A. Subject to the limit upon the weight imposed upon the highway through any one axle as set forth in Section 66-7-409 NMSA 1978 and except as provided in Subsection D of this section, the total gross weight with load imposed upon the highway by any one group of two or more consecutive axles of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall not exceed the gross weight given for the respective distance between the first and last axle of the group of axles measured longitudinally to the nearest foot as set forth in the following table:

Distance in feet between first and last axles of group

Allowed load in pounds on group of axles

4

34,320

5

35,100

6

35,880

7

36,660

8

37,440

9

38,220

10

39,000

11

39,780

12

40,560

13

41,340

14

42,120

15

42,900

16

43,680

17

44,460

18

45,240.

B. Except as provided in Subsection D of this section, the total gross weight with load imposed on the highway by any vehicle or combination of vehicles where the distance between the first and last axles is more than eighteen feet shall not exceed that given for the respective distances in the following table:

Distance in feet between first and last axles of group

Allowed load in pounds on group of axles

19

53,100

20

54,000

21

54,900

22

55,800

23

56,700

24

57,600

25

58,500

26

59,400

27

60,300

28

61,200

29

62,100

30

63,000

31

63,900

32

64,800

33

65,700

34

66,600

35

67,500

36

68,400

37

69,300

38

70,200

39

71,100

40

72,000

41

72,900

42

73,800

43

74,700

44

75,600

45

76,500

46

77,400

47

78,300

48

79,200

49

80,100

50

81,000

51

81,900

52

82,800

53

83,700

54

84,600

55

85,500

56 or over

86,400.

C. The distance between the centers of the axles shall be measured to the nearest even foot. When a fraction is exactly one-half, the next larger whole number shall be used.

D. The total gross weight with load limitations imposed by this section for any vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be increased by:

(1) four hundred pounds if the vehicle or combination of vehicles uses idle reduction technology; or

(2) if the vehicle is a natural gas vehicle, a standard gross weight limit increase for each axle distance category in this section, established by the division by rule, by an amount equal to the difference between the average weight of the vehicle attributable to its natural gas tank and fuel system and the average weight of a comparable diesel tank and fuel system.

History: 1953 Comp., § 64-7-410, enacted by Laws 1978, ch. 35, § 481; 2007, ch. 209, § 9; 2016, ch. 70, § 3.

Cross references. — For definitions of "combination" and"gross vehicle weight", see 66-1-4.3 NMSA 1978 and 66-1-4.7 NMSA 1978, respectively.

For damages for injuries to highway due to excessive weight, see 67-7-10 NMSA 1978.

The 2016 amendment, effective May 18, 2016, increased the allowable weight limit for vehicles powered by natural gas; in Subsection D, after "shall be increased by", added the paragraph designation "(1)", after "technology", added "or", and added a new Paragraph (2).

The 2007 amendment, effective July 1, 2007, added Subsection D to increase load limitations by vehicles using idle reduction technology.

Single axle and gross weight provisions construed harmoniously. — The limitations provided in Section 64-23-20, 1953 Comp. (similar to this section), are subject to Section 64-23-19, 1953 Comp. (similar to Section 66-7-409 NMSA 1978), and these two sections can and should be construed harmoniously. 1965 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 65-43.