Better Trucks Initiative (SF1213 - Skoe, HF 1480 - Dorholt)
Improving Safety, Reducing Pavement Impact, Easing Enforcement, Lowering Taxpayer Costs
Problem:
• Current legal maximum load for semi-trailer trucks is ten tons per axle, not to exceed 80,000 pounds Gross Vehicle
Weight, on five-axle trucks using 10-ton routes.
• Because of the cost related to this weight limitation, every year the Minnesota Legislature considers exemptions,
exceptions, and special provisions for individual industries. Many have been approved, creating a patchwork of
acceptable loads.
• This situation has created complexity in weight laws, inconsistencies among jurisdictions and inequalities across
industries. This situation adds cost for haulers, reduces compliance and complicates law enforcement for local, county
and state authorities.
• The practice in states bordering Minnesota is to allow higher weights on comparable roads. There is a need to be more
consistent from state to state, to help increase Minnesota’s competitiveness and support economic growth.
• The largest users of aggregate material are state and local government, and the most expensive part of aggregate
production is delivery to the site. Hauling smaller loads increase requires more trips and increases the overall cost of
road and construction projects.
Proposal:
• Allow six- or seven-axle trucks in Minnesota to haul 90,000 pound or 97,000 pound loads.
o Semi-trailer length would not change from the current standard of 53 feet. The public would not see any visible
change to trucks currently on the road.
o Routes for trucks would be individually permitted and approved by local and state entities, and fees are paid to the
local government and the Highway User Trust Fund. Permits are revocable if there are violations of the terms of the
permit.
o State and local officials would have full discretion to grant route permits on roads under their jurisdiction, but would
be limited to permitting routes on paved roads other than interstate highways.
• According to MnDOT, these proposed truck configurations are safer and less impactful on roads than what is permitted
under current law.
MnDOT Report and Recommendation
• MnDOT held more than 40 meetings with public and private stakeholders prior to issuing a truck weight report in 2006.
The report endorsed increasing truck weight limits and adding axles to enhance truck safety and reduce pavement
impacts.
• According to the report, both six-axle trucks at 90,000 pounds and seven-axle trucks at 97,000 pounds have more
braking power than a standard five-axle, 80,000 pound truck.
• Also, MnDOT confirmed that trucks with more axles spread their weight better than trucks with fewer axles. Even with
more weight, six- and seven-axle semi-trailers will reduce pavement damage compared to existing five-axle trucks.
• The ARM legislation is consistent with the report, but does not enact all of the truck configuration changes that the
report suggested.
March 14, 2013
Minnesota is not Competitive with Other States
131.06k
LBS
117k
LBS
105.5k
LBS
129k
LBS
95k
LBS
80k
LBS
90k
LBS
for containers
96k
LBS
120k
LBS
164k
LBS
90k132k
LBS
127.4k
LBS
Map reflects maximum statutory loads allowed in each state
without an overweight/non-divisible load permit. Data
collected by ARM of Minnesota, 2/13/2013
Semi-Trailer Axle Weight Reduction Proposal
Current Law
53 foot trailer maximum
80,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight
5 axles = 16,000 lbs. per axle
18 wheels = 4,444 lbs. per wheel
10 brakes = 8,000 lbs. per brake
Proposal
53 foot trailer maximum
90,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight
6 axles = 15,000 lbs. per axle
22 wheels = 4,091 lbs. per wheel
12 brakes = 7,500 lbs. per brake
6% per axle 1,000 lbs. per axle
53 foot trailer maximum
97,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight
7 axles = 13,857 lbs. per axle
26 wheels = 3,731 lbs. per wheel
14 brakes = 6,929 lbs. per brake
13% per axle 2,143 lbs. per axle
Reduction from current law
6% per brake 500 lbs. per brake
13% per brake 1,071 lbs. per brake