Center for Transportation Research and Education

About the research

This research project examines truck size (dimensions) and weight regulation in other countries, worldwide, to identify size and weight regulations that are based on standards of truck performance. Such standards, known as performance-based regulations, are intended to ensure that the allowable size and weight of trucks is governed by safety standards and/or by standards for infrastructure (pavement and bridges) wear. The primary goals of this study were to identify performance-based size and weight regulatory practices from a widely diverse group of 32 jurisdictions worldwide, to determine the applicability of such standards in the United States (US) size and weight regulatory framework, and to identify the barriers to adopting this type of approach to truck size and weight regulation.

Even though adopting some performance-based standards may be difficult, the concepts underlying them offer too many advantages not to move forward and use a performance-based framework as a foundation for future size and weight reform. The experiences in other countries such as New Zealand and the European Union indicate that performance-based size and weight regulations can be successfully developed and enforced. However, due to the size of the US road network and the population of the US heavy vehicle fleet not all standards used in other countries may be successfully implemented in the US size and weight regulatory framework.