5.

ROAD ADMINISTRATION AND MAINTENANCE

The Weight Restriction (Federal Roads) Order 1989, which came into force on the 1st.
January 1990, specifies the limits of vehicle weight on Federal Roads. In this order, Federal
Roads are categorised under seven (7) load classes with a schedule of the roads in each load
class provided. This categorisation is necessary not merely due to difference in bridge design
criteria but rather to road geometric considerations. The maximum permissible Gross Vehicle
Weight (GVW) specified for each load class depends on the number of axles, axle
configuration and vehicle dimensions. It ranges from 8 tonnes for a 2-axle rigid vehicle to 38
tonnes for a 6-axle articulated vehicle with a wheelbase of at least 13.1 metres. In addition,
several exemptions were later granted for vehicle carrying indivisible goods and fixed
volume cargo such as containers and tankers. These provisions were gazetted as Weight
Restriction (Federal Roads) (Amendment) Order 1991 and Weight Restriction (Federal
Roads) (Amendment) (No. 2) Order 1991.

The tables show the maximum permissible weight limits for the various group/vehicle types.

MAXIMUM LOAD (TONNES)

Gazetted Load Classes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Wheel 1.5 2.5 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0
Single-Axle(2-Wheel) 3.0 5.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0
Single-Axle(2-Wheel) 5.0 6.5 8.0 8.0 10.0 10.0 9.0
Tandem Axle 7.0 8.0 12.0 13.0 14.0-16.0 14.0-16.0 14.0
Triaxle Axle - - - 14.0-16.0 16.0-18.0 16.0-18.0 15.0-17.0

MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE
GROSS VEHICLE WEIGTH
(TONNES)

Gazetted Load Classes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7
14.0- 14.0- 13.0-
2-Axle Rigid Vehicle 8.0 11.0 12.0 13.0
16.0 16.0/TD> 15.0
17.0- 17.0- 18.0- 17.0-
3-Axle Rigid Vehicle 10.0 13.0 18.0-21.0
18.0 19.0 21.0 20.0
14.0- 17.0- 18.0- 22.0- 2.0-
3-Axle Articulated Vehicle - 22.0-26.0
16.0 19.0 22.0 26.0 24.0
20.0- 22.0- 22.0- 20.0-
4-Axle Articulated Vehicle - 18.0 22.0-32.0
22.0 26.0 32.0 29.0
5- Axle Articulated Vehicle - - - - 22.0- 22.0-36.0 20.0-
 36.0 34.0
30.0- 28.0-
6- Axle Articulated vehicle - - - - 30.0-38.0
38.0 36.0
Weight Restriction Order
(Amendment) 2003
Illustrated by: Ir. Foong Choy Chye

MV Teknik

Reference: P.U. (A) 275 Weight Restrictions (Federal Roads) (Amendment) Order 2003

Amendment Dec 2004

By Nur Fatihah Binti Mohd Yusak

MAXIMUM AXLE RATING

Maximum Axle Rating (Tonne)

No. Of Axle No. Of Wheels Per Axle List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

Single axle 2 wheels 6 6

4 wheels 12 10

Maximum Axle Rating (Tonne)

Axle Spread List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

Tandem (8 Tyres) At least 1.0 M 16 14

At least 1.2 M 18 15

At least 1.5 M 19 16

Tri-axle At least 1.8 M 19 16

At least 2.4 M 20 17

At least 2.6 M 21 18

4-axle At least 3.9 M 28 24

MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE LADEN WEIGHT (BDM)

Rigid Vehicle - 2 Axles

Maximum BDM (Tonne)

No. Wheelbase (W/B) List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

A. < 2.3 M 16 14

B. At least 2.3 M 17 15

C. At least 2.6 M 18 16

Rigid Vehicle - 3 Axles

 Maximum BDM (Tonne)

No. Axle spread, AS Wheelbase (W/B) List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

A. At least 1.0M < 4.0 M 20 18

At least 4.0M 21 20

B. At least 1.2M < 4.3 M 22 18

At least 4.3 M 23 20

At least 5.2 M 24 21

C. At least 1.5M < 5.6 M 24 18

At least 5.6 M 25 20

At least 6.6 M 21

Note: * Mathematically not possible, but to accept the value in bracket.

