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U.S. Department of Transportation
Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Study
Report No. 5
Activity II: Task D
Conduct Regional and Local Trucking Case Studies
December, 1995
Prepared by
Alan Clayton
Phil Blow
The primary objectives of the U.S. Department of Transportation's
Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight (TS&W) Study are to:
o assess the potential economic, safety, and environmental
impacts of changing existing TS&W limits; and
o identify opportunities to increase the efficiency of freight
transportation while preserving safety and highway
infrastructure.
Reports which have been completed for the TS&W Study, to date,
include the following:
(1) Synthesis of Truck Size and Weight Studies and Issues
(2) Analysis of the Truck Inventory and Use Survey from the
Truck Size and Weight Perspective for Trucks with
Five-Axles or More
(3) Truck Size and Weight Modelling Workshop
(4) Truck Size and Weight Performance-Based Workshop
(5) Western U.S.-Canada Crossborder Case Study.
For more information, call Jim March, FHWA, 202-366-9233,
202-366-7696 (FAX), or e:mail: jim.march@fhwa.dot.gov
This document was prepared for use in the U.S. Department of
Transportation's Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Study. The
views expressed are those of the author(s) and are not
necessarily those of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Table of Contents
Page
Executive Summary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ES-1
1.0 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.1 Purpose and Scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1.2 Report Organization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
2.0 Transportation System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.1 Road Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.2 Travel Time Comparisons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.3 Truck Border Crossings and Operations . . . . . . .10
2.4 TS&W Regulations Governing Regular Operations . . . 10
2.5 Extra-Legal Vehicles--Special Permitting . . . . . .21
2.6 Effects of TS&W Regulations on Truck Operations. . 22
2.7 Truck Inventory and Use Characteristics. . . . . . .28
3.0 Trade Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
3.1 Value, Weight, Commodities and Origin-Destination
Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
3.2 Rail Captive versus Truck Captive versus Competitive
Freight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
3.3 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
4.0 Truck Flows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42
4.1 Trucking Movements to and from Western Border
Jurisdictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
4.2 Trucking Activity at Major Western Border Crossings 42
4.3 Other Data on Western Border Trucking Movements. . 49
4.4 Truck Flow Maps for the Western Border . . . . . . .51
4.5 Truck Accidents in Western Border States . . . . . .51
5.0 Implications of Federal TS&W Policy Options . . . . . . .55
APPENDCES
A Highway Crossings on the Western Border . . . . . . . . A-1
B Truck Traffic at the Twenty-Eight Major Border Crossings B-1
C TS&W Regulation Research and Development on the Western
Border . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Executive Summary
This case study examines trucking across the western U.S.-Canada
border and how it is influenced by truck size and weight (TS&W)
regulations. Western border trucking differs from eastern border
trucking in terms of the types of commodities being handled (high
quantities of relatively low value, resource-based commodities),
the density of truck volumes(many miles of roads with relatively
low volumes of traffic), and the TS&W regulatory regimes arising
from many grandfather exemptions and the resulting truck
configurations. Also, the implications of a range of possible
Federal TS&W policy initiatives on western border trucking are
considered.
Highway Crossings on the Western Border
The western border reaches from the western end of Lake Superior
to the West Coast. Thereare 54 highway crossings of the border.
Twenty-eight involve: (1) an Interstate System (IS), National
Network (NN), or National Highway System (NHS) highway; (2) a
two-way commercial traffic flow of more than 12,000 trucks per
year, or (3) both. The western border accounts for one-third of
all trucking across the Canada-U.S. border.
Geographical Proximity of Western Canada and the United States
Truck travel times between western Canada and most of the United
States west of the Ohio River and the southern section of the
Mississippi River are less than travel times from western
Canada to central Canada (Toronto) and east (Montreal and
beyond). The proximity of western Canada to this area and its
markets, the similarity in economic and industrial activities
between western Canada and the north and mid-west United States,
and the ease of crossborder trade have created strong trade and
transportation linkages across the border.
Trade Across the Western Border
Most western border trucking is associated with local and
regional trade. Economic sectors of particular importance in
this trade are--agriculture (grains, livestock, seed, produce,
peat moss); wood and paper (logs, lumber, shakes, newsprint,
printed material); chemicals, metals, and minerals (potash, soda
ash, petroleum); machines, vehicles, and farming and resource
extraction equipment.
