| (a) Purpose and scope. This section contains general
requirements relating to oversize/overweight permits, including single-trip
permits. Specific requirements for each type of specialty permit are
provided for in this chapter.
(b) Prerequisites to obtaining an oversize/overweight
permit. Unless exempted by law or this chapter, the following requirements
must be met prior to the issuance of an oversize/overweight permit.
(1) Commercial motor carrier registration or surety
bond. Prior to obtaining an oversize/overweight permit, an applicant
permitted under the provisions of Transportation Code, Chapter 623,
Subchapter D, must be registered as a commercial motor carrier under
Chapter 218 of this title (relating to Motor Carriers) or, if not
required to obtain a motor carrier registration, file a surety bond
with the department as described in subsection (n) of this section.
(2) Vehicle registration. A vehicle registered with
a permit plate will not be issued an oversize/overweight permit under
this subchapter. A permitted vehicle operating under this subchapter
must be registered with one of the following types of vehicle registration:
(A) current Texas license plates that indicate the
permitted vehicle is registered for maximum legal gross weight or
the maximum weight the vehicle can transport;
(B) Texas temporary vehicle registration;
(C) current out of state license plates that are apportioned
for travel in Texas; or
(D) foreign commercial vehicles registered under Texas
annual registration.
(c) Permit application.
(1) An application for a permit shall be made in a
form and by the method prescribed by the department, and at a minimum
shall include the following, unless stated otherwise in this subchapter:
(A) name, customer identification number, and address
of the applicant;
(B) name, telephone number, and email address of contact
person;
(C) applicant's USDOT Number if applicant is required
by law to have a USDOT Number;
(D) complete load description, including maximum width,
height, length, overhang, and gross weight;
(E) complete description of vehicle, including truck
year, make, license plate number and state of issuance, and vehicle
identification number, if required;
(F) vehicle axle and tire information including number
of axles, distance between axles, axle weights, number of tires, and
tire size for overweight permit applications; and
(G) any other information required by law.
(2) Applications transmitted electronically are considered
signed if a digital signature is transmitted with the application
and intended by the applicant to authenticate the application.
(A) The department may only accept a digital signature
used to authenticate an application under procedures that comply with
any applicable rules adopted by the Department of Information Resources
regarding department use or acceptance of a digital signature.
(B) The department may only accept a digital signature
to authenticate an application if the digital signature is:
(i) unique to the person using it;
(ii) capable of independent verification;
(iii) under the sole control of the person using it;
and
(iv) transmitted in a manner that will make it infeasible
to change the data in the communication or digital signature without
invalidating the digital signature.
(d) Maximum permit weight limits.
(1) General. An overweight permitted vehicle will not
be routed over a load-restricted bridge when exceeding the posted
capacity of the bridge, unless a special exception is granted by TxDOT,
based on an analysis of the bridge performed by a TxDOT approved licensed
professional engineer or by TxDOT. Any analysis by a non-TxDOT engineer
must have final approval from TxDOT.
(A) An axle group must have a minimum spacing of four
feet, measured from center of axle to center of axle, between each
axle in the group to achieve the maximum permit weight for the group.
(B) The maximum permit weight for an axle group with
spacing of five or more feet between each axle will be based on an
engineering study of the equipment conducted by TxDOT.
(C) A permitted vehicle will be allowed to have air
suspension, hydraulic suspension, and mechanical suspension axles
in a common weight equalizing suspension system for any axle group.
(D) The department may permit axle weights greater
than those specified in this section, for a specific individual permit
request, based on an engineering study of the route and hauling equipment
performed by a TxDOT approved licensed professional engineer or by
TxDOT. Any analysis by a non-TxDOT engineer must have final approval
from TxDOT.
(E) A permitted vehicle or combination of vehicles
may not exceed the manufacturer's rated tire carrying capacity, unless
expressly authorized in the language on the permit based on an analysis
performed by a TxDOT approved licensed professional engineer or by
TxDOT. Any analysis by a non-TxDOT engineer must have final approval
from TxDOT.
(F) Two or more consecutive axle groups having an axle
spacing of less than 12 feet, measured from the center of the last
axle of the preceding group to the center of the first axle of the
following group, will be reduced by 2.5% for each foot less than 12
feet.
(2) Maximum axle weight limits. Maximum permit weight
for an axle or axle group is based on 650 pounds per inch of tire
width or the following axle or axle group weights, whichever is the
lesser amount:
(A) single axle--25,000 pounds;
(B) two axle group--46,000 pounds;
(C) three axle group--60,000 pounds;
(D) four axle group--70,000 pounds;
(E) five axle group--81,400 pounds;
(F) axle group with six or more axles--determined by
TxDOT based on an engineering study of the equipment, which will include
the type of steering system used, the type of axle suspension, the
spacing distance between each axle, the number of tires per axle,
and the tire size on each axle; or
(G) trunnion axles--30,000 pounds per axle if the trunnion
configuration has:
(i) two axles;
(ii) eight tires per axle;
(iii) axles a minimum of 10 feet in width; and
(iv) at least five feet of spacing between the axles,
not to exceed six feet.
(3) Weight limits for load restricted roads. Maximum
permit weight for an axle or axle group, when traveling on a load
restricted road, will be based on 650 pounds per inch of tire width
or the following axle or axle group weights, whichever is the lesser
amount:
(A) single axle--22,500 pounds;
(B) two axle group--41,400 pounds;
(C) three axle group--54,000 pounds;
(D) four axle group--63,000 pounds;
(E) five axle group--73,260 pounds;
(F) axle group with six or more axles--determined by
TxDOT based on an engineering study of the equipment, which will include
the type of steering system used, the type of axle suspension, the
spacing distance between each axle, the number of tires per axle,
and the tire size on each axle;
(G) trunnion axles--54,000 pounds; and
(H) two or more consecutive axle groups having an axle
spacing of less than 12 feet, measured from the center of the last
axle of the preceding group to the center of the first axle of the
following group will be reduced by 2.5% for each foot less than 12
feet.
(e) Permit issuance.
(1) General. Upon receiving an application in the form
prescribed by the department, the department will review the permit
application for the appropriate information and will then determine
the most practical route based on information provided by TxDOT.
(2) Routing.
(A) A permitted vehicle will be routed over the most
practical route available taking into consideration:
(i) the size and weight of the overdimension load in
relation to vertical clearances, width restrictions, steep grades,
and weak or load restricted bridges;
(ii) the geometrics of the roadway in comparison to
the overdimension load;
(iii) sections of highways restricted to specific load
sizes and weights due to construction, maintenance, and hazardous
conditions;
(iv) traffic conditions, including traffic volume;
(v) route designations by municipalities in accordance
with Transportation Code, §623.072;
(vi) load restricted roads; and
Cont'd... |
