Therefore, states may have unique regulations for road clearance, which may vary depending on the region through which a state highway passes. For example, check out the California State Route elevation clearances for different roads below. They go as low as 13 feet 4 inches and as high as 14 feet. Boats can also be transported on a straight truck towing a trailer with a minimum length of 65 feet (19.81 m) (Figure 8). 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. 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. The minimum length of the semi-trailer in this package is 14.63 m (48 feet) or grandfathering limit for a particular condition. (See discussion of the length of grandfathered semi-trailers on page 3.) A state cannot prescribe a total vehicle length for a combination tractor and tractor that operates on the NN or reasonable access roads, even if the trailer is longer than the minimum length required by federal law (Figure 2). A State may not impose an overall length on a tractor towing an individual semi-trailer or a limitation of the distance between the axles of such a tractor. 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. If you are a driver, you always know where to find the height of your trailer. Trailer heights are clearly marked on the edge of the trailers, allowing the driver to easily see the height when approaching potentially dangerous bridges. Of course, the first thing to do for any operator carrying a heavy load, including heavy high-arm equipment, such as dredging equipment, is to accurately determine the height above the ground for the highest point of the load. Failure to do so can result in costly damage to bridges and possible injury to other drivers, damage to the load and possibly to the truck, as well as fines and damage costs.

There`s an old carpenter`s saying: “Measure twice, cut once.” A truck that encounters a viaduct does not receive a “do over”. A tractor truck equipped with a camel unit towing a semi-trailer when the camel unit is transporting Class 1 explosives or ammunition-related safety equipment, as determined by the Department of Defence, is subject to a minimum total length of 75 feet on the NN and reasonable access routes. The U.S. Department of Transportation does not specify a federal height limit, but there are general guidelines based on state regulations. The maximum total height is between 13 feet 6 inches and 14 feet. There are also other considerations, including special exemptions for roads and bridges with lower ground clearance and various types of trailers to facilitate the movement of goods without a permit. 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.

While the overall range for trailer height is between 13 feet 6 inches and 14 feet, many states have exceptions. Some allow a higher cargo, others shorter depending on the type of route. The maximum width limit for commercial vehicles on the NN and reasonable access roads was initially set at 102 inches, except in Hawaii, where it is 2.74 m (108 inches). (See discussion on reasonable access on page 12.) In order to standardize the width of the vehicle internationally, the latitude limit of 102 inches was interpreted to mean the same thing as its approximate metric equivalent of 2.6 metres (102.36 inches) (Figure 1). 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. The transport of loads above height takes place on bridges crossing specified routes. In most cases, carriers must leave a deposit to cover potential damage to utilities or other facilities that are moved to make room for excess height.

If the amount of the charge exceeds the specified state limit, the owner must pay an additional fee. Below is a table with the applicable fees per single trip. With a special trailer like a lowboy, you can pull larger loads than regular trailers because they all have the same restrictions. If a normal 5` trailer is in a condition that has a maximum height limit of 13`, this trailer may tow a load of 8.5` without exceeding the height limit. Under the same conditions, if a lowboy trailer has a height of 3`, it can pull a load of 10.5` without exceeding the height limit. There are also restrictions on the altitude of your vehicle, depending on the route you are taking and the type of vehicle. Below are the maximum heights allowed per route and vehicle type. When it comes to transporting oversized equipment or loads, all states have specific height restrictions. The given load may exceed the specific height, but in order for it to travel on public roads, elevation permits must be obtained. The height of the load is obtained by adding the height of the trailer and that of the load. For example, if the height of a trailer is 5` and the height of a load is 8`6`, the total height is 13.6`. If the total height exceeds the maximum height allowed by the State, special permits are obtained so that on the date of transport, the structures between the origin and destination of the cargo exceeding the height limit are cleared through customs.

In this case, they are either lifted to a higher height or removed for the time being. The removal of overhead lines is carried out by permit tea. It is important to be sure of the date of transport so that all these arrangements are made in advance. Below is a table with height restrictions in different states. Most highway bridges have a sign that tells drivers the height, but some bridges may have a unique shape that affects that height at the edges. As seen in the photo above, the median deck clearance provides generous space for most trailers, but the edges are well below the average height of 13 feet 6 inches. 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. 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.