Truck classification
Truck classifications are typically based upon the maximum loaded weight of the
United States
In the United States, commercial truck classification is determined based on the vehicle's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The classes are numbered 1 through 8.
United States federal law requires drivers to have a
Table of US GVWR classifications
US truck class | Duty classification | Weight limit [2][12] | Examples |
---|---|---|---|
Class 1 | Light duty | 0–6,000 pounds (0–2,722 kg) | Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, Honda Ridgeline FWD[13], Jeep Gladiator, Nissan Navara/Frontier, Toyota Tacoma |
Class 2a | Light duty | 6,001–8,500 pounds (2,722–3,856 kg) | Ram 1500, Nissan Titan, Toyota Tundra
|
Class 2b | Light duty | 8,501–10,000 pounds (3,856–4,536 kg) | |
Class 3 | Medium duty | 10,001–14,000 pounds (4,536–6,350 kg) | |
Class 4 | Medium duty | 14,001–16,000 pounds (6,351–7,257 kg) | |
Class 5 | Medium duty | 16,001–19,500 pounds (7,258–8,845 kg) | |
Class 6 | Medium duty | 19,501–26,000 pounds (8,846–11,793 kg) | |
Class 7 | Heavy duty | 26,001–33,000 pounds (11,794–14,969 kg) | |
Class 8 | Heavy duty | 33,001–80,000 pounds (14,969–36,287 kg) and above | Ford F-750; Hino XL8; International LT; Mack Anthem, Granite, Pinnacle, and TerraPro; Tesla Semi; Nikola Tre; Peterbilt 379;[21] Spartan; Ferrara; KME custom fire apparatus
|
Notes on weight classes
"Ton" rating
When light-duty trucks were first produced in the United States, they were rated by their payload capacity in
This has led to categorizing trucks similarly, even if their payload capacities are different. The Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500, Ford F-150, Nissan Titan, Ram 1500, and Toyota Tundra are called "half-ton" pickups (1⁄2-ton). The Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 2500, Ford F-250, and Ram 2500 are called "three-quarter-ton" pickups. The Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 3500, Ford F-350, and Ram 3500 are known as "one ton" pickups.[25]
Similar schemes exist for vans and SUVs (e.g. a 1-ton Dodge Van or a 1⁄2-ton GMC Suburban), medium duty trucks (e.g. the 11⁄2-ton Ford F-550) and some military vehicles, like the ubiquitous
Heavy duty pickup truck
Some pickup trucks may be marketed as heavy duty (eg Ram Heavy Duty), super duty (eg Ford Super Duty) or simply "HD". This is not to be confused with the truck classification of class 7 and 8 being heavy duty.
Class 8
This section needs additional citations for verification. (December 2019) |
The Class 8 truck
Canada
Vehicle classifications vary among provinces in Canada, due to "differences in size and weight regulations, economic activity, physical environment, and other issues".[31]: 3 While several provinces use their own classification schemes for traffic monitoring, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan have adopted the 13-class system from the United States' Federal Highway Administration—sometimes with modifications, or in Ontario's case, for limited purposes.[31]: 3–4 [needs update] British Columbia and Ontario also distinguish between short- and long-combination trucks.[31]: 3–4 [needs update] In accident reporting, eight jurisdictions subdivide trucks by GVWR into light and heavy classes at approximately 4500 kg (9921 lb).[31]: 6
European Union and United Kingdom
Vehicle categories on a European driving licence include (among others) B for general motor vehicles, C for large goods vehicles, D for large passenger vehicles (buses), and are limited by the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and number of passenger seats.[32]
The general categories are further divided as follows:
- appending the number 1 to the licence class C or D denotes the "light" versions of said class (e.g., Minibus, or medium truck).
- appending the letter E allows for trailers of larger Gross Trailer Weight Rating (GTWR) than permitted by the standard licence category.
For the "trailer" categories, a separate driving test is generally required (e.g., "C", and "CE" require separate tests).
The classifications used on the International Driving Permit are similar to the European model.
The licence categories that deal with trucks are B and C:
- Class B permits the use of vehicles with GVWRs of not more than 3500 kg plus a trailer with GTWR not exceeding 750 kg; or, a trailer above this limit so long as the combined gross weight of car and trailer does not exceed 3500 kg (in some jurisdictions a higher combined weight limit of 4250 kg is permitted after a theoretical and practical course of seven hours, but this permission is not transferable between EU countries). Class B covers both standard passenger cars of all sizes as well as vehicles that are specifically designed for transport of goods. The latter are commonly known as light commercial vehicles (LCVs), and include vans such as the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Fiat Ducato, as well as pickup trucks such as the Ford Ranger or Mitsubishi Triton.
- Class BE allows a trailers of up to 3500 kg GTWR to be used while driving a class B vehicle.
- Class C1 raises the GVWR limit to 7500 kg and permits a trailer with GTWR not exceeding 750 kg.[33]
- Class C removes the GVWR limit of Class C1, but the GTWR limit for the trailer of 750 kg remains. (This often referred to as a "Rigid Heavy Goods Vehicle" or "Rigid truck" licence)
- Class C1E allows for a class B or C1 vehicle and a trailer of more than 750 kg GTWR, so long as the combined gross weight does not exceed 12000 kg.
