...
Montana has adopted Part 393 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), as updated through April 25, 2024.
The adoption includes regulations dealing with projecting loads (393.87) and cargo securement (Part 393, Subpart I).
Part 393 applies to intrastate operation of vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating, gross combination weight rating, gross vehicle weight, or gross combination weight of 26,001 or more pounds, or vehicles used to transport hazardous materials of a type or quantity that require the vehicle to be placarded.
In Montana, a person operating a loaded vehicle on a public highway must load the vehicle or secure the load sufficiently to prevent littering or creating an obstruction dangerous to the public traveling on the highway.
This requirement does not apply to:
- A commercial motor vehicle that is operating in compliance with state and federal laws and requirements governing the securing of loads;
- A vehicle transporting processed or unprocessed agricultural products or inputs, including but not limited to fertilizer, manure, and pesticides;
- A vehicle performing road maintenance; and
- A vehicle in a marked work zone.