Carriers and owner-operators are responsible for ensuring their oversized or overweight trucks have the necessary permits for each state between the port and their destination.
Although the commercial driver, in most cases, cannot open the container, they must verify the weight, height, and length is permitted for each state and bridge they will travel through or over.
Typically, fleet management will go through Caltrans to get transportation permits for oversized vehicles, but owner-operators should contact Caltrans Transportation Permits branch for oversized loads. Usually, the permit is good for one trip only.
What Is an Overweight Truck in California?
CA Vehicle Code (CVC) Sections 35550 through 35558 cover Axle weight limits. CVC Section 35550 (a) Axle Limits, states, “The gross weight imposed upon the highway by the wheels on any one axle of a vehicle shall not exceed 20,000 pounds and the gross weight upon any one wheel, or wheels, supporting one end of an axle, and resting upon the roadway, shall not exceed 10,500 pounds.”
CVC Section 35551, Axle Limits, prescribes the distance between axles to determine how much weight it can carry. In California, it is rounded up or down at .5 feet. Therefore, multiple axle vehicles are allowed 34,000 pounds up to 8.4 feet. However, 8.5 or more is permitted 39,000 feet. Most CHP inspectors are not going to measure your axle differential, but if they did, 5,000 pounds overweight is a misdemeanor offense, and approximately a $5,000 fine.
Up to 4,500 pounds overweight is an infraction, and the fine could be as little as $238, but at a certain point, it usually goes to $1.00 per pound for every pound over for your overweight truck.
Although some carriers have an agreement with their drivers to pay the fine, in many cases, the driver is responsible for ensuring the vehicle is within limits or you have a permit. Plus, they cannot accept your misdemeanor record. Don’t get caught with an overweight truck when you leave the Long Beach or LA Port.
Traffic Attorneys Who Handle Riverside County Overweight Truck Violations
When you get a ticket for an overlength or overweight truck leaving the Long Beach Port on your way to Dallas on I-10, or any Riverside County traffic ticket, call Bigger & Harman, (661) 349-9300. Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.
We are California traffic law practitioners. We do not handle any other area of criminal law. We deal in traffic law to give our clients the best results possible for infractions in Riverside County Traffic Court and other areas of CA. Give us a call. The call is free, with no obligation.
We can also assist with a DMV NOTS Hearing.
Email: attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
References:
The 2019 CA Commercial Driver Handbook.pdf
The Port of Long Beach (PoLB) webpage, Overweight/Oversized Cargo Details
The Caltrans webpage, Traffic Operations & Transportation Permits