TS&W Regulations Governing Trucking Along the Western Border
There are a myriad of different TS&W regulations governing
trucking across the western border. The laws and regulations
governing western border trucking are promulgated and
administered by twelve different entities: the States of
Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota; the U.S.
Federal Government; the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta,
Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario; and the Roads and
Transportation Association of Canada (RTAC) interprovincial
agreement on uniform vehicle weights and dimensions.
For longer distance crossborder trucking, such as between
Winnipeg and Mexico, or Calgary and Los Angeles, or a triangular
operation involving Wyoming, Idaho, and Saskatchewan, additional
regulatory regimes influence fleet and loading characteristics.
In total, at least 63 TS&W regulatory regimes can at some time or
another influence North American trucking, including trucking
across the western border.
Differences among the State gross vehicle weight (GVW) limits,
for example Minnesota at 80,000 pounds, North Dakota at 105,500
pounds, and Montana at 131,060 pounds, can have as much or
more of a role in designing the vehicles used in crossborder
trucking as differences among Canadian Provinces and U.S. States
where the GVW limit on Manitoba secondary highways is
124,300 pounds, which connect with North Dakota State highways
with a limit of 105,500 pounds.
Weight Limits
o Axle weight limits of 20,000 and 34,000 pounds on single and
tandem axles respectively govern the axle weights of most
trucking crossing thewestern border under regular operation.
These limits apply to IS, NN and all principal State
highways in the five border States. They are equal to or
more restrictive than the corresponding axle weight limits
specified for most connecting highways in Canada.
o The de facto GVW limit is 105,500 pounds or more for most
western border crossings,except for four crossings to and
from Minnesota. A GVW limit of 131,060 pounds applies in
Montana (except for the special ISTEA provision for
a GVW of 137,500 pounds between Shelby, Montana and the
Montana-Albert border). Major highways in Minnesota are
limited to 80,000 pounds GVW.
o For a given GVW limit, Bridge Formula B governs the number
of axles and axle spacings required of most trucking across
the western border under regular operation. The formula is,
for the most part, more conservative than correspond ing
load distribution requirement specified for
connecting highways in Canada.
o The combination of the requirements of Bridge Formula B,
variations in its enforcement by different States (for
example, North Dakota does not enforce the inner bridge
requirements on non-IS highways), and the various GVW caps
and length limits, now frozen by the ISTEA,and State laws
has created a number of unintended consequences in terms of
vehicle characteristics operating across and along the
western border. Examples are lift axles, wide-base tires,
and excessively long drawbars between trailers and between
trucks and trailers.
o Split tandems are used in semitrailers in the western border
States. They allow, where permitted, operating five-axle
tractor-semitrailers at a GVW of 86,000 pounds and more
flexibility in loading at lower GVWs. The 10-foot spread of
these axles is effectively prohibited by the Canadian RTAC
regulations and by the western Canadian provinces. Ontario
and Quebec permit the use of split tandems.
o Tridem- and quadrem-axle arrangements are used across and
along the western border and often incorporate lift axles
and wide-base tires. One major trailer manufacturer
indicates that tridems are becoming the axle arrangement of
choice for many carriers in the northwest region.
o Differences in tire load limits among the ten western
jurisdictions have no significant effect on western border
trucking. Canadian regulations generally discourage the use
of wide-base tires by placing limits on the total allowable
load per tire. In certain western border States, on the
other hand, the tire load limit of 600 pounds per inch of
width with no limit on the total allowable load per tire
tend to encourage the use of wide-base tires.
o Canada's steering axle limit of 5,500 kilograms causes
problems for U.S. trucks at certain crossings. U.S.
vehicles entering Manitoba from I-29 can come in with a
steering axle load of as much as 6,000 kilograms, and are
required to move their fifth wheel to comply
with the 5,500 kilograms requirement.
