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From page 1... ... analysis to determine what the United States can learn from the Mexican truck size/ weight experience. Truck Size and Weight Limits Mexico has been regulating large commercial vehicles since 1980, and since then significant changes have occurred to the maximum allowed size and weight. Read the entire page →
From page 2... ... Border States The states that border Mexico do not have substantial concerns about Mexican truck size and weight limits exceeding U.S. limits simply because of the extensive inspection process conducted by both the states and the federal government at border inspection facilities. Read the entire page →
From page 3... ... The emphasis placed on the types of trucks crossing the U.S./Mexico border is significant because Mexican trucks have been crossing the border into the U.S. commercial zone for many years, and the expectation is that Mexican trucks could someday travel far beyond the commercial zone on a more widespread basis. Read the entire page →
From page 4... ... Vehicle Size and Weight Regulations Several rules and regulations define the operation of commercial vehicles in Mexico. Laws, or "reglamentos," establish in general terms the subject matter regulations, and the standards, or "normas," define the detail. Read the entire page →
From page 5... ... The main standard that establishes commercial vehicle specifications is Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-012-SCT-2-1994 sobre el Peso y Dimensiones Máximas con los que Pueden Circular los Vehículos de Autotransporte que Transitan en los Caminos y Puentes de Jurisdicción Federal, the Maximum Weight and Dimensions of Motor Transport Vehicles Traveling on Federal Jurisdiction Roads and Bridges (NOM-012) Read the entire page →
From page 6... ... This truck is similar in dimen6 Table 1. Current commercial vehicle configurations allowed in Mexico. Read the entire page →
From page 7... ... ASSESSMENT OF MEXICO'S TRUCK SIZE AND WEIGHT REGULATIONS Evolution of Current Size and Weight Limits LCVs have been allowed to travel on Mexican federal highways since 1980, but significant changes have occurred since then. Many of those changes were induced by economic or technical reasons, but many others were the consequence of pressure from various groups, including the private-sector shipper association, ANTP, which benefits from larger and heavier trucks. Read the entire page →
From page 8... ... Table 3 and Table 4 show some of the most important changes during the last 30 years for GVW and vehicle length, respectively. Current Weight Limits Mexican truck weight regulations specify that commercial vehicles using federal highways must comply simultaneously with requirements for maximum weight per axle and GVW, respectively. Read the entire page →
From page 9... ... Weight and Dimension Regulation 1980 1995 2000 2005 2010 Figure 7 Mexican transportation regulations timeline. Read the entire page →
From page 10... ... Reglamento de Tránsito en Carreteras Federales Ley de Caminos, Puentes y Autotransporte Federal Regulation Concerning Weights and Other Vehicle Characteristics Official Mexican Standard NOM-012-SCT-2-1994, On the Maximum Weight and Dimensions of Motor Transport Vehicles Traveling on Federal Jurisdiction Roads and Bridges Official Mexican Standard NOM-040-SCT-2-1995, The Transport of Single-Unit Objects of Great Weight and/or Volume, Weight, and Dimensions of Vehicular Combinations and of Industrial Cranes That Travel on Federal Jurisdiction Roads and Bridges Official Mexican Standard NOM-068-SCT-2-2000, Land TransportationPassenger, Tourism and Freight Motor TransportPhysical, Mechanical and Safety Vehicle Condition for Operation on Federal Roads Official Mexican Standard NOM-012-SCT-2-1995, On the Maximum Weight and Dimensions of Motor Transportation Vehicles Circulating on Roads and Bridges of Federal Jurisdiction Regulation of Federal Motor Transportation and Auxiliary Services Regulation of Preventive Medicine Services for Transportation Regulation of Travel on Federal Highways Law of Roads, Bridges, and Federal Motor Transportation Read the entire page →
