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
|
94,500
|
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
|
100,000
|
20,000
|
48,000
|
|
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. |
| ** see the chart for Long Beach/Los Angeles Maximum Weight |
| *** within 50 miles radius of the ports you can run heavier but outside the 50 mile radius, GVW is 80,000. |
Export Intermodal cargo moving over Los Angeles/Long Beach Gateway
In order to ensure over the road safety on OOCL export containers, rail billing requests received that exceed the following cargo weight limitations will be subject to rejection:
a) 20' (general purpose) in excess of 44,000 cargo weight lbs
b) 20' (reefer) in excess of 41,500 cargo weight lbs
c) 40' (general purpose) in excess of 44,500 cargo weight lbs
d) 40' (reefer) in excess of 41,500 cargo weight lbs
e) 45' in excess of 41,500 cargo weight lbs
Rail billing request must be made at least two business hours prior to delivery to rail ramp. Please email rail billing request containing cargo weight details as follows:
For dry cargo email: [email protected]
For hazardous cargo: [email protected]
For refrigerated cargo: [email protected]
Any rail bill request received in excess of OOCL’s allowable weight limit will be rejected and message sent back to sender within one hour of email receipt advising of our inability to process.
Should you have any questions or require assistance with regards to this advisory or your shipment needs, please do not hesitate to contact OOCL Customer Service in USA or Canada at 1-888-388-6625.
Prohibited Hazardous Intermodal Shipments
Please be advised that BNSF has a new listing of prohibited commodities that cannot be accepted by BNSF. The listing includes poisonous gas, flammable, non-flammable tank commodities that will no longer be accepted with or without Department of Transportation exemption or Federal Railroad Administration approval. There are different categories for Trailers and Containers, and Tank Containers. This new ruling is effective July 1st, 2008.
Please find below a link to the BNSF site showing the list of prohibited hazardous Intermodal shipments: Click here
BNSF Container Blocking and Bracing Guidelines
When shipping intermodal on the BNSF, the shipper has certain obligations to safely load contents, as stated in BNSF Intermodal Rules & Policies Guide.
BNSF Container Blocking and Bracing guidelines may be found at: BNSF loading-and-shipment-safety
For Canada, the guideline may be found at: CP Rail Intermodal
Shipment Weight Limitations Within Canada - Rail Specific
Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPRR)
20’ maximum cargo weight: For CY service only, Maximum cargo weight is 47,900 lbs (44,900 lbs for 20' Tank) or Maximum gross weight of 52,900 lbs for a 20-foot container. Any container, including a Tank container, with gross weight exceeding 52,900 lbs, will not be moved.
40/45’ maximum cargo weight: For CY service only, cargo heavier than 60,000 lbs. but not more than 65,000 lbs in a 40-foot or 45-foot container may be subject to a surcharge by the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Maximum cargo weight is 65,000 lbs for a 40-foot or 45-foot container. Any container loaded with more than its marked carrying capacity will not be moved.
Canadian National Railroad (CNRR)
20’ maximum: For CY service only, cargo heavier than 47,900 lbs. (44,900 lbs for 20' Tank) but no more than 55,000 lbs (53,000 lbs for 20' Tank) may be subject to a surcharge by the Canadian National Railroad. Maximum cargo weight is 55,000 lbs for a 20-foot container (53,000 lbs for 20' Tank). Any container loaded with more than its marked carrying capacity will not be moved.
40/45’ maximum: For CY service only, cargo heavier than 60,000 lbs. but not more than 65,000 lbs in a 40-foot or 45-foot container may be subject to a surcharge by the Canadian National Railroad. Maximum cargo weight is 65,000 lbs for a 40-foot or 45-foot container. Any container loaded with more than its marked carrying capacity will not be moved.
Quebec Spring Thaw
Please see the Provincial Website for more information.
DURING THIS PERIOD, THE MAXIMUM PAYLOAD MUST BE REDUCED FOR ALL SHIPMENTS MOVING BY TRUCK
a) CPRR & CNRE also restrict acceptance of rail shipments with Montreal destination to the maximum highway weight limit during the spring thaw period.
Between Quebec and Ontario (Intra-Canada Truck Moves) (NOTE 1)
|
20'GP
|
42,000 lbs
|
|
20'RF
|
39,000 lbs
|
|
40'GP
|
52,000 lbs
|
|
40'HQ
|
52,000 lbs
|
|
45'HQ
|
52,000 lbs
|
|
40'RQ
|
48,000 lbs
|
