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Facts About Transporting Heavy and Over Dimensional Loads
In over the road transport, overweight and over dimensional loads are those that exceed the standard legal size or weight limits for a specified portion of a road, highway or other transport infrastructure. Restrictions include such factors as load per axle, height, and width.
Vehicles that exceed legal limits require a special permit that allows them to travel on roadways. The permit may include such restrictions as day and time of day when the vehicle is allowed to travel, the route it must follow, and whether or not a pilot car or escort has to accompany it.
In the United States an over dimensional load is any vehicle, load or combination of vehicle and load wider than 8 ft 6 in. Each state has different requirements regarding height, although, in most states, that is 13 ft 6 in tall.
In terms of weight, there is no maximum restriction of super heavy loads. Typically, vehicles or loads weighing over 80,000 lbs gross are considered heavy haul shipments and, therefore, require a special permit.
Because not every road can handle heavy loads, routing must be considered. Shipments may also require multiple axles in order to distribute the weight equally so as not to damage the roadbed.
In addition, many states require that the load be considered “nondivisible” in order to qualify for a permit. That means is consists of an object that cannot be broken into smaller pieces. Some states do permit divisible loads.
To give you a better idea of what to expect, here are examples of permitting requirements in Louisiana and Texas.
Louisiana
- Length: No set limits – determined on a case by case basis
- Weight: 5 Axles 108,000 lbs., 6 Axles 120,000 lbs., 7 Axles: 132,000 lbs., 8 Axles 152,000 lbs.
- Width: 18 ft (14 ft on interstates)
- Height: 14 feet 8 inches
Texas
- Length: 125 ft
- Width: 15 ft
- Height: Texas is somewhat flexible on height
- Weight: 200,000 lbs on routine permits. Single axles: 25,000 lbs; Tandem axles: 46,000 lbs. maximum; Tridem: 60,000 lbs; Quad: 70,000 lbs.; 5 axles 81,400 maximum.
- Overhang: Texas allows front overhang of 25 ft and rear overhang of 30 ft in length for routine DOT trucking permits.
(WideLoadShipping.com contains a complete listing of state oversize/overweight regulations.)
Knowing how to deal with the legal considerations, permitting requirements, and technical challenges of pulling a heavy or over dimensional load is crucial to having a successful shipment.
We have both the equipment and know-how to handle virtually any super heavy or over dimensional load you could throw at us.
Our combination of dual-lane, multi-lane platform, and beam and dolly capabilities allow us to meet state permitting and bridge requirements. In addition, our highly skilled staff works closely with bridge and road engineers to develop, design and manage your move, whether it’s intrastate or across the country.
Contact us to learn more about H. Brown can help you get your oversize or overweight load where it needs to go.
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