From page 11... ... 2006 April 2008 In process RPD NOM-012-SCT-2-2008 PROY NOM-040-SCT-2-2008 Reglamento sobre el Peso, Dimensiones y capacidad de los vehiculos de autotransporte que transitan en los Caminos y puentes de jurisdiccion Federal Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM-012-SCT-2-2008, Sobre el peso y dimensiones máximas con los que pueden circular los vehículos de autotransporte que transitan en los caminos y puentes de jurisdicción federal. Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM040-SCT-2-2008, Para el transporte de objetos indivisibles de gran peso y/o volumen, peso y dimensiones de las combinaciones vehiculares y de las grúas industriales y su tránsito por caminos y puentes de jurisdicción federal Regulation Concerning Weights, Dimensions, and Capacity of Commercial Vehicles That Travel on Federal Jurisdiction Highways and Bridges Official Mexican Standard NOM-012-SCT-2-2008, On the Maximum Weight and Dimensions of Motor Transport Vehicles Traveling on Federal Jurisdiction Roads and Bridges Official Mexican Standard NOM-040-SCT-2-2008, The Transport of Single-Unit Objects of Great Weight and/or Volume, Weight, and Dimensions of Vehicular Combinations and of Industrial Cranes Traveling on Federal Jurisdiction Roads and Bridges Table 3 Evolution of the maximum allowable GVW (metric tons) Read the entire page →
From page 12... ... Table 5 Maximum allowable axle and group weight (metric tons) Read the entire page →
From page 13... ... Norma Oficial Mexicana NOM040-SCT-2-1995, Para el transporte de objetos indivisibles de gran peso y/o volumen, peso y dimensiones de las combinaciones vehiculares y de las grúas industriales y su tránsito por caminos y puentes de jurisdicción federal (Transportation of Indivisible Objects of Great Weight and/or Volume, Weight, and Dimensions of Vehicular Combinations and of Industrial Cranes Traveling on Federal Jurisdiction Roads and Bridges) was published in March 1998. Read the entire page →
From page 14... ... System Security Chains (ABS) Suspension T2-S1 ✓ 260 660 -- ✓ -- ✓ ✓ T2-S2 ✓ 300 800 -- ✓ -- ✓ ✓ T3-S2 ✓ 350 1,050 -- ✓ -- ✓ ✓ T3-S3 ✓ 350 1,050 -- ✓ -- ✓ ✓ T2-S3 ✓ 350 1,050 -- ✓ -- ✓ ✓ T3-S1 ✓ 300 800 -- ✓ -- ✓ ✓ T2-S1-R2 ✓ 350 1,250 30,000 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ T2-S2-R2 ✓ 350 1,250 30,000 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ T2-S1-R3 ✓ 370 1,250 30,000 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ T3-S1-R2 ✓ 370 1,250 40,000 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ T3-S1-R3 ✓ 400 1,650 44,000 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ T3-S2-R2 ✓ 400 1,650 44,000 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ T3-S2-R4 ✓ 450 1,850 46,000 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ T3-S2-R3 ✓ 450 1,850 44,000 ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ T3-S3-S2 ✓ 400 1,650 44,000 ✓ -- ✓ ✓ T2-S2-S2 ✓ 370 1,250 30,000 ✓ -- ✓ ✓ T3-S2-S2 ✓ 400 1,650 44,000 ✓ -- ✓ ✓ ( -- ) Read the entire page →
From page 15... ... The carrier must prove that the load and axle configuration complies with the maximum allowed. If the load capacity of the configuration exceeds 90 metric tons, the carrier must comply with a specific technical permission issued by the SCT. Read the entire page →
From page 16... ... NOM-012-SCT-2-2008 empowers the SCT to limit the size and weight of commercial vehicles using size and weight enforcement stations (currently there are 7 fixed enforcement stations and more than 30 portable stations in Mexico) and an autoregulation process whereby eligible shippers and carriers that have certified weighing scales and measuring systems can auto-regulate size and weight limits (this provision has not been enforced yet) Read the entire page →
From page 17... ... A B† B B B B B B B C‡ B B SCT will begin enforcing verification that the LCVs that are allowed extra axle and gross weight actually have the requisite pneumatic suspensions. Licensing Requirements NOM-012-SCT-2-2008 specifies that LCV drivers must have a special driver's license and training when the truck is using the extra axle weight. Read the entire page →
From page 18... ... has prepared and distributed model driver and examiner manuals and tests to the states to use if they wish. Some of the requirements associated with the tests include the following: • Each basic knowledge test (i.e., the test covering the areas referred to in 49 CFR 383.111 for the applicable vehicle group) Read the entire page →
