(815) 463-5070 info@mdstrucking.net HOME LOCATIONS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY SERVICES RECRUITING Operational Information Home Operational Information Customer Login Log On Forgot Password? We Deliver Your Trust Intermodal Drayage Centrally Located Terminals 9 Locations Covering North America Fully Customs Bonded Rate Quote Form Click here for a rate quote on your next shipment. Dedicated Fleet The MDS dedicated fleet ensures quality and consistency. Customs Bonded MDS is registered with US Customs and Border Protection. Dispatch Technology Real-time Signature Capture and Shipment Status Updates. Operational Information United States Regulatory Requirements Background Information All cargo shipments moving overland within North America are governed by weight restriction laws established by both federal and local government agencies. The consequences of exceeding the legal limit are fines, liability claims, equipment damage and/or extra costs such as transloading. Safe Container Act Beginning April 9, 1997 all containers moving by truck over US highways exceeding 29,000 lbs. of gross cargo weight must be certified. Certification must be passed to the carrier prior to tender of the load for intermodal transport. The certificate must include the following items: Certifying party Date of certification Commodity Container number Gross cargo weight including pallets and dunnage Failure to comply with federal law can result in the delay of the shipment. The law now gives the trucker, if fined for an overweight violation due to incorrect or missing information from the issuing party of the container, the right to lien the load to collect the amount of the fine. The liable party is the party that provides false or erroneous certification information, violates state highway weight law or fails to pass on certification information. Maximum Payload (USA & Canada): To prevent the stressing of Federal Highway Bridges, the Federal Bridge Formula uses the spacing of axles on vehicles to help identify the maximum allowable gross vehicle weight. Various factors such as type of cargo, distribution of cargo within the container and different types of equipment (e.g. steel vs. aluminum containers, flush vs. slider chassis, tractor weight/type, gensets for reefer) will affect the determination of an absolute maximum cargo payload. Due to the variety of variables that factor into the bridge formula calculation, we offer the following recommended guideline for the average maximum container payload weights. NOTE: Strict adherence to reefer weights. Limit of tare weight shown on container may never be exceeded. In the USA: 39,500 lbs. (17.92MT) per 20-foot container 44,500 lbs. (20.19MT) per 40-foot container 41,500 lbs. (18.82MT) per 45-foot container 36,500 lbs. (16.56MT) per 20-foot reefer container 41,500 lbs. (18.82MT) per 40-foot reefer container In Canada: 40,000 lbs. (18.14MT) per 20-foot container 44,500 lbs. (20.19MT) per 40-foot container 37,000 lbs. (16.78MT) per 20-foot reefer container 41,500 lbs. (18.82MT) per 40-foot reefer container Weight Limitations by State/Province: Special equipment is available in some North American locations for overweight containers to be handled legally. Some states have higher weight limitations with permits. See grid below. Additional weight permits are for 40s only where available. All states are 80,000 G.V.W. except those where Permits are available up to a specified weight limit. Note - G.V.W. means Gross Vehicle Weight and is the weight of the container, cargo and tractor. Any Permit requests are required to be submitted through the Exception Handling Process and an SSR secured for additional costs and special handling. State/Province G.V.W. * G.V.W. w/ Permit Single Axle Tandem Axle Alabama 80,000 100,000 20,000 34,000 Alaska 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Alberta 86,000 n/a 56,000 86,000 Arizona 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Arkansas 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 British Columbia 86,000 n/a 56,000 86,000 California 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Colorado 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Connecticut 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Delaware 80,000 90,000 22,000 34,000 Florida 80,000 95,000 20,000 34,000 Georgia 80,000 100,000 20,000 34,000 Idaho 80,000 105,000 20,000 34,000 Illinois 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Indiana 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Iowa 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Kansas 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Kentucky 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Louisiana ***50 mile radius of port 80,000 95,000 n/a 40,000 Maine 80,000 99,000 20,000 34,000 Manitoba 82,700 n/a 20,000 35,000 Maryland 80,000 90,000 22,000 40,000 Massachusetts 80,000 99,000 20,000 34,000 Michigan 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Minnesota 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Mississippi 80,000 95,000 20,000 34,000 Missouri 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Montana 80,000 105,000 20,000 34,000 Nebraska 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Nevada 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 New Brunswick 97,000 n/a 19,900 39,700 Newfoundland 97,000 n/a 19,900 39,700 New Hampshire 80,000 99,000 20,000 34,000 New Jersey 80,000 90,000 20,000 34,000 New Mexico 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 New York 80,000 88,000 20,000 34,000 North Carolina 80,000 94,000 20,000 34,000 North Dakota 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Nova Scotia 97,000 n/a 19,900 39,700 Ohio 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Oklahoma 80,000 95,000 20,000 40,000 Ontario 97,000 n/a 19,900 39,700 Oregon 80,000 105,000 22,400 36,000 Pennsylvania 80,000 90,000 20,000 34,000 Prince Edward Island 97,000 n/a 20,000 40,000 Quebec 90,961 n/a 39,682 46,296 Rhode Island 80,000 99,000 20,000 34,000 Saskatoon 86,000 n/a 56,000 86,000 South Carolina 80,000 90,000 20,000 34,000 South Dakota 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Tennessee 80,000 90,000 20,000 34,000 Texas 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Utah 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Vermont 80,000 99,000 20,000 34,000 Virginia 80,000 90,000 20,000 34,000 Washington 80,000 105,500 20,000 34,000 West Virginia 80,000 88,000 20,000 34,000 Wisconsin 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 Wyoming 80,000 n/a 20,000 34,000 * Gross Vehicle Weight in lbs. *** within 450 miles radius of the ports you can run heavier but outside the 50 mile radius, GVW is 80,000. Contact Us: Maritime Delivery Services Inc. 1825 Terminal Court Joliet, IL 60436 (815) 463-5070 (815) 463-5075 info@mdstrucking.net Owner-Operator Opportunities: MDS is looking for safe, reliable carriers that want a long term relationship. We offer: Competitive Rates and FSC Consistent freight Comdata fuel card program A partnership to help you be successful Interested? Click here to learn more now. Recent News: View All News MDS Newsletter: Maritime Topics Read More... Driver Appreciation Week Read More... Copyright © 2014 Maritime Delivery Services Inc. All rights reserved.