New Georgia law authorizes certain heavy truck loads

A new Georgia law allows certain 88,000-pound trucks on roadways around the state. The heavy trucks rule revision is much different than what legislators initially considered earlier this year.

While the bill was working its way through the General Assembly, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association encouraged Georgia-based truckers to reach out to their state lawmakers about the legislation to allow heavy trucks.

Trucks traversing Georgia roadways are limited to a maximum gross weight of 80,000 pounds. Exceptions are made for haulers moving products that include forestry, live poultry, cotton, feed, concrete, and solid waste. Affected loads are allowed to carry goods up to 84,000 pounds.

New heavy truck rule in place

Gov. Brian Kemp acted on Friday, May 5, to sign into law a bill permitting heavier loads of certain commodities on roads other than federal highways.

Effective immediately, agriculture and forestry hauls are allowed to weigh 88,000 pounds – up from 84,000 pounds. Affected hauls can travel up to 150 miles from the farm or other processing facility where the load originated.

The authorization is allowed through June 2025. The time limit is touted to give lawmakers time to work out a permanent compromise.

The 13 metro Atlanta counties are excluded from the higher weight limit.

Additionally, local law enforcement is authorized to write tickets for overweight trucks. Previously, only the state Motor Carrier Compliance Division was authorized to issue overweight citations.

Local enforcement of truck weights shares the 2025 sunset date. Enforcement authority does not apply to state highways and interstates.

Rough route through the statehouse

As introduced, HB189 called for opening the door to heavier loads for all types of trucks and all commodities. Specifically, a 12.5% variance of the 80,000-pound weight limit would be authorized for all loads.

Despite an initial six-hour House Transportation Committee meeting that included a lot of negative feedback from the Georgia departments of Transportation and Public Safety, and more than 100 local government officials, the committee moved the bill along without changes. Shortly thereafter, the House Rules Committee sent HB189 back to the panel to make revisions.

Concerns centered on whether the original bill would result in GDOT needing to post load restrictions on more than 1,400 bridges around the state. The figure is double the current number of posted bridges.

Initial revisions to the bill limited applicable loads to agriculture, forestry, livestock, concrete or granite. Specifically, logging and farming commodities would be permitted a 10% variance – up to 88,000 pounds.

As amended, HB189 eventually won narrow passage on the House floor. Once in the Senate, additional revisions followed.

Notable Senate changes included limiting affected trucks to travel up to 75 miles from the origination location. House lawmakers initially authorized travel up to 250 miles.

Another Senate revision excluded the 13 metro Atlanta counties from the higher weight limit.

Both chambers were unable to reach agreement on all bill language. As a result, a conference committee convened with lawmakers from both chambers charged with working out differences.

The final version passed the statehouse at the end of March and was signed last week by the governor. LL

More Land Line coverage of Georgia news.