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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) require that all commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) be equipped with safe and compliant tires.
These requirements apply to CMVs operated in interstate commerce.
A CMV may not be operated on a tire that:
Minimum tread depth (measured on major axis) | |
---|---|
Front tires | 4/32 inch |
All other tires | 2/32 inch |
Regrooved, recapped, or retreaded tires may not be used on the front wheels of a bus.
Regrooved tires having a load carrying capacity equal to or greater than 4,920 pounds (2,232 kg) may not be used on the front wheels of any truck or truck tractor.
A motor vehicle may not be operated with speed-restricted tires labeled with a maximum speed of 55 mph or less in accordance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 119 (49 CFR 571.119, S6.5(e)) at speeds that exceed the rated limit of the tire.
A motor vehicle may not be operated with tires that carry a weight greater than that marked on the sidewall of the tire or, in the absence of such a marking, a weight greater than that specified for the tires in any of the publications of any of the organizations listed in FMVSS No. 119 (49 CFR 571.119, S5.1(b)) unless:
A motor vehicle may not be operated on a tire which has a cold inflation pressure less than that specified for the load being carried.
If the inflation pressure of the tire has been increased by heat because of recent operation of the vehicle, the cold inflation pressure must be estimated by subtracting the inflation buildup factor shown in the following table from the measured inflation pressure.
Average speed of vehicle in the previous hour | Minimum inflation pressure buildup | |
---|---|---|
Tires with 4,000 lbs. (1,814 kg) maximum load rating or less | Tires with over 4,000 lbs. (1,814 kg) load rating | |
41–55 mph (66–88.5 km/hr) | 5 psi (34.5 kPa) | 15 psi (103.4 kPa) |