✅ What is the vehicle’s carrying capacity

11/01/2019 Road transport is one of the most common and in demand in the provision of cargo transportation services. Even when using rail, air or sea transport, trucks deliver cargo from a train station, airfield or port to its final destination. Well, in the case of local transportation, trucks are the only way to transport objects from one point to another.

Due to the huge range of goods transported, trucks have a fairly wide and complex classification, which can significantly complicate the process of purchasing the necessary vehicles. In our material “Classification and types of trucks” we will analyze in detail all the nuances regarding the characteristics and purpose of various trucks in order to make the process of choosing a vehicle as simple as possible for you. Important

The choice of a truck should be approached as responsibly as possible. Firstly, the safety of the cargo directly depends on how correct your decision is. Secondly, according to transport legislation, the use of transport for other purposes entails serious fines and sanctions. And thirdly, choosing the right truck will provide you with maximum income with minimal costs.

Vehicle Loading Capacity

Dictionary of business terms. Akademik.ru. 2001.

See what “Carrying Capacity of a Vehicle” is in other dictionaries:

The carrying capacity of a vehicle is the weight of the cargo that the vehicle is designed to transport. Source: Guidelines for conducting an independent technical examination of a vehicle under compulsory motor liability insurance (N 001MR/SE) (approved by NIIAT of the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation on October 12, 2004, ... ... Official terminology

vehicle length - 2.4.1 vehicle length: 2.4.1.1 for vehicles of categories M, N and O: Dimension determined in accordance with 6.1 ISO 612 [1]. In addition to the requirements [1], when determining the length of a vehicle, they should not be taken into account... ... Dictionary of terms of normative and technical documentation

vehicle length - 1. For vehicles of categories M, N and O Size determined in accordance with 6.1 ISO 612 [1]. In addition to the requirements [1], when determining the length of a vehicle, the following devices should not be taken into account: devices... ... Technical Translator's Reference

LOADING CAPACITY - a vehicle (car crane, etc.), the maximum weight of cargo that it is capable of lifting, moving or transporting in one go under certain conditions (see also Deadweight) ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Loading capacity - The carrying capacity of a vehicle (wagon, car, ship, aircraft, forklift) is the mass of the cargo that the vehicle is designed to transport; the main operational characteristic of the vehicle. For land... Wikipedia

Bridge load capacity is a characteristic of a bridge determined by the maximum temporary vertical moving load of a certain type (for example, in the form of a car or a uniformly distributed load with a trolley), the impact of which is safe for its carriers ... Construction Dictionary

GOST R 52389-2005: Wheeled vehicles. Masses and sizes. Technical requirements and test methods - Terminology GOST R 52389 2005: Wheeled vehicles. Masses and sizes. Technical requirements and test methods original document: 2.1.2.1 bus: A vehicle of categories M2 and M3, designed and intended... ... Dictionary of terms of regulatory and technical documentation

length - 3.1 length l: The largest linear dimension of the front face of the sample being measured. Source: GOST R EN 822 2008: Thermal insulation products used in construction. Methods for measuring length and width ... Dictionary-reference book of terms of normative and technical documentation

load capacity - and; and. The maximum mass of cargo that can be lifted by a mechanism or transported by a vehicle in one step. Heavy-duty crane. Small ship. * * * lifting capacity of a vehicle (crane, car... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

tonnage - (French tonnage) 1) register capacity of a ship; 2) carrying capacity, cargo capacity of vehicles, transport. New dictionary of foreign words. by EdwART, , 2009. tonnage, pl. no, m. [fr. tonnage]. 1. Weight or volume of the vessel in tons ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Classification of trucks by load capacity

The carrying capacity of a vehicle is one of the most important characteristics taken into account when planning delivery. It is measured in tons and shows the maximum load a truck or semi-trailer can carry. You should also take into account the volume and dimensions of the body.