Rigid Vehicle - 4 Axles

Maximum BDM (Tonne)

No. Axle spread, AS Wheelbase (W/B) List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

A. At least 1.0M < 5.6 M 25 20

 At least 5.6 M 26 22

At least 6.0 M 27 23

At least 6.4 M 28 24

At least 6.8 M 28 25

B. At least 1.2M < 6.6 M 27 20

At least 6.6 M 28 22

At least 6.9 M 29 23

At least 7.2 M 30 24

At least 7.6 M 31* (30) 25

C. At least 1.5M < 7.6 M 29 20

At least 7.6 M 30 22

At least 8.0 M 31 23

At least 8.2 M 32* (31) -

At least 8.5 M 33* (31) -

Note: * Mathematically not possible, but to accept the value in bracket.

Articulated Vehicle – (Axle Configuration 1: 1: 1) - 3 AXLES

No. Axle spread, AS Wheelbase (W/B) Maximum BDM (Tonne)

 List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

A. < 7.8 M 26 22

B. At least 7.8 M 27 23

C. At least 8.1 M 28 24

D. At least 8.3 M 29 25

E. At least 8.5 M 30 26

Articulated Vehicle – (Axle Configuration 1: 1: 2) – 4 AXLES

Maximum BDM (Tonne)

No. Axle spread, AS Wheelbase (W/B) List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

A. At least 1.0 M < 9.1 M 27 22

At least 9.1 M 29 24

At least 9.7 M 31 26

At least 10.1 M 33 28

At least 10.3 M 35* (34) 30

B. At least 1.2 M < 9.1 M 26 22

 At least 9.1 M 28 24

At least 9.7 M 30 26

At least 10.1 M 32 28

At least 10.3 M 34 30

At least 10.7 M 36 31

C. At least 1.5 M < 9.1 M 27 22

At least 9.1 M 29 24

At least 9.7 M 31 26

At least 10.1 M 33 28

At least 10.3 M 35 30

At least 10.7 M 37 32

Note: * Mathematically not possible, but to accept the value in bracket.

Articulated Vehicle – (Axle Configuration 1: 1: 3) - 5 AXLES

Or (Axle Configuration 1:2:2)

 Maximum BDM (Tonne)

No. Axle spread, AS Wheelbase (W/B) List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

1:1:3 1:2:2 1:1:3 1:2:2

A. < 9.1 M 28 18

B. At least 9.1 M 30 20

C. At least 9.7 M 32 22

D. At least 10.1 M 34 28

E. At least 10.4 M 36 30

F. At least 10.7 M 38 32

G. At least 11.1 M 39 40 34 34

Note: The dimension and weight limits of the tractor unit shall comply with provisions for the
appropriate rigid vehicles subject to maximum gross vehicle weight of 25 tonnes in the case of 3-axle
tractor.

Articulated Vehicle – (Axle Configuration 1: 2:3)

 Maximum BDM (Tonne)

No. Axle spread, AS Wheelbase (W/B) List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

A. < 9.1 M 34 28

B. At least 9.1 M 36 30

C. At least 10.0 M 38 32

D. At least 11.0 M 40 34

E. At least 12.2 .M 42 36

F. At least 13.1 M 44 38

Note: The dimension and weight limits of the tractor unit shall comply with provisions for the
appropriate rigid vehicles subject to maximum gross vehicle weight of 25 tonnes in the case of 3-axle
tractor.

Articulated Vehicle – (Axle Configuration 1: 2:4)

 AXLE SPREAD (AS)

WHEELBASE (WB)

Maximum BDM (Tonne)

No. Axle spread, AS Wheelbase (W/B) List I List II

(Peninsular) (Sabah & Sarawak)

A. At least 3.9 M 53 44

Note: The dimension and weight limits of the tractor unit shall comply with provisions for the
appropriate rigid vehicles subject to maximum gross vehicle weight of:

(i) 25 tonnes for List I (Peninsular Malaysia)

(ii) 20 tonnes for List II (Sabah & Sarawak)
in the case of 3-axle tractor.
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