QUEBEC CITY, (Mar. 28, 2005) — Quebec is increasing the allowable weight of Longer Combination Vehicles (LCVs) by about 11,000 pounds.

Today’s Trucking’s French language sister publication Transport Routier has learned that the Quebec Ministry of Transportation will increase the gross vehicle weight from 62,500 kg (137,500 lb) to 67,500 kg (148,500 lb) on provincial highways and route 185.

The new rule — which affects LCVs or what is commonly referred to in Quebec as road trains (two linked full-sized trailers) — will increase load flexibility and make border crossing easier, says the Quebec Trucking Association.

“With the old rule, it was impossible to have, for example, two loads of 44,000 pounds and comply with the 137,500 pound gross weight,” Marc Brouillette, QTA president, told Transport Routier.

Previously, the loads had to be, for example, 44,000 pounds in one trailer and 34,000 or 36,000 in the other — meaning that, to optimize the loads in U.S.A, the carrier needed a terminal to consolidate different loads, with the proper shipping documents.

Now, once the carrier arrives at the border with two loads of 44,000 lb., all he has to do is separate the trailers and the shipping documents and keep going, Brouillette says.