Truck body dimensions
Load capacity	Body volume, m3	Body length	Body width	Body height	Euro pallet capacity, pcs.
1 ton (Car sizes Hyundai Porter, GAZ Sobol)	5 — 8	2 — 2,8	1,8	1,8	4
1.5 tons (Dimensions of Gazelle and analogues)	9	3	1,95	1,7 — 2,2	4
2 tons (Dimensions of gazelle with extensions, body)	14 — 16	3,5 — 4	1,9	1,9 — 2,4	6
3 tons (Sizes of Bull and analogues)	16 — 23	4,2 — 5	2 — 2,2	2 — 2,4	8
5 tons (Dimensions of Mercedes Atego cars and analogues)	32 — 45	5,8 -7,2	2,45	2,2 — 2,7	12 — 18
7 tons (Sizes Mercedes Atego, MAN TGL, Volvo FL)	36 — 45	6 — 8	2,45	2,2 — 2,7	15 — 18
10 tons (Sizes Mercedes Actros, MAN TGL, Volvo)	32 — 45	6 — 8	2,45	2,3 — 2,7	15 — 18
20 tons (Semi-trailer truck dimensions)	82 — 96	13,6	2,46	2,5 — 2,7	33
20 tons (120 m3, Dimensions of road train coupling)	100 — 120	15,9	2,5	2,5 — 3,1	33

Vehicles with a carrying capacity of up to 10 tons are usually used for domestic transportation - intracity or intercity routes of short and medium range. Their dimensions allow them to move freely along city streets, delivering a wide range of goods. Vehicles with a carrying capacity of 10 and 20 tons are designed for international long-distance transportation.

What it is?

In short, this is a value showing how much cargo, including live cargo (passengers), can be safely transported by a car.

As noted, many do not pay attention to this parameter, but in vain. It is extremely important. Several arguments in support:

If the car is overloaded, there is a risk that something will break in it along the way. For example, the suspension elements will not hold up and the tires will burst. In the worst case, this can lead to an accident with serious consequences. At best, you will have to go to a car service center, spend some, most likely, a significant amount of money, and travel for some time by public transport.
There are fines for overloading a vehicle. This will be discussed further in this article.
In some settlements there are areas where the passage of vehicles with a weight exceeding certain parameters is unacceptable. That's not so bad. Special cameras and other equipment are installed that make it possible to detect the offense in question automatically. It’s one thing when, say, a GAZelle truck was discovered by a traffic police officer in the city center. The likelihood of this happening is not that high. It’s another matter when there is a camera at the site and records every violation.

How to determine?

Let us immediately note that this is quite real. At the same time there is no load capacity indicator in the PTS , but there are other parameters that will help calculate what load is permissible for a particular vehicle.

How to find out the vehicle class?

To do this, you need to carefully look at the first page of the PTS, where all the important information about the car is indicated. Points 2 and 3 contain information about the class. It is denoted by a Latin letter and a word. For example: “B, cars.”

The class information does not disclose exact payload figures . But we can already draw certain conclusions. For example, if it is indicated that the car is a passenger car, then, obviously, it will not be able to carry 3 tons of cargo, because the permissible maximum weight for “passenger cars” is only 3.5 tons.

In addition, there are restrictions on passengers - no more than 8 people per car. However, everything is fine with classes when it comes to domestic transport. Data provided by the manufacturer is used. If the car is delivered from some other country, then the class is determined by customs.

Mistakes happen. A large passenger car may be classified as a truck, which, obviously, will not correspond to reality.

Determining the permissible weight of the vehicle

The car's passport contains paragraphs 14 and 15, which indicate the weight of the car . In the first - no load. In the second - the allowed maximum. What are these indicators?

Unloaded weight is the weight of the vehicle ready for travel: taking into account the weight of all technical fluids and the driver. By the way, the standard weight of one person - driver or passenger - is determined to be 75 kilograms. This is the European norm. Previously, in Russia they used the old Soviet norm - 80 kilograms.

Calculate the difference between the indicators

Knowing the above parameters, you can calculate the vehicle's carrying capacity . To do this, subtract the unloaded weight from the permitted maximum weight.

More about the Soviet Union: in the country sour cream was sold by weight. You could come with your own jar. She was weighed. Then they weighed the jar filled with sour cream. The mass of the jar was subtracted from the total weight. And the mass of the product was determined. Same with a car. The unladen weight must be subtracted from the permissible maximum weight. The result will be an indicator of carrying capacity.

