mississippi River, the operation of loads exceeding gross weight limits must be authorized by the Mississippi Department of Transportation. The permit shall specify the roads, highways or roads in that district on which the vehicle or vehicles may travel and shall indicate that the cargo is destined for goods received by water at a port facility and intended for delivery on deck or that the cargo moves on deck; to be shipped from a water port (Miss. Code Ann. §63-5-47). Vehicles built for special types of work: dump trucks, dump trucks, concrete mixers, oil trucks, gasoline trucks and trucks intended and constructed for special work or applications need not meet the wheelbase requirements specified in the national bridge formula. These vehicles are based on a weight of 20,000 lbs. per axle increased by the balance tolerances, provided that the maximum total weight does not exceed the national limits and that all axles are equipped with brakes (Code Al. §32-9-20 [a] [4] [e]). Laws governing truck size and weight in the District of Columbia can be found in DC Admin. Code.
18, §§2500 et seq. (available on the district website under www.dcregs.dc.gov/Gateway/TitleHome.aspx?TitleNumber=18). 162 In fact, the Act states: “The maximum gross weight and axle weight limit for each motor vehicle equipped with idle reduction technology may be increased by an amount necessary to offset the additional weight of idle reduction technology in accordance with 23 U.S.C. § 127(a)(12), as it exists at the time of the day on which this section comes into force. [ Return to footnote 162 referrer. ] In both cases, axle load restrictions apply (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann.
§28-1103). Road machinery: Government weight restrictions do not apply to road machinery (Miss Code Ann. §63-5-9[b]). In 1975, Congress enacted the FBF to limit the length-to-weight ratio of vehicles to protect the nation`s bridges. FBF is calculated using the following formula: In addition, 166 vehicles can exceed the state`s gross weight limits when transporting peeled or unpeeled forest products for winter maintenance. These vehicles are permitted on Class A or B motorways (Wis. Stat. Ann.
§348.175). Soil improvement products: Vehicles used for the transportation, storage or application of soil improvement products and for the transportation of animal products must obtain a special annual permit in order to be exempt from government weight restrictions (Code S.C. Ann. § 57-3-130 [C]). Coupled with the 34,000 pounds offered by the driving axles and the 12,000 to 15,000 pounds provided by the steered axle of the semi-trailer carrying your load, you can carry up to 93,000 pounds of gross weight allowed on this shipment with the appropriate approval. 32 This alternative table may be applied if a higher weight limit is permitted and the total weight does not exceed 79,000 lbs. Vehicles transporting roundwood, pulpwood, stumps, roughwood, poles, piles, ores, concentrates, sand, gravel, aggregates, or agricultural products, including livestock, may implement the Alternate Weight Table (Idaho Code §49-1001[2]). [ Return to footnote 32 referrer. Tow truck: A tow truck or other motor vehicle or combination of vehicles that has broken down within 50 miles of the point where the vehicle was deactivated to a location for repair, parking or storage without violating state weight restrictions (NC Gen. Stat. § 20-118 [c] [7]). With these areas in mind, the remaining £32,000 (approximately) of the law allocated must be dedicated to the tractor that pulls each load.
But how much weight – which must be properly distributed – should the axles of a semi-trailer truck (one steering and two drives) support? The report shows that all states have laws in place to ensure compliance with federal height and weight requirements. The report also shows that in some cases, states have laws that allow sizes and weights on non-interstate highways beyond current federal height and weight limits. This is an expected finding, as state laws govern the maximum gross size and weight of vehicles on non-interstate highways, including the NHS. The gross weight of vehicles in regular operation (operation without a special permit) is regulated by single-axle restrictions and the state bridge formula adopted by the FBF (Md. Transportation Article Ann. §24-109 [b]). See Figure 33 for a summary of Maryland`s weight determinations in regular operation. Cranes: The Iowa Department of Transportation issues permits for self-propelled cranes that are temporarily moved on roads, roads, or highways. In such a case, these vehicles may have a gross weight of 24,000 lbs. on each individual axis (Iowa Code Ann. §321E.7[1][a]).