Dimensions
o Western border States (except Minnesota) permit 14-foot high
vehicles. This is 6 inches more than allowed in the western
Provinces. Fourteen-foot high vans are common throughout
the western United States particularly with specialized
truckload carriers. These vehicles are being permitted to
operate into at leastone western Province. Alberta has
proposed 14 feet as the height limit for the Canamex
Corridor (see Appendix C), an international trade corridor
originally proposed by Alberta that extends from Alberta
generally along I-15 to California and Mexico.
o RTAC regulations require the wheelbase of a tractor to be
within the range of 3.0 to 6.2 meters (118 inches to 244
inches). Some U.S. carriers wish tooperate tractors having
shorter (2.7 meters--106 inches) or longer wheelbases (6.7
meters--265 inches) into the western Provinces. Some
Provinces prohibit use of these non-RTAC tractors, others
allow their use under special permits, while still others
ignore their non-compliance.
Truck Combinations Used Along and Across the Western Border
The complex TS&W regulations applicable in the western border
region allow and lead to the use of many different truck
configurations along and across the western border. Several are
unique to the region. Small trucks of four or less axles
dominate the truck fleets in western border States (90 percent in
North Dakota; 80 percent in Washington, Idaho and Minnesota; 75
percent in Montana). For the western border fleet of trucks that
has five or more axles:
o Tractor-semitrailer combinations are most common--7 of 10 in
Washington and Idaho, 8 of 10 in Montana, and 9 of 10 in
North Dakota and Minnesota (86.6 percent nationwide). The
tractor-semitrailer fleet in the western border States is
complicated. It consists of conventional five-axle units,
five-axle units with a split tandem axle on the semitrailer,
six-axle tractor-semitrailers (some with wide-base rather
than dual tires on the semitrailer), seven-axle
tractor-semitrailers (with a lift axle on the tractor),
eight-axle tractor-semitrailers(with lift axles on both the
tractor and semitrailer).
o Truck-trailer combinations are the next most common--1 of 5
in Washington and Idaho; and 1 of 10 in Montana, North
Dakota and Minnesota (7.5 percent nationwide). These
include a variety of truck-trailer combinations with five,
six,seven and eight-axles.
o Tractor-double trailer combinations follow--1.5 of 10 in
Washington and Idaho, 1 of 10 in Montana, 1 of 20 in North
Dakota, and 1 of 100 in Minnesota(5.9 percent nationwide).
These include a variety of double-trailer A-trains,
including western doubles and Rocky Mountain doubles, with
from five to nine-axles; a few seven- or eight-axle
double-trailer C-trains; and eight-axle double-trailer
B-trains. The ISTEA freeze limits the cargo-carrying length
of these units on the NN to 68 feet in Washington, 95 feet
in Idaho, 93 feet in Montana, and 103 feet in North Dakota.
o Triple-trailer combinations are either non-existent as in
Washington and Minnesota or infrequent (less than 0.1
percent nationwide).
o Containers are moved by truck between Seattle and Vancouver,
often using a variety of vehicles specially-designed to
comply with the combined effects of Bridge Formula B, the
105,500-pound Washington State GVW cap, Washington trailer
length limits, and Canadian RTAC regulations.
Because of these varying TS&W regulations, depending on the
jurisdictions being crossed and the highway classes used, trucks
crossing both the international and State borders in the western
region may: (1) be stretched or contracted using adjustabled
drawbars; (2) have axles raised,lowered, or re-positioned; (3)
have fifth wheels re-positioned;(4) have tires removed or added;
or (5) have loads modified or shifted.
Truck Usage in Western Border States
The importance of trade in local and regional commodities is
reflected in truck usage in the five western border States.
One-third of the 287,100 registered trucks in the five States are
used for transporting farm products. An additional one-third are
used for transporting building materials, processed foods, live
animals, lumber and fabricated wood products, and transportation
equipment.
Most trucks in the western border States operate within their
base States (9 of 10 trucks drive less than 25 percent of their
mileage outside of their home State) and within 200 miles of home
(9 of 10 truck miles). About 1 of 20 trucks drive 75-100 percent
of their mileage outside the base State. About 1 of 20 trucks
operate in the 200-500 mile range, and another 1 of 20 with trip
lengths of greater than 500 miles.
Most trucking in the western border States occurs at weight
levels that are much lower than the governing GVW limits. Seven
of 10 truck movements occur at an average GVW of up to 40,000
pounds, which generally requires no more than three-axles.
