Winter truck load increases begin Tuesday for south frost zone

Winter load increases will begin Tuesday, Dec. 17, at 12:01 a.m. on unrestricted state highways in the south frost zone; and Thursday, Dec. 19, at 12:01 a.m. in the metro and southeast frost zones, according to the Minnesota Department of Transportation. Winter load increases have already begun in the north and north-central frost zones and have already been announced to begin Sunday, Dec. 15, in the central frost zone. The frost zones can be found on the MnDOT load limits map.

Vehicles will be allowed to operate up to 10 percent over the standard legal maximum loads on unrestricted highways during the winter load increase period. However, trucks must comply with current registration weight laws and not exceed registered gross weight tolerances.

Drivers need to check with local agencies before increasing any weights on city, county and township routes.

A winter weight increase permit is required to take advantage of the 10 percent weight increase on interstate highways only; a permit is not required for state trunk highways.

For questions about over legal weight/size “heavy haul” trucking, call MnDOT’s Freight and Commercial Vehicle Operations – Oversize/Weight Permits, 651-296-6000 or email: [email protected].