How can you determine an indicator using PTS?

The passport is the main document of the vehicle, which reflects its operational characteristics. One of these important parameters is load capacity. The document displays the optimal load weight and its limit value, exceeding which can cause body and aggregate deformations. All information in the PTS is entered only after thorough testing by the car developer, so you should treat the numbers provided carefully and take them into account when using the car. The passport does not indicate the carrying capacity. The parameter can be determined by calculation based on document information. To do this you need:

Determine the initial data for the calculation in columns No. 14 and 15: permissible maximum weight and unloaded weight.
Calculate the load capacity as the difference between the initial values.
Determine the class of the car, since all legislative regulations regarding the carrying capacity of the vehicle are directly related to this criterion, and compare it with the calculated value.

The parameters displayed in the PTS affect the maneuverability of the vehicle and road safety. Automakers do not recommend loading the car beyond the established limit of the maximum permitted load. Such a decision by the car owner can lead to serious financial losses due to suspension failure or serious accidents as a result of tire bursts or loss of directional stability. However, if the road surface is smooth, the weight of the transported cargo can be increased, which is provided for by the nominal load capacity parameter. Its indicator is also displayed in the car passport.

Can it be changed?

This issue needs to be considered from two aspects:

Increased load capacity.
Error correction.

If we are talking about the first case, then the only option is to make changes to the design of the car.

These changes must be consistent and safe. Naturally, you will have to contact an expert institution to obtain an opinion that the car can be operated taking into account changes to the design. You will need to contact the traffic police to change the data in the PTS and in the CoR TS .

Note that there are not many chances to drive a modified car. The traffic police does not welcome changes to vehicle parameters. In principle, this is quite logical.

If, say, at customs, some mistake was made - for example, the maximum permitted weight was incorrectly indicated, then you need to act according to the following algorithm:

You should contact the traffic police with a request to conduct an examination.
By the appointed time, you need to drive the car to the place of examination.

A competent specialist, using special equipment, will determine the unloaded weight of the vehicle and the permissible maximum weight. If an error occurs, changes will be made to the PTS and STS .

Types of vehicle carrying capacity

When a term such as the permissible carrying capacity of a car is heard, many car enthusiasts simply forget that it itself is divided into two options. In particular, in the first case we are talking about a calculated indicator. And in the second situation - about the nominal characteristic. If we talk about the design load capacity, then it determines the permissible load per square meter of asphalt pavement. If we are talking about the nominal value, then the weight parameter that can be transported by the car is taken into account, provided that all safety systems operate within the established limits.

Fine for overloading a car

The Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation contains articles 12.21 and 12.23. The first of them concerns violation of the rules for the transportation of goods, the second - the rules for the transportation of passengers. But the responsibility is the same - a fine of 500 rubles. True, a more serious fine may be imposed for violating the rules for transporting people. But this already applies to special cases, for example, transportation of children, and special subjects - officials, etc.

It seems that it is necessary not to violate legislation in the field of transportation of goods, not because you can get a fine for it, but because such actions jeopardize road safety.

If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl+Enter.

The load is not as dangerous as its incorrect placement

When loading things, it is important to stack them correctly.

If there are 5 passengers in the cabin, then the load on each of the axles falls evenly and the center of gravity remains in the normal position, that is, approximately between the driver’s and passenger’s seats. However, if you throw half a ton of construction tiles into the trunk and drive alone, the center of gravity will shift significantly back. The front wheels will rise, and the car will be much less responsive to the steering wheel. And this threatens loss of controllability.

Sometimes roof racks help out. But they also have limitations on carrying capacity. They are allowed to carry luggage with a total weight of up to 100 kg. If you fix something heavier there, there is a risk of damaging the roof pillars and not only them.

Many argue that a strong car is capable of carrying much more weight than indicated on the vehicle's registration certificate, and they are right. Manufacturers calculate bodies and suspensions based on the possibility of temporary overweight. Passenger cars can sometimes withstand single trips even with 700 kg on board. However, the advantage is not at all dangerous for hardware and technology. It significantly affects the handling of the car, which is deadly for the people inside.

