Heavy haul in trucking refers to transporting loads that exceed standard legal limits for weight or dimensions. In the United States, the federal gross vehicle weight limit is 80,000 pounds. Any load that pushes a truck-trailer combination above that threshold — or exceeds standard width (8.5 feet), height (typically 13.5 to 14 feet depending on the state), or length limits — qualifies as an oversize or overweight (heavy haul) load and requires special handling.
Heavy haul operations need oversize/overweight permits from every state the load passes through, pre-planned routes that account for bridge weight limits and overhead clearances, and escort or pilot vehicles as required by state-specific dimensional thresholds. Equipment includes specialized trailers — lowboy trailers, removable gooseneck (RGN) trailers, and multi-axle configurations — designed to distribute extreme weight across more axles and reduce per-axle loading.
Common heavy haul cargo includes industrial machinery, transformers, generators, construction equipment, and fabricated structural components.