Federal & State Regulations | Cargo loading and securement - Texas

Texas has adopted Part 393 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs), as amended through September 1, 2022.

The adoption includes regulations dealing with projecting loads (393.87) and cargo securement (Part 393, Subpart I).

Part 393 applies to a vehicle or combination of vehicles with an actual gross weight or a gross weight rating in excess of 26,000 pounds when operating intrastate, and a vehicle of any size hauling hazardous materials requiring placarding.

In Texas, vehicles must be equipped and maintained to prevent loose material from escaping by blowing or spilling.

A vehicle bed carrying a load:

May not have a hole, crack, or other opening through which loose material can escape; and
Must be enclosed:
- On both sides by side panels,
- On the front by a panel or the vehicle cab, and
- On the rear by a tailgate or panel.

The tailgate of the vehicle must be securely closed to prevent spillage during transportation.

The load must be covered, and the covering firmly secured at the front and back, unless the load:

Is completely enclosed by the load-carrying compartment; or
Does not blow from or spill over the top of the load-carrying compartment.

Loose material that is spilled because of loading on a vehicle part that does not carry the load must be removed before the vehicle is operated on a highway. In addition, after the vehicle is unloaded and before the vehicle is operated on a highway, residue of transported loose material on a vehicle part that does not carry the load must be removed from the vehicle part.

A vehicle or construction or mining equipment moving between construction barricades on a public works project or crossing a highway are exempt from these rules.

['Cargo loading and securement']

['Cargo securement']

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Cargo loading and securement - Texas