Quebec Vehicle load standards

Standards

Height and Width Limits

Height limits

Vehicle and combination of vehicles

Rear view of a truck illustrating the height limit

*Load included.

Width limits

Vehicle and combination of vehicles

The width limit is 2.6 m for vehicle and combination of vehicles. However, this width limit is 2.5 m for trailers and semi-trailers with a track width (distance between the extremities of each outer wheel on each axle) under 2.5 m.

2-Axle Truck

Load Limits

Side view of a two-axle truck (six wheels) illustrating dimension limits

Period	Normal	Thaw
Front single axle	7 250 kg	7 250 kg
Rear single axle	10 000 kg	8 000 kg
Gross vehicle weight	17 250 kg	15 250 kg

Size

*Load included.

3-Axle Truck

Load Limits

Period	Normal	Thaw
Front single axle	7 250 kg	7 250 kg
Rear single axle	18 000 kg	15 500 kg
Gross vehicle weight	25 250 kg	22 750 kg

Side view of a three-axle truck (ten wheels) illustrating dimension limits

Size

*Load included.

4-Axle Truck

Load Limits

Period	Normal	Thaw
Front single axle	14 000 kg	14 000 kg
Rear single axle	18 000 kg	15 500 kg
Gross vehicle weight	32 000 kg	29 500 kg

Size

Side view of a four-axle truck (twelve wheels) illustrating dimension limits

*Load included.

5-Axle Tractor-Semi-trailer

Size

Side view of a five-axle tractor-semi-trailer (eighteen wheels) illustrating dimension limits

*Load included.

Load Limits

Period	Front single axle	Tandem axle	Tandem axle under semi-trailer	Gross vehicle weight
Normal	5 500 kg	18 000 kg	18 000 kg	41 500 kg
Thaw	5 500 kg	15 500 kg	15 500 kg	36 500 kg

6-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer

Size

Side view of a five-axle tractor-semitrailer (twenty-two wheels) illustrating dimension limits.

*Load included.

Load Limits

Period	Front single axle	Tandem axle	Triple axle under semitrailer**	Minimum distance "a"	Gross vehicle weight
Normal	5 500 kg	18 000 kg	21 000 kg (2,4 m c < 3,0 m)	4,0 m	44 500 kg
Normal	5 500 kg	18 000 kg	24 000 kg (3,0 m c < 3,6 m)	4,5 m	47 500 kg
Normal	5 500 kg	18 000 kg	26 000 kg (3,6 m c 3,7 m)	5,5 m	49 500 kg
Thaw	5 500 kg	15 500 kg	18 000 kg (2,4 m c < 3,0 m)	not required	39 000 kg
Thaw	5 500 kg	15 500 kg	21 000 kg (3,0 m c 3,6 m)	not required	42 000 kg
Thaw	5 500 kg	15 500 kg	22 000 kg (3,6 m c < 3,7 m)	not required	43 000 kg

** According to distance «c» between axles and semitrailer.

7-Axle Tractor-Semitrailer

Size

Side view of a seven-axle tractor-semitrailer (twenty-six wheels) illustrating dimension limits.

*Load included.

The 4 axles under semitrailer must be equiped with a suspension capable of equalizing the load on each axle.

Load Limits

Period	Front single axle	Tandem axle	4-axle under semitrailer**	Minimum distance "a"	Gross vehicle weight
Normal	5 500 kg	18 000 kg	32 000 kg (3,0 m c < 3,6 m)	6,0 m	55 500 kg
Normal	5 500 kg	18 000 kg	32 000 kg (3,6 m c 3,7 m)	5,5 m	55 500 kg
Thaw	5 500 kg	15 500 kg	27 500 kg (3,0 m c < 3,6 m)	not required	48 500 kg
Thaw	5 500 kg	15 500 kg	27 500 kg (3,6 m c 3,7 m)	not required	48 500 kg

** According to distance «c» corresponding to spacing of triple axle under semitrailer.

A Train

Size

Side view of an eight-axle A train (thirty wheels) illustrating dimension limits.

*Load included.

Load Limits

Period	Front single axle	Tandem axle	Tandem axle under front semitrailer	Dolly	Tandem axle under rear semitrailer	Gross vehicle weight
Normal	5 500 kg	18 000 kg	18 000 kg	10 000 kg	18 000 kg	53 500 kg
Thaw	5 500 kg	15 500 kg	15 500 kg	8 000 kg	15 500 kg	53 500 kg

B Train

Size

Side view of an eight-axle B train (thirty wheels) illustrating dimension limits.

*Load included.

Load Limits

Period	Front single axle	Tandem axle	Triple axle under semitrailer	Tandem axle under semitrailer	Gross vehicle weight
Normal	5 500 kg	18 000 kg	21 000 kg spacing < 3,0 m	18 000 kg	59 000 kg**
Normal	5 500 kg	18 000 kg	24 000 kg spacing 3,0 m	18 000 kg	59 000 kg**
Thaw	5 500 kg	15 500 kg	18 000 kg spacing < 3,0 m	15 500 kg	54 500 kg
Thaw	5 500 kg	15 500 kg	21 000 kg spacing 3,0 m	15 500 kg	57 500 kg

** This limit is extended to 62 500 kg on autoroutes and highway 185; on other roads, a special permit must be obtained and special requirements apply.

Copy from http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov [1]