An overloaded car is prone to skidding. A shifted center of gravity distorts wheel loading and makes it uneven. On waves of asphalt, on bumps or in long turns, the car runs the risk of doing something enchanting. And such cases always happen unexpectedly. A slight blow on a bump, a dynamic wave on the body, inept steering actions - and a sudden deep skid can end in a ditch.

In addition, if there is a large load on the roof, there is a risk of the vehicle overturning.

Large dimensions on the roof

Traffic rules regulate the transportation of large cargo. Especially if they are pipes or boards. Articles 23.1-23.5 oblige the driver to securely secure luggage and try not to block the view. The state registration plate and lighting devices must not be blocked. This is why it is prohibited to drive many cars with the trunk open, since it is all located on the back cover.

Still protruding parts of large cargo should not exceed a distance of 0.4 m on the sides. Moreover, it is measured not from the sides, but from the edge of the side light, that is, from the headlight. If the load is wider, then it is necessary to hang reflectors and reflective signs on it. It is important to remember that the total width of the load should not exceed 2.55 m.

You cannot hang a load from the front, as it will block your view. But behind the boards or a bundle of connected pipes must be fastened so that the rear ends swing behind the bumper no further than two meters. If the distance is shorter, then you can drive, but first post the “Large Load” sign. At night, the rules require that cargo be marked with reflective devices.

Violators of these traffic rules are punished in accordance with Article 12.21 of the Administrative Code. Part 1 (fine of 500 rubles).

Model range of heavy-duty trucks

To transport large cargo, materials in large volumes or over long distances, you should choose large-capacity equipment. Dump trucks, long trucks, tractors, vans are its variety.

KAMAZ. One of the most popular trucks in the world due to its ease of repair and reliability in operation. There are a large number of varieties of equipment of this model. Body options available.
MAZ. The ideal tractor for transporting large quantities of materials over long distances. There are varieties of design that are not inferior to Western manufacturers. The cost of equipment depends on its configuration.
Trucks from MAN. Excellent performance, optimal fuel consumption and ease of use are its advantages. The driver is presented with almost home-like conditions. But this option is not a budget option - the price range starts from several million rubles.

The quantity and type of cargo in this case is of particular importance. But whatever the choice of car, it must be comfortable and fulfill its function.

How is a car's carrying capacity calculated?

The vehicle's carrying capacity is the difference between its gross weight (with contents and people) and its unladen weight. It is calculated by subtracting the second indicator from the first, both numbers are indicated in the PTS by the vehicle manufacturer. A passenger car can transport a maximum of 2.5 tons, a truck - over 8 tons, and a road train - up to 28 tons.

Sometimes the carrying capacity indicated in the PTS does not correspond to the real one; it can be more or less than this value. Then it’s worth making a change to the document by contacting the traffic police and identifying the real indicator with the help of an examination. Otherwise, the driver will receive a fine of 500 rubles for overloading.

Important Terms

To understand the term “carrying capacity”, several more concepts related to it are important:

Dry weight
. This is the weight of the car without additional elements (gasoline and other liquids, spare parts, tools necessary for the operation of the equipment), driver, passengers, cargo.
Curb weight (in PTS it is designated as “weight without load”). This is the weight of the vehicle with all the components that ensure its performance.

This includes fuel, antifreeze, other liquid components, spare parts, and tools necessary to maintain functionality. In some European countries, the curb weight also includes the weight of the driver, because without it the car cannot be driven.

Gross weight (in the PTS it is written “permitted maximum weight”). This is the weight of the car when it is refueled, there is a driver, passengers, cargo, and luggage in it. To calculate the indicator, the manufacturer uses the maximum permissible pressure on the axle.

Car load capacity - refresh your memory

The importance of the load capacity parameter

To make everything clear to absolutely everyone, I will provide basic information related to our question. In general, these data are mostly included in the mandatory theoretical training program before obtaining a license (driver's license - DL). But most drivers remember this section vaguely (if it was studied in fact, and not by tick) and because of this they are often confused in the terminology associated with carrying capacity.

