Vehicle Dimensions (weight, length, height, width, axles, trailers) help PC*MILER select legal and safe roads for a route. Vehicle dimensions are included in every route profile and may be customized in Route Options or Profile Options.
Vehicle Type
The Vehicle Type updates automatically when dimensions are changed. It is informational only and cannot be edited by the user. Possible categories are Auto, Truck (Medium Duty), or Truck (Heavy Duty).
PC*MILER Rules for Inferring Vehicle Type from Vehicle Dimensions
* The rules for Canada in the table above are for truck tractors with a single 5 or 6 axle semi-trailer. Customers who run heavy straight trucks (this would be unusual) or doubles (more common) in SK or MB are advised to consult the Weights and Dimensions Compliance Guides published by those provinces, and to select the PC*MILER State + National Network route type as appropriate.
Height
For all regions and truck types, enter a length of 5 ft. – 13 ft. 6 in. or 1.52 – 4.11 m. The minimum height is > 0. Default is 13 ft. 6 in. or less.
TIP: If the user enters a vehicle height over 13 ft. 6 in., PC*MILER will avoid jurisdictions with lower overall limits in its calculations wherever possible and practical. You will receive a warning message in the Detailed and Driver’s reports if any of these jurisdictions cannot be avoided on a route.
Length
For all regions and truck types, enter a length of 8 ft. – 82 ft. 10 in. or 2.44 – 25 m. The minimum length is > 0. Default is 48 feet.
TIP: If the State + National Network routing option is selected in the General tab and a custom length is entered, both attributes are weighed in the overall calculation but the routing option takes precedence.
Width
For US Customary units, select 96 or less, 98, or 102 or more inches. For Metric units select 2.44 or less, 2.48, or 2.59 or more meters. Note that entering the larger vehicle width category will use State + National Network routing in the U.S. and Canada except where necessary for local deliveries. The default width setting for all regions is 96 inches or less.
Weight
For all regions and truck types, weights of 1,500 – 156,748 lbs. or 681 – 71,099 kgs. may be entered. The default weight setting for all regions is 80,000 lbs.
TIP: Oversize permits will allow for “normal” truck routing if you have purchased the appropriate permits for your oversize vehicle for routing on assumed 80,000 lb./36,287 kg. roadways. Nonetheless, if the route includes a road segment for which the truck as configured will require a permit, the destination will be represented by a solid red circle in the route window (position the cursor over it to see the warning) and a warning will appear in the Detailed and Driver’s reports.
Axles
(For Tolls add-on users only) The number of axles entered here is used only for the calculation of toll costs using the Tolls add-on module. If Tolls is not installed, this option will be disabled. The default number of axles is 5.
Permit
If you try to enter a weight greater than 80,000 lbs/36,287 kg and this option is not checked, a warning will display in the Route Options dialog: “Trucks weighing over 80,000 lbs (36,287 kgs) require a permit in most U.S. states.”
Check Permit to continue. This option does not affect routing, it only serves as a reminder that a permit is usually required for the vehicle dimensions entered. By default, it is unchecked.
Multiple Trailer (MT)
Check if the vehicle is a long combination vehicle with multiple trailers. (See section 7.2 for toll calculation considerations.) By default, it is unchecked.