From page 19... ... POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON U.S. BORDER STATES Cross-Border Transportation The FMCSA and the state departments of transportation inspect all commercial vehicles entering the United States from Mexico. Read the entire page →
From page 20... ... The gross weight of cargo and equipment is not allowed to exceed the allowable axle load, the Mexican legal weight limit, or 125,000 lb, whichever is less, and the dimensions of the load and vehicle shall not exceed 12 ft wide, 15 ft 6 in. high, or 110 ft long. Read the entire page →
From page 21... ... The maximum GVW allowed in Mexico for the most common configuration (T3-S2) is 46.5 metric tons (102,515 lb) Read the entire page →
From page 22... ... The 110-ft length is limited to vehicles entering from Oklahoma and is also limited to a 90,000-lb gross weight. The 120,000-lb gross weight is limited to vehicles entering from Kansas and also limited to a cargo-carrying length of 109 ft. Read the entire page →
From page 23... ... These vehicles exceed basic vehicle length limitations but operate within basic weight limits. Canadian provinces have the authority to regulate size and weight, so the limits under which commercial vehicles operate vary significantly among provinces. Read the entire page →
From page 24... ... Figure 9 shows the corresponding live load configuration for bridges designed for ET, A, B, and C highway networks with a span length of less than 98 ft. Canada, Mexico, and the United States also have different allowable axle weights. Read the entire page →
From page 25... ... P1 P2/2 P2/2 3.9 ft 3.9 ft P3/3 P3/3 P3/3 3.9 ft P1 = 11,023 lb P2 = 52,911 lb P3 = 82,673 lb Total = 146,607lb 23.6 ft14.4 ft Figure 9 Mexican live load configuration. Table 15 Comparison of allowable axle weights by country. Read the entire page →
From page 26... ... . The result of applying the bridge formula to this same vehicle configuration results in a maximum allowable gross weight of 66.5 metric tons. Read the entire page →
From page 27... ... . Successes and Problems This section considers the successes and problems associated with the Mexican truck size and weight limits. Read the entire page →
From page 28... ... had three provisions related to truck size and weight limits. It would phase out trailers longer than 53 ft, freeze state grandfather rights, and freeze weight limits on non-Interstate portions of the National Highway System. Read the entire page →
From page 29... ... in which he advocated a new approach to truck size and weight regulation. This approach, involving trucks with lower axle weights but higher gross weights than allowed for the current vehicles, came to be known as the "Turner Proposal." AASHTO requested that the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Read the entire page →
From page 30... ... Considering the pavement savings together with the bridge costs, adopting this proposal would have reduced annual highway agency costs by $326 million, again, once the Turner trucks reached full utilization. The Turner study encouraged states to adopt its proposal in its entirety so that the states could realize the full benefits. Read the entire page →
From page 31... ... • Mexican size and weight regulations also include exceptions and special permits based on highway connectivity facilitation or access to specific industrial or distribution centers. • Maximum gross weight can be increased by 1.5 metric tons for every traction axle and by 1.0 metric ton for every other axle except the steering axle if the vehicle, driver, and carrier comply with a number of requisites. Read the entire page →
From page 32... ... axle weights and corresponding GVWs are significantly lower than those of other countries. On the subject of designating specific routes for heavier vehicles as is done in Mexico, the United States has begun the process in a limited way with LCVs. Read the entire page →
From page 33... ... Transportation Research Board 500 Fifth Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 These digests are issued in order to increase awareness of research results emanating from projects in the Cooperative Research Programs (CRP) Read the entire page →

From page 1...

... analysis to determine what the United States can learn from the Mexican truck size/ weight experience. Truck Size and Weight Limits Mexico has been regulating large commercial vehicles since 1980, and since then significant changes have occurred to the maximum allowed size and weight.