How is it Determined How Much a Tractor-Trailer Can Legally Carry?
Commercial trucks may carry a given amount of weight per axle. The more axles on the tractor-trailer truck, the higher the maximum weight the truck is permitted to carry. Specifically for an 18-wheeler, the maximum weight the tractor-trailer may carry is 80,000 pounds, which is the equivalent of 40 short tons. Truck drivers are required, however to abide by the various state limits on maximum weight, where some states have far stricter weight limits.