Why axle weight limits are important to truckers

The simplest answer is giant fines. Fixing roads is a huge expense to the state, so they will transfer that expense to you. If you get caught overweight on an axle, gross vehicle weight, or worse haven’t purchased an overweight permit, the consequences can be devastating.

The fines for a grossly overweight vehicle can reach tens of thousands of dollars, and when a fine is levied for an overweight condition, it is the driver who will be cited and have that citation on his driving record. Most states will also add court costs that may double the total cost of the fine. You can see an overview of overweight fines by state here.

Additionally most states classify violation of overweight limits as a misdemeanor, and while not a felony, may be punishable by periods of probation, community service, and/or jail time that may be weeks, part time, and up to a year. Also mind that trying to get around the limits by falsifying the weights on your overweight permit may be a felony.

Consequently, it is important that both drivers and dispatchers understand truck loading and weight limits for axles and axle groups even before accepting the load.

Those weights vary from state to state, and it is not as simple as total vehicle gross weight or 20,000 per axle, a lot of variables go into determining maximum allowed weight. They are quite complex and will require time to understand, but you have to understand them one way or another, hopefully before getting a violation on your record and paying thousands of dollars in fines.