Doesn't count as a full-fledged seat

On the other hand, this carrying capacity itself, in the case of passenger vehicles, is not of primary interest to car owners. The most questions when buying a car are its price, “gluttony”, speed qualities, etc. indicators.

But it is the weight characteristics that determine most of the popular basic qualities of a car. This has long been used by automakers as one of the fundamental principles in the evolution of branded models, and by now they have become very thin.

By the way, this was not always the case: at the beginning of the second half of the twentieth century. heavy passenger vehicles were in favor. As an example, I can cite the famous Cadillac Eldorado, which reached a weight of almost three tons :shock:, in its V8.2 modification in 1970.

Therefore, whether you buy a used car second-hand, or take a new one at a car dealership, be sure to pay attention to its load-carrying capacity parameters, along with the most important information.

Necessary terminology in the carrying capacity of passenger cars

I would like to note right away that the sections of necessary knowledge on the carrying capacity of passenger cars and trucks differ significantly.

And since the profile of this autoblog concerns more owners of passenger cars, I will not dwell on such subtleties as calculations of carrying capacity for OKOF (All-Russian Classifier of Fixed Assets), or for wheel formulas SSU (Fifth-fifth coupling devices), so as not to immerse you in specific the jungle of accounting and wheel mechanics.

So, for vehicles there are four basic terms that characterize its carrying capacity:

Dry weight is the true weight of the vehicle as a structural mechanism, without taking into account its ability to function. That is, this is the weight of the device itself without additional fillers that provide or insure its functionality (gasoline, oil, various liquids, standard tools and spare parts).
Curb weight is the functional weight of the vehicle with all the fillers necessary for its operation (gasoline, oil, various liquids, standard tools and spare parts), including the driver.
Gross weight (GVW) is the sum of the curb weight of the vehicle, its passengers and its cargo.
Carrying capacity is the payload that a vehicle can carry without problems (passengers, luggage).

Next, you definitely need to know what corresponds to what according to the technical passport (PTS).

In the Russian Federation, it is customary to write this data in the PTS somewhat differently. Only the curb and gross weight are indicated there:

Curb weight is reported as "Unladen Weight";
Gross weight as "Permitted maximum weight".

Remember this.

I hope everything is clear here? I think yes.

Some nuances related to the carrying capacity of vehicles

The information that I wrote about in the previous subsection will not be complete without highlighting some of the features associated with it. This will either be directly useful, or it will just be interesting.

Here's what I wanted to clarify for you:

Legislative rules regarding the carrying capacity of a vehicle are directly related to its class. And to a greater extent this concerns the data specified in the PTS rather than the actual indicators (and they can differ, sometimes quite significantly).
The classification of cars itself is quite arbitrary - there is no longer a particularly clear boundary between neighboring classes in modern cars. Moreover, it also has brand dynamics (class variability from model to model), as well as regional differences, depending on the legislation adopted in each country.
There are regional differences (by country) in the very interpretation of the terms of carrying capacity I have given. For example, previously in Russia (as well as in the USSR), the driver’s weight was not included in the curb weight. Now, in accordance with data unification, this indicator is included (based on EU Directive 95/48 and in accordance with GOST R 52389-2005).

But confusion on the last point, and on other indicators, still arises. And not only among ordinary drivers, but also among customs officers, MREO and traffic police, which you should especially note to yourself, because some employees, due to their poor professional suitability, can “slap” you in the PTS in terms of carrying capacity, not to mention necessary, or issue an unreasonable fine.

What else?

I’ll probably also clarify about mass and weight, since I myself used both terms with an equivalent meaning and encountered fierce debates on this issue on auto forums. The debate on this point is mainly among those who simply want to “show off” with their A’s in physics, thereby misleading the reading public who are looking for reliable information.

Therefore, keep in mind that in cases of calculations and other operations with the carrying capacity of cars (and especially cars) for a simple driver (outside laboratory studies), the concepts of mass (a measure of the inertia of a body) and weight (the force of gravitational pressure) are equivalent, despite the fact that for physicists, the latter is about 10 times larger than the former, if we count for our home planet.

