Approval or Disapproval of Vehicle Trailer Combination Reducible Load Permit Applications

Subject to the provisions of 700 CMR 8.08, the approval or disapproval of Permits may be delegated to any District Highway Director and/or Permits Engineer of the Department. 700 CMR 8.00 sha ll serve as guidelines in making determinations on permit applications. Permits will be issued on an annual basis unless otherwise indicated on the permit, but the Department specifically reserves the right to revoke any Permit or class of Permits, notwithstanding any expiration date contained on the Permit to the contrary, when it its judgment and discretion public safety or sound engineering judgment warrant. No permit will be granted for a weight in excess of the weight for which said motor vehicle or trailer is registered (which includes the Massachusetts registered weight listed on an IRP cab card) or in excess of its gross vehicle weight rating, or in excess of its gross combination weight rating; provide, however, that in accordance with the provisions of M.G.L. c. 85, § 30A, a Permit may be issued to allow the operation of a motor vehicle or trailer for a weight in excess of the weight for which such vehicle is registered if such motor vehicle or trailer is owned or leased by a carrier not domiciled in Massachusetts and is travelling in Massachusetts on an IRP trip permit. In connection with the issuance of a Permit to a motor vehicle or trailer owned or leased to a carrier that is not domiciled in Massachusetts and is traveling on an IRP trip permit, the Department may collect a reasonable fee therefore based upon the difference between the weight for which the Permit is issued and the weight for which the vehicle is registered, but in no event shall the fee exceed the registration fee that would be collected from a carrier domiciled in Massachusetts to register a motor vehicle or trailer for such weight differential. Permits will only authorize travel on specifically designated state highways or ways determined by the Department to be through routes which have bridges, structures and pavements of a capacity sufficient to indicate that they will be able to safely support vehicles of these weights on the aforesaid number of axles. These specifically designated ways are enumerated in 700 CMR 8.12 which is incorporated in and made a part of 700 CMR 8.00; provided, however, these Permits for travel over the designated ways do not under any circumstances allow travel over bridges which are posted for a weight which is less than the gross vehicle weight together with load which is then being carried.