Vehicle load and sizeRegulation respecting vehicle load and size limitsThe main objectives of the Regulation respecting load and size limits for trucks and combination vehicles are to ensure the safety of road users and protect infrastructure (roads and bridges). This regulation provides for different standards limiting, among other things, the size, load per group of axles and total loaded mass of trucks travelling on public roads. In the following pages you will find the main vehicle load and size limits. However, the transitional provisions and certain special limits are not presented here. For legal interpretation, it may be necessary to refer to the wording of the regulation. During spring thaw, load restrictions apply depending on the zone. All information concerning the allowable load limits can also be found in the Vehicle Load and Size Limits Guide. For more information, please contact Transports Québec's Information service. The maximum load authorized for an axle class is the lowest of the three following values :
The authorized total loaded mass for a truck or a combination vehicle is the lower of the two following values :
In April 2004, the National Assembly enacted an amendment to the Highway Safety Code that allows for a more equitable sharing of responsibilities among the parties when a vehicle that is overweight in terms of its authorized total loaded mass is intercepted. This new section will come into effect in the near future. The section applies to heavy vehicles that do not conform to their authorized total loaded mass whether they have or not a special permit when they are considered to be fully loaded. Based on a comparison of the loaded mass that is detected by the scales and the loaded mass that is declared by the shipper, this section describes three ways in which responsibility can be shared between the operator and the shipper, and specifies the documents that must be carried aboard the vehicle. For information concerning this new approach, see the following files :
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