After driving an old, beat-up car for years, I finally made the decision to upgrade my transportation. I had set aside a little money every month to use as a down payment, and I was ready to make a new car my own. I searched loads of car dealerships in my area, but one business stood out to me in particular. The salespeople were kind and not pushy, and they had a reputation for fair deals. I worked with them to find the right car, and the paperwork was a breeze. This blog is all about upgrading your transportation, and why you shouldn't be afraid to take the plunge.
Upgrading My Transportation
Why Do Overloaded Trucks Require Overweight Permits?
Lauri Kivela
Numerous local, regional, and federal laws and regulations govern the operation of trucks in the United States. These laws include weight distribution, interstate trucking practices, size, and weight laws. If you are a truck driver, you must be familiar with the laws surrounding overloading. But do you know why it is discouraged? And, most importantly, do you know what to do when you have an overloaded truck? If you don't know, worry not. This article has your back.
Why is Driving Unpermitted Overweight Trucks Not Allowed on All Roads?
An overweight truck is a safety hazard to both the truck driver and other people driving on the same road. One of the reasons an overloaded truck poses a danger on the roads is because it has a higher potential of experiencing overheated and inefficient brakes. And if the situation gets worse, the brakes may fail. If this happens, a fatal accident is very likely to occur. Moreover, overweight trucks are difficult to control. Therefore, they tip easily in harsh elements, including blizzards and high winds. Once a truck tips over, getting it upright and loading again is challenging, especially when you are in the middle of nowhere. Besides, trucks ferrying overloads cause more damage to highways than other automobiles. And the damage is more severe on regional and local highways that don't have the inherent capabilities to support heavy trucking.
Does Overloading Have Any Consequences?
An overweight truck comes with numerous adverse consequences. First, as its driver, you may be arrested, charged, and even go to jail. Plus, the whole ordeal can make you lose your commercial driver's license. On top of that, the company responsible for overweight trucks may have to deal with hefty penalties. And the more a company gets charged with such incidents, the higher the penalties will be.
Additionally, your truck may get prohibited from leaving the weigh station until you offload the extra weight. Finally, a trucking company tackling several overweight cases stands to lose face with customers. That is more so when they receive cargo late because weigh station officials had to detain your trucks for carrying excess weight.
Getting a Permit for an Overweight Truck
Currently, federal laws limit gross vehicle weight to 80,000 pounds. If your truck exceeds this limit, you'll need an overweight permit to avoid problems with the law and incurring heavy penalties. An overweight or oversize permit is simply documentation that authorizes you to haul an overload within a specific jurisdiction. However, because laws tend to differ from one state to another, it's advisable to let overweight permit specialists help you determine if it will serve you through your itinerary to your destination.
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