Trucks & Commercial Vehicles

Truck Regulations

Complete information on regulations pertaining to Special Limitations and the Issuance of Special Permits may be found in the provisions of 730 CMR 7.06(3)(b)2. or 3.

Weight and Dimension Restrictions

The following applies to use of ways under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority:

Limitations on Weight
Generally, circumstances under which a special permit is required are as follows:

A motor vehicle or vehicle combination requires a special permit if the vehicles weight exceeds the following maximum vehicle weight:

  • Motor vehicle with two axles - 46,000 lbs.
  • Vehicle or vehicle combination with three axles - 73,000 lbs.
  • Vehicle or vehicle combination with four or more axles - 87,000 lbs.
  • Vehicle or vehicle combination with five or more axles - 99,000 lbs.

A motor vehicle or vehicle combination requires a special permit if the weight on any axle, measured at the ground, exceeds the following maximum weight for the applicable spacing between axles of the vehicle:

  • Weight on a single axle or axles spaced less than six feet apart: 18,000 lbs.
  • Weight on a single axle or axles spaced six feet or more apart: 22,400 lbs. or
  • The overall gross weight on a group of two or more consecutive axles exceeds 80,000 pounds or the value of "W" produced by application of the Bridge Gross Weight Formula, whichever is less, except that two consecutive sets of tandem axles may carry a gross load of 34,000 pounds each, provided that the overall distance between the first and last axles of the consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more.

Over Dimensional Restrictions:
A vehicle does not require a special permit with respect to its size if the vehicle does not exceed any of the following maximum dimensions:

Vehicle Width

  • Width, including load is no greater than eight feet, six inches for use of the Tunnels.
  • Width, including load, is no greater than thirteen feet for use of a way other than the Tunnels

Vehicle Height
Height, including load, is no greater than the following maximum vehicle height for the way upon which the vehicle is traveling: 

Way
Maximum Vehicle Height
Turnpike
13 feet 9 inches
Ted Williams Tunnel
13 feet 6 inches
Callahan Tunnel
12 feet 6 inches
Sumner Tunnel
12 feet 6 inches
O'Neill Tunnel (I-93) 13 feet 9 inches
CANA (City Square) Tunnels 13 feet 9 inches
Other Locations Not Listed
13 feet 9 inches

Vehicle Length

Type of Vehicle
Maximum Vehicle Length
Motor vehicle not listed
33 feet
Vehicle combination not listed other than semi trailer
60 feet
Articulated bus
60 feet
Auto home
40 feet
Automobile transporter (traditional)
65 feet
Automobile transporter (stinger-steered)
75 feet
Boat transporter (traditional)
65 feet
Boat transporter (stinger-steered)
75 feet
Boat transporter (truck trailer)
65 feet
Bus or school bus
45 feet
House trailer
40 feet
Saddlemount combination
75 feet
Semi-trailer
53 feet
Trailer in tractor-trailer combination
53 feet
Trailer not in tractor-trailer combination
33 feet
Truck
40 feet


Note: Please refer to 730 C.M.R. 7.06(4) for more detail regarding this regulation.
Note: This information is subject to Revisions. Please consult an official version of Code of Massachusetts Regulations for complete information.