Freightliner M2 106Straight trucks in Iowa may be getting four feet longer.
State legislators there are considering increasing the maximum length of single frame trucks to 45 feet. The bill, which has already passed the Iowa House, advanced this week to the Senate Transportation Committee.
The Iowa Department of Transportation has offered no opposition to the bill which will not effect the current weight limit, according to demoinesregister.com.
DOT noted that with the exception of Nebraska, neighboring states allow straight trucks to be up to 45 feet long.
Straight truck length restrictions vary across the U.S., according to Paul Jakubicek of bigtruckguide.com.
“Straight truck lengths are not standardized across the U.S. by the federal government. There are no minimums or maximums at the federal level and size and weight are governed entirely by each state separately,” Jakubicek writes on his site.
“However, the most common length restriction is a 40-foot maximum length for straight trucks, and having a straight truck of this length is the most common. Georgia, for example does not specify a limit and Wyoming’s limit is a generous 60 feet. If you are operating a straight truck in these jurisdictions and want a bigger one, go for it!”
Special thanks to Jakubicek for giving HWT permission to post his map below which reveals maximum straight truck lengths across the U.S. and Canada.
