Iowa Emergency Declaration Brings New Hauling Rules for Harvest

It's harvest season in Iowa and with it, plenty of trucks are hauling corn, soybeans, and other ag products. Usually, there are set standards that our roadways follow for vehicles that are hauling, but earlier this month the state temporarily changed some of its rules for those agricultural truck loads.

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On September 10th, Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a harvest proclamation that allows certain trucks carrying agricultural products to operate "overweight" without getting a permit. The proclamation is in effect through October 10th, unless it's ended sooner or extended for some reason.

What Does "Overweight" Actually Mean for Ag Trucks?

Under normal circumstances, Iowa has limits on how much weight trucks can carry on the state's roads. Those limits are not there just to make life difficult for truck drivers or farmers. Heavy vehicles put more stress on roads, bridges, and other parts of the transportation system. Iowa law includes limits on the total weight of a vehicle and how much weight can be placed on individual axles. The state also has rules placing weight restrictions on certain bridges and roads.

Credit: Unsplash / Roger Starnes Sr

For example, Iowa law generally limits the weight on a single axle with pneumatic tires to 20,000 pounds. There are also limits for groups of axles and total vehicle weight. Iowa law also allows the state to impose restrictions when a bridge or culvert does not meet established standards.

Those limits become especially important when you consider how much a fully loaded farm truck and wagon can weigh. Food for thought, a typical farm truck with grain wagon can weigh anywhere from about 19,000 pounds empty to over 30,000 pounds loaded. More weight means more stress on the pavement and the structures underneath it. Iowa law even provides for liability for damage caused by vehicles operating illegally or under certain overweight permits.

Harvest in Iowa Creates a Special Situation for Farmers

Farmers have a limited amount of time to get crops out of the fields and moved to elevators, storage facilities, or co-ops. During harvest, Iowa always sees a major increase in agricultural truck traffic across the state. The governor's proclamation explains the concerns about completing the harvest in a timely manner and that strict compliance with some of the normal permit and weight requirements could hinder that time-sensitive activity.

For that reason, the state is temporarily allowing certain agricultural loads to be heavier than normally permitted. The proclamation covers trucks carrying soybeans, corn, hay, straw, silage, stover, fertilizer, manure, and distillers' grains. Those vehicles can weigh as much as 90,000 pounds gross weight without a permit, provided they meet the other requirements in the proclamation.

Credit: Unsplash / Roger Starnes Sr

There are some important limits, however. The temporary allowance doesn't apply to the interstate highway system. The vehicles cannot exceed the set axle-weight limits by more than 12.5 percent, cannot exceed the legal maximum axle weight of 20,000 pounds, and must follow posted limits on any roads and bridges. The Iowa Department of Public Safety has also been directed to monitor the proclamation's operation.

The goal of the order is to help facilitate the movement of trucks during harvest while maintaining public safety. For Iowa drivers, the practical takeaway is pretty simple. Harvest means more farm equipment and agricultural trucks on the road, and some of those trucks may be carrying heavier loads than they normally would. Give them plenty of space, be patient when passing (if you even need to) and pay attention at intersections, rural roads, and field entrances. Remember, these temporary rules are scheduled to remain in place until October 10th.