Eighty-five percent occurs at average weight of up to 60,000
pounds, which requires no more than four-axles. About 97.5
percent occurs at average weight levels of up to 80,000 pounds,
which requires no more than five-axles. About 1.5 percent occurs
at an average GVW of up to 100,000 pounds, which requires six or
seven-axles. About 1.0 percent occurs at weights up to 130,000
pounds, which requires eight or nine-axles.
Trucking Across the Western Border
The western border accounted for about 5,100 two-way truck
movements per day in 1994. Ninety-five percent of all truck
movements across the western border occur on highways where
the governing GVW limit is either 105,500 pounds as in
Washington, Idaho, and North Dakota or 131,060 pounds in Montana.
Montana also has a 137,800-pound weight limit for the section of
I-15 from the Canadian border to Shelby, Montana. This is
allowed under a special provision in the ISTEA to allow vehicles
meeting the RTAC limits access to an intermodal facility at
Shelby. Only 5 percent of these movements directly cross the
Minnesota-Manitoba border, which is controlled by the
80,000-pound limit.
Ten times as much truck traffic moves across the western border
as moves between western and eastern Canada via the Trans-Canada
Highway (5,100 per day versus 500 per day). Some western border
movements travel through the United States between western and
eastern Canada.
Trucking across the western border is growing. There has been a
25 percent increase in two years from 1992 to 1994. One major
crossing has experienced a ten-fold increase in 20 years.
Many factors have affected this. Among them are economic growth,
deregulation of trucking, increased use of prorationing taxation
systems, freeing-up of agricultural product trading, branchline
abandonment on both sides of the border, increased fertilizer
use, the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement, the NAFTA, and most
recently the low value of the Canadian dollar.
The six most heavily used crossings account for three-quarters of
the western border truck movements. These are Blaine-Pacific on
I-5 (1,820 crossings per day), Pembina-Emerson on I-29 (669
crossings per day), Sweetgrass-Coutts on I-15 (460 crossings per
day), Sumas-Huntington on U.S. 9 (359 crossings per day),
Portal-North Portal on U.S. 52 (301 crossings per day), and
Eastport-Kingsgate on U.S. 95 (194 crossings per day). About 1
of 10 trucks moving southbound across the western border are
empty. One-third of the northbound trucks are empty.
Many western Canadian carriers have established operating arms in
the United States. In 1994, two of every three northbound trucks
entering Canada across the western border were
Canadian-registered. One-third were registered in the United
States. A number of Canadian carriers have recently established
associations with Mexican carriers. When employing U.S. drivers
and equipment, the U.S. base allows them to operate both within
the United States as well as between the United States and
Canada, and in time, into Mexico.
Implications of Federal TS&W Policy Options
What would happen to western border trucking if there was no
change in the current limits and scope of application of Federal
TS&W provisions? Based on recent experience:
o More specialized western border vehicles would be
introduced. These include increasing use of six-, seven-,
and eight-axle tractor-semitrailer units and seven- and
eight-axle truck-trailer units.
o A variety of (often undesirable) long-drawbar A-trains and
truck-trailer combinations would remain and probably see
increased use.
o U.S.-Canada crossborder traffic probably will grow at a
rapid rate.
o Split tandems and wide-base tires will be increasingly
employed.
What would happen to western border trucking if certain Federal
TS&W regulation was devolved to the States?
Federal Length Limits (minimum): Since these limits are
already equaled or exceeded in the five western border States, no
effect is expected.
Federal Axle Weight Limits: The States could elect to
increase single- and tandem-axle weight limits on the Interstates
within their borders. None of these States have over the years
elected to increase axle weights on non-IS highways under their
respective authorities. Differences with Canadian tandem axle
limits could effect some pressure.
The 80,000-Pound GVW Cap: In the five western border
States, the only highways on which the Federal 80,000-pound GVW
cap applies are in Minnesota. In the other four States, it is
the GVW limits imposed by the ISTEA freeze (and the ISTEA Shelby
exemption) that are the Federal GVW limits of influence. What
Minnesota would do with the authority to relax the 80,000-pound
GVW limit on its Interstate highways in not known. To date,
Minnesota has elected to maintain an 80,000-pound GVW limit (or
less) on all highways in the State.