Annual permits are available for vehicles weighing up to 100,000 lbs in total. and a single-axle weight of up to 25,000 lbs. Single and multiple travel permits may be issued for any vehicle or cargo authorized by federal law (Ga. Code Ann. §32-6-28[b][1]). In addition, no vehicle exceeding the district`s weight limits may cross a bridge in the District of Columbia without the written permission of the Director (DC Admin. Code. 18, § 2510). Snow and ice tolerance: Alaska allows a tolerance of 1,500 lbs for gross and axle weight limits for snow and ice formation between October 1 and April 30 of each year (Alaska Admin. Code.
17, §25.335[b][3]). The laws governing truck size and weight in the State of Alaska are found in the Alaska Administrative Code (Alaska Admin. Code. 17, §§25.010 et seq., available on the state website at www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/folioproxy.asp?url=wwwjnu01.legis.state.ak.us/cgi-bin/folioisa.dll/aac/query=*/doc/{t73571}) in accordance with Alaska Stat. §19.10.060. Just because a state gives you the legal ability to carry an excessively heavy load doesn`t mean your trailer can. Many tandem axle trailers are simply not designed for excessive weight, which prevents them from being compromised under too much weight. For more information about truck weight restrictions in Ohio, visit the Ohio DOT and State Patrol website in www.dot.state.oh.us and statepatrol.ohio.gov/doc/truckbook.pdf.
The following vehicles have a margin of error of 10% relative to the actual gross weight or axle: Particleboard or fibreboard for the manufacture of ready-to-assemble furniture: An annual authorization may be issued authorizing the movement of particleboard or fibreboard intended for the manufacture of ready-to-assemble home or office furniture on certain roads that meets the permissible conditions set out in the Subchapter C (maximum vehicle weight). exceed the total permissible weight of the vehicle. Permits issued under this Division shall not exceed a distance of 70 miles. The weight of a vehicle registered under this section shall not exceed 107,000 lbs of total gross weight and shall have the following maximum axle load limits for all non-steered axles: Coal: The Public Service Commission may issue permits for overweight operation on the coal resources highway transportation network. These permits are valid and allow a total weight of up to 120,000 lbs (on a six-axle vehicle) plus a tolerance of 5%. Vehicles operated with this approval must continue to comply with the axle limits set by the Public Service Commission (W. Va. Code §17C-17A-4 and §17C-17A-5). Emission Control Equipment: State law requires state and local authorities to set weight and load limits for highways under their jurisdiction (ND Cent. Code §39-12-01).
The North Dakota State Highway Patrol has published guidelines on its website (North Dakota Vehicle Legal Size and Weight Guide: NDHP Motor Carrier Operations, Ref: 9-1 (10/07)) that require a weight exemption for auxiliary units or idle reduction technology units pursuant to the exemption under 23 U.S.C. § 127(a)(12). The exemption that applies to axle weight, gross vehicle weight or bridge formula weight can be up to 400 lbs or the certifiable weight of the unit, whichever is less. That said, states like California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington — to name a few — severely restrict overweight freight traffic on three-axle trailers, with California allowing only 51,000 pounds total — 17,000 per axle. The Idaho Transportation Board may issue permits for overweight travel on these routes. All additions and cancellations to the system must be approved by the state legislature for state highways. A local road authority may designate such routes on roads under its jurisdiction, except that no local authority may approve a route that provides a transit route for interstate airlines to pass through the state (Idaho Code §49-1004[4]).36 The best-known and most widely used formula in the United States to regulate truck size and weight is the Federal Bridge Formula (FBF). also known as Bridge Formula B. The FBF was passed by Congress when it passed the Federal Aid-Highway Amendments Act of 1974 (and was signed into law by President Gerald Ford on January 4, 1975).
As previously mentioned, the 1974 Act increased the federal limit for single axles to 20,000 lbs., the tandem axle limit to 34,000 lbs. and the GVWR limit to 80,000 lbs. The law also created a second grandfathering exception that allowed states to maintain weight tables or axle load limits that exceeded newly established federal limits.