Nominal and maximum vehicle load capacity

The maximum load capacity of a vehicle is the largest mass of contents that it can transport without harm to its own technical condition, controllability, and maneuverability. The indicator characteristic of different categories of machines has different values:

The rated maximum load capacity is calculated based on data from the vehicle title, that is, it is actually determined by the vehicle manufacturer. But the real value of this indicator also depends on the quality of the road. On a good road surface, a car can sometimes carry much more than what is indicated in the documents. A bad road will not allow the vehicle to move even the weight that the manufacturer established in sections 14 and 15 of the PTS.

What is the vehicle's carrying capacity?

The carrying capacity of a vehicle is the weight of the contents it is designed to transport, that is, one of the main characteristics for operation. This includes the weight of the driver and other people in the car; for each unit it is taken as 75 kg. Tonnage matters for any car, even a passenger car, because this type of transport often carries not only passengers, but also their luggage and other property.

The rated load capacity is not stated in the car's passport, but is calculated based on the technical data from the document. For a passenger car this is 0.5-2.5 tons, for a truck – up to 28 tons. And it does not always correspond to the actual value of the indicator. After all, the quality of the road also matters here.

How to determine the carrying capacity of a car step by step according to PTS

There are two ways to determine the carrying capacity of a car or truck. The first is based on establishing the vehicle class, it is less accurate. The second allows you to find out the actual maximum indicator based on other technical parameters:

According to the PTS, the carrying capacity is determined very approximately. In columns 3 and 4 of the first page of the document you need to find the name and category of the machine. There they write whether it is a passenger car or a truck, and also indicate the class. But when defining the second point, confusion may arise. If the car is domestic, then the “passenger car” is always B or C. The first one is more modest in size and weight, so it will obviously take less cargo.

A foreign passenger car can also be designated D, F, E, this depends on the power and size of the car. The larger they are, the higher the load capacity. And for a truck it will be greater than for a passenger car. And for special equipment it is higher than for a bus. But it is still impossible to find out the exact value of the carrying capacity for these parameters from the PTS.

The indicator can be calculated using information from sections 14 and 15 of the document . The first indicates the permitted maximum weight, the second indicates the same weight, but without load. To find out how much weight the car can carry, you need to subtract the second from the first number. For example, a category C van has a maximum weight of 10,424 kg and an unladen weight of 6,475 kg. This means that it is capable of transporting at most 3949 kg. This is its carrying capacity.

Watch this video on how to read PTS correctly:

Loading capacity of a road train: how to calculate, can it be changed?

The load capacity of a road train depends on the type of trailer hitch and the number of axles under load. For the most part, this is a tractor unit with an axle of two paired elements and a three-axle trailer. To determine the load capacity, you need to take into account the maximum permitted load on the part. It is also important that, according to the law, the total weight of the road train must not exceed:

28 t if it is triaxial;
36 t for four-axle;
40 tons if it is five-axle;
44 tons with six axles and more.

Car tonnage: what does large-tonnage and small-tonnage mean?

The tonnage of vehicles directly depends on their category and dimensions; according to this criterion, transport can be:

Small-tonnage . These are vehicles with a dead weight of less than 3.5 tons. Typically, their carrying capacity is no more than 2.5 tons. This includes passenger cars and small trucks designed for moving small quantities of goods or property over short distances. These are, for example, “Gazelle”, “Hyundai Porter”, “Kia Bongo”, “Baw Fenix”. The cabin and body of such cars are supported on the same frame, hence the impossibility of increasing the weight of the transported contents.
Average . These are vehicles with a tonnage of 1.5-8 tons, having a mass of 3.5-12 tons. These include Valdai, KamAZ, MAZ, ISUZU and other similar models. This type of truck is used by almost all chain stores in Russia, since the vehicle is capable of moving large amounts of content over considerable distances, and it is allowed to use any roads, even the Moscow Ring Road.
Large-capacity . This is a vehicle weighing more than 12 tons, capable of carrying 8 tons of cargo. The cars are used to form road trains, since they rarely represent a single structure with a body. These are tractors and platforms to which trailers and containers are attached.