- Class CE removes all weight limits for a Class C vehicle with trailer. (known as an "Articulated Heavy Goods Vehicle", or often simply "HGV", licence )
List of truck types
Truck (Lorry) See List of truck types
- Box truck
- Cab over
- Cab chassis
- Concrete mixer
- Conversion van
- Dump truck
- Flatbed truck
- Fire truck
- Logging truck
- Panel van
- Platform truck
- Pickup truck
- Refuse truck
- Semi tractor
- Sport utility vehicle(SUV)
- Tow truck
- Van
Gallery
-
Class 1 Light duty Toyota Tacoma
-
Class 2 2001 Ford Excursion 4×4 (GVWR: 8,600 pounds (3.9 t)
-
Class 3 Ford F-350
-
Class 4 2008 Ford F-450 4×4 pick-up truck (GVWR: 14,500 pounds (6.6 t))
-
Class 5 2005 Chevy Kodiak 4×4 (GVWR: 17,500 pounds (7.9 t))
-
Class 6 2002 Ford F-650 in front (GVWR: 26000 lb), 1989 Ford F-600 in back (GVWR: 20,200 pounds (9.2 t)
-
Class 7 Peterbilt 330 dump truck.
-
Class 8 Kenworth W900 tractor with spread-axle 48-foot (14.63 m) refrigerated trailer.
-
Western Star 6900XD tractor.
See also
- Car classification
- Corporate Average Fuel Economy(CAFE)
- Commercial vehicle
- Curb weight
- Driver's license
- Fifth wheel
- Gross weight:
- Gross axle weight rating(GAWR)
- Gross combined weight rating(GCWR)
- Gross trailer weight rating(GTWR)
- Gross vehicle weight rating(GVWR)
- Light commercial vehicle
- Large goods vehicle
- List of truck types
- Semi-trailer
- Tow hitch
- Trailer
- Vehicle category
References
- ISBN 978-1-4686-0136-7.
- ^ a b c d e Vehicle Weight Classes & Categories from the United States Department of Energy
- ^ NTEA.com – Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) by Class
- ^ Vehicle Weight Classifications from the United States Environmental Protection Agency
- ^ "Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey – Discontinued". Census.gov. June 30, 2015. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- ^ "May a State require persons operating recreational vehicles or other CMVs used by groups of people, including family members, for non-business purposes to have a CDL?". US: FMCSA. March 1, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ "Drivers". US: FMCSA. February 8, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
- ^ FHWA Vehicle Types from the United States Department of Transportation
- ^ Truck Classification, Changingears.com, March 28, 2009, retrieved April 9, 2012
- ^ "Stretch limo drivers and CDL licenses". July 8, 2020.
- ^ "Commercial Driver's License Classes & Certifications".
- ^ "Class 3-4-5 Truck Model Roundup". Nextexitlogistics.com. October 22, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Appendix: Truck Types and Classes" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 22, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2018.(archived)
- ^ a b "2005 Dodge Dakota Specifications, Fuel Economy & Overview". Truck Trend. February 26, 2007. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
- ^ a b Greenhouse Gas Emissions Model (GEM) User Guide EPA 420-B-10-039. United States Environmental Protection Agency, October 2010
- ^ Hareyan, Armen. "DOT Releases Cybertruck VIN Decoder Revealing Surprising Information". Torque News. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Isuzu N-Series Diesel Trucks". Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
- ^ GMC TopKick 4500[dead link]
- ^ "Purpose-built trucks engineered by the leading OEM dedicated to severe-duty trucks". Autocar Truck. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- ^ Rik Hinton, Idaho Transportation Department (December 22, 2011), Idaho Commercial Driver's License Program, Itd.idaho.gov, retrieved April 9, 2012
- ^ "Peterbilt 379 Performance and Capabilities". March 17, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Wagner, James K. (1994). Ford Trucks Since 1905. US: Motorbooks International.
- ^ a b c Ford Light Duty Truck brochure. US: Ford Motor Company. 1948.
- ^ Bruzek, Joe (September 1, 2016). "What Does Half-Ton, Three-Quarter-Ton, One-Ton Mean When Talking About Trucks?". Cars.com. US. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Gonderman, J (June 2, 2021). "What Is a ¾-ton Truck?". Motor Trend. US. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
- ^ '82 Ford F Series Pickups brochure. US: Ford Motor Company. 1982.
- ^ "International Class 7 Crew Cab Pickup". Truck Trend. February 26, 2007. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-7881-7504-6.
- ^ "Class 8 Truck Updates: The Industry and Hyundai XCIENT". truckdrivernews.com.
- ISBN 978-0-309-21387-5.
- ^ a b c d Clayton, Alan; Montufar, Jeannette; Middleton, Dan; McCauley, Bill (August 27–31, 2000), "Feasibility of a New Vehicle Classification System for Canada" (PDF), North American Travel Monitoring Exhibition and Conference (NATMEC) 2000, archived from the original (PDF) on November 1, 2004, retrieved August 9, 2013,
Furthermore, the fleet characteristics vary significantly from jurisdiction to jurisdiction across the country because of differences in size and weight regulations, economic activity, physical environment, and other issues. This has led to a wide variety of vehicle classification systems used by highway agencies and municipal authorities in their traffic monitoring programs.
- ISBN 978-1-84584-419-6.
- ^ "New European driving licence for more security, safety and free movement". European Commission (Press release). January 18, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
External links
- Reducing CO2 emissions from Heavy-Duty Vehicles (European Union)
- Führerscheinklassen (Klassen der Lenkberechtigung) (in German) (trans.: Driving license classes)