Bridge Formula B: Except for North Dakota, the five western
border States apply Bridge Formula B on all highways. North
Dakota applies the provisions of the formula on Interstate
highways, but ignores inner bridge requirements and allows
48,000-pound tridems on non-Interstate highways. Given no
Federally-imposed Bridge Formula B, North Dakota might choose to
extend its bridge formula policy to Interstate highways. The
other four States would probably proceed cautiously concerning
liberalizing Bridge Formula B provisions, particularly given that
they have these provisions on the rest of their road network
without being obliged to do so by Federal law.
ISTEA Freeze on GVWs: The GVW freeze of ISTEA applies to
the operation of combinations involving a truck tractor and two
or more cargo-carrying units on Interstate highways. The GVW
levels incorporated in the freeze in these five border States is
the same as the GVW limits these States used for many years prior
to the freeze.
From the western border crossing standpoint, only three of the 54
western border crossings are directly affected by the weight
aspect of the ISTEA freeze. These are the crossings for
Interstate Routes I-5, I-15, and I-29. In the case of I-15, the
Canadian RTAC GVW limit of 137,800 pounds is already allowed by
the ISTEA from the Canadian border to Shelby, Montana. The GVW
limit on all but these three crossings are under State authority.
ISTEA Freeze on Lengths: The "box-length" freeze of ISTEA
applies to the operation of combinations with two or more cargo
units operating on the NN. The length limits incorporated in the
freeze in these five border States is the same as the length
limits these States used for many years prior to the freeze.
From the Canadian perspective, none of these ISTEA cargo-carrying
length limits would be viewed as particularly restrictive. From
the western border crossing standpoint, twenty of the 28 western
border crossings of interest are actually directly affected by
the length aspect of the ISTEA freeze, including those for I-5,
I-15, and I-29.
One potentially positive effect of eliminating the ISTEA freeze
by devolution to the States would be facilitating WASHTO efforts
to achieve improved uniformity in regional TS&W regulations as
these relate to cargo-carrying length limits on NN highways.
What would happen to western border trucking if Federal size
provisions were applied to non-NN highways on the NHS? This
would have little or no effect. These size provisions, exclusive
of the ISTEA freeze, are minimums and are already surpassed by
the western States more or less throughout their networks.
What would happen to western border trucking if Federal weight
provisions including grandfather authority was applied to non-IS
highways on the NHS in conjunction with the above size
provisions? The major impact of this would be associated
with the application of the weight limits of the ISTEA freeze to
a significantly expanded highway network in each State. This
could prohibit flexibility and rationalization within individual
States, and cooperation among adjacent States.
What would happen to western border trucking if Federal weight
provisions were modified to accommodate freight moving in
interstate and international commerce particularly in containers
on NHS highways? The crossborder movement of international
containers along I-5 between the Ports of Seattle, Washington and
Vancouver, British Columbia is estimated to involve about 135
truck trips per day each way, about 15 percent of the total
truck movement. Many of these movements take place on vehicles
specially designed to handle fully loaded 40-foot containers
within the weight distribution provisions of Bridge Formula B.
Others occur on five-axle tractor-semitrailers, often
experiencing overloads on the drive tandem axle. Some containers
are moved crossborder in double-trailer combinations (for
example, with one 40-foot container plus one 20-foot container,
or three 20-foot containers together).
The option of using a six-axle tractor-semitrailer for container
movements across the United States and Canada, within Washington,
and to and from adjoining States could be expected to have a
substantial response by industry. It would reduce the use of the
existing, specially designed equipment now used for these
movements.
There is some, probably very limited, movement of international
containers between Alberta and Shelby, Montana along I-15 for
trans-shipment on the Burlington Northern (BN) Railway pursuant
to the special weight provisions of ISTEA. Since these movements
now occur in Canadian configurations at Canadian weights (for
example, a six-axle tractor-semitrailer at 96,000 pounds) and
Canadian axle spreads, little change would be expected here.
There are also limited movements of international containers
between northern Minnesota and Winnipeg, Manitoba and between the
BN mainline through North Dakota and Winnipeg. Providing for the
effective employment of six-axle tractor-semitrailers for these
movements could encourage these exchanges and support trade
corridor proposals such as those along I-29 and I-35.
