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Cargo and equipment carried on a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) must be loaded and secured in a way that prevents it from shifting on or within the vehicle or from leaking, spilling, blowing, or falling from the vehicle.
These requirements apply to CMVs operated in interstate commerce. This includes:
Federal regulations specify how cargo and equipment on a CMV must be loaded and secured to prevent that cargo or equipment from:
All cargo must be firmly immobilized or secured on or within the vehicle using:
Cargo that is likely to roll must be restrained by chocks, wedges, a cradle, or other equivalent means to prevent rolling.
Those items used to prevent rolling must not be able to become loose in transit.
To prevent shifting, articles of cargo that are placed beside each other and secured by tiedowns across the top must either be:
Tiedowns. Tiedowns, anchor points, and other components used to secure cargo must be in good shape. This means no damaged or weakened areas, including any cracks or cuts that will harm their performance. In addition:
Aggregate working load limit (WLL). Tiedowns must be strong enough to secure the load. This is determined by calculating the “aggregate WLL” of the tiedowns used to secure an article or group of articles. The aggregate WLL must be at least one-half times the weight of the article(s) being secured. For example, if an item of cargo weighs 20,000 pounds, the combined WLL of the tiedowns used on that cargo must be at least 10,000 pounds.
You calculate the aggregate WLL by adding up:
Usually, the WLL of a tiedown is marked on the device by the manufacturer. If it is not listed on the device, the working load limits listed in the tables in 393.108 must be used. Note that an unmarked chain is assumed to be Grade 30.
Minimum number of tiedowns. Finally, the minimum number of tiedowns needed for an article of cargo depends on the cargo’s weight, length, and placement.
When an article IS NOT blocked or positioned to prevent forward movement by a headerboard, bulkhead, other secured cargo, or other appropriate blocking devices, it must be secured by at least:
If an article of cargo IS blocked, braced, or immobilized to prