Obtaining An Overweight Permit For A Large Load As A Owner-Operator
As the owner of your own semi-truck and your own transportation business, you may occasionally get a request to haul a load that weighs more than how much you are legally allowed to carry on the highway. In these cases, you may be able to obtain an oversize or overweight permit from the Department of Transportation in your state. Check out some of the things you should know about the process.
How do you know if you need to obtain an overweight permit?
You may know the general guidelines as far as weight capacity goes with your vehicle, but there are actually several factors that are used to determine if a vehicle is carrying an overweight load. Some of those factors include the following:
- What the vehicle weighs when it is empty
- How much weight the vehicle you will be driving can actually handle
- What axle-weight requirements are in the state of travel
- How the load can be configured to properly distribute the weight ratio on each axle
All this can really complicate things when you are trying to determine if you do need to get an overweight permit. Therefore, it is always a good idea to work with a permit service to help you determine if you do indeed need a permit for a specific load.
What is the process of obtaining an overweight permit like?
Obtaining an overweight permit for a load basically involves supplying information about the load and the vehicle, as well as the business owner in charge of the vehicle, to the Department of Transportation. You will fill out the permit request and then wait for the approval for the load. You can choose to work directly with the DoT, or you can work through a third-party permit service that can help you through the process.
Does it take a long time to get the permit?
If you have a load that you need to get transported quickly, you definitely do not want to be left waiting for a permit, and that is understandable. In most cases, you can get an overweight permit in just a few hours if you are working with a permit service. These companies work directly with the Department of Transportation to get the process expedited. If you are working directly with the DoT, you may have to wait longer to get the permit you need. You can actually save yourself money by saving your time when working with a third-party permit service for help.
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