These are just a few of the many cases where heavy loads have encountered bridges and other elevated structures, even when multiple warning signs have been placed with the maximum height allowed for vehicles and loads. And the cost of fines, damages, injuries and unlawful killings can easily run into the tens of millions. States often have exceptions based on routes. We have listed more explanations of these legal dimensions of transportation on our Permits and Escorts by State page. These pages go into more detail. Oversized loads are probably the most problematic oversized loads, as they require the most planning and preparation. and may be the most costly in terms of fees and costs to ensure the safe transportation of cargo. All states have their legal height restrictions. This is a combined or total height of the trailer and load. A 5` low loader can carry an 8`6″ piece, giving a total height of 13`6″. If the example was 14 feet in total, you could legally move to the western states, but the eastern states would need a permit for excess height. Although more specialized trailers like a Double Drop can pull larger loads, they have the same limits of limiting the total height. States must allow conventional car and boat carriers – those whose fifth wheel is located on the tractor chassis above the driving axle or driving axles – to have a total length of up to 65 feet (19.81 m).

Automobile carriers are all combinations of vehicles specially designed and used for the transportation of assembled on-road vehicles, including truck RV units. RV units are portable units designed to provide temporary living spaces for leisure, travel or camping purposes, consisting of a roof, floor, and sides that can be loaded and unloaded in the back of a pickup truck. (a) For the purposes of this section, « passenger car » means a quadricycle passenger vehicle as defined in subsection 24 of section 168.002; a van within the meaning of section 168.002(40); a van within the meaning of section 168.002(26); and a Jeep automobile or other multi-purpose vehicle. « Passenger car » does not include a collector`s vehicle or a military collector`s vehicle as defined in section 168.10. Every state needs permits for oversized loads. The actual cost of the permit ranges from $15 to several hundred dollars, depending on the state and the size of the cargo. But that`s just the beginning. The actual permit cost is relatively low compared to the cost of highway surveys and other expenses associated with the safe transportation of an excess load. There is no federal vehicle height requirement for commercial vehicles. Therefore, states can set their own height restrictions. Most height restrictions range from 13 feet, 6 inches (4.11 meters) to 14 feet (4.27 meters), with exceptions for lower clearance on some roads. On the basis of the information in Table 1, it is obvious that it is very difficult to estimate in advance the cost of problematic overhead transport.

The safest approach is to formulate the requirements to the client and indicate the price of transportation plus the cost of services provided by utilities, police security officers, etc. Nevertheless, the total costs are much lower than the costs of damages, fines and lawsuits that automatically follow an air strike. In 2015, a truck transported by crane crashed into a highway overpass under construction, throwing several concrete beams onto the highway, killing one driver and injuring others. Signs two miles before the overpass warned of a maximum height of 13 feet, six inches, although the actual clearance height of the bridge was 14 feet. The crane`s highest point was 14 feet five inches. In addition to damage and delays in building the bridge, the driver and trucking company faced illegal death charges from the family of the slain driver. Each State may decide for itself whether the above-mentioned drive cars other than those equipped with camels shall be treated as tractors for semi-trailers or as railway vehicles within the limits of the length imposed by the State. Scott understands the importance of interacting with colleagues to keep abreast of developments and changes in the legal world. Scott frequently teaches CLE courses on litigation strategy, teaches other attorneys his methods for success in the courtroom, and is certified as a Rule 31 mediator in the Tennessee Supreme Court. He is a member of the Knoxville Bar Association, the Tennessee Bar Association, the National Trial Lawyers, and the Tennessee and American Association for Justice. Once the investigation is complete, the permit may still require a pilot vehicle with a height pole.

The height mast is attached to the lead pilot car and protrudes several centimeters from the measured height of the load. If the mast encounters an air obstacle two or three miles before loading, transport can be stopped in time to avoid a harmful collision. The solution may be to change lanes where there is more distance, or a detour around the low headroom may be necessary. Oversized loads require the same safety equipment as other oversized loads, including an « OVERLOAD » banner on the truck and all escort vehicles. Travel times can also be limited, either to daylight hours or to hours to avoid normally high traffic periods. The required permit must include a description of the route and any travel time restrictions. You can check the regulations for oversized loading flags, lights, signs, banners, holiday restrictions, and transit times by state here. No person shall drive a passenger car which: (a) was originally equipped with standard bumpers, unless the vehicle is equipped with original bumpers; or (b) has a suspension system or body modified so that the height of the vehicle or any bumper differs by more than six inches from the height originally manufactured by the vehicle. The next step, once it has been determined that a cargo exceeds the legal height limit, is to apply for an oversized permit from the participating States. The authorisation procedure may require a route study including the measurement of obstacles – bridges, viaducts, signs, supply lines, etc. along the proposed route. This ensures that the cargo can be transported safely.

Or it can show that an alternative route is needed. While this can be time-consuming, it is much better and less expensive than the potential consequences of hitting an overpass or overhead lines. In 2017, a rail bridge on the Atlantic City-Philadelphia route was hit when a garbage truck ignored height restrictions for the bridge`s underpass. Rail services between the cities were interrupted for two weeks due to repairs. Trucks or straight trucks are non-mobile self-propelled commercial vehicles (Figure 15). They are subject to federal weight requirements for the interstate system and federal width requirements for the NN, but not federal length requirements. The regulation of vehicle length remains the responsibility of the States. A camel is a box, bridge or plate mounted behind the cab and in front of the fifth wheel coupling on the engine frame of a tractor to transport goods (Figures 13 and 14). Semi-trailer tractors so equipped on 1 December 1982 shall, during their useful life, be subject to the same national length requirements as any other combination of tractors and semi-trailers. The burden of proof of this legal effect on 1 December 1982 lies with the operator of the installation. Apparently, excess loads are a significant problem on the roads of nations.

Some drivers who carry large « overhead » loads do not know what their loads are. The STAA approved the creation of a « national network » for trucks, where federal width and length restrictions would apply. It includes the interstate system and other designated highways that were part of the primary federal assistance system then in effect on June 1, 1991. The NN now covers more than 321,890 kilometers (km) (200,000 miles) of highways across the country. Non-interstate NN highways are listed in 23 CFR Part 658, Schedule A. Most states allow a maximum legal height of 13 feet, 6 inches, while some states may allow heights of up to 14 feet. The problem is that a load that is only a few centimeters above the legal maximum height can become an overload in terms of planning and costs. Trucks are dangerous vehicles for many reasons, including their dimensions. The great height, width and length of the trucks make it difficult for small cars and motorcycles to see in front of and around them. The extreme dimensions of trucks also make it difficult for truck drivers to see other vehicles – as most trucks rely on side mirrors rather than mirrors to navigate traffic.

Each state can set its own limit for non-commercial trucks, as well as limits for commercial trucks traveling on roads that are not part of the National Highway System. The dimensional requirements for Tennessee trucks are found in Title 55, Chapter 7 of the Tennessee Code. The typical height restriction for Tennessee trucks is 13 and 1/2 feet. If a truck does not comply with federal or Tennessee measures, the company that owns the truck or puts it on the road can be held liable for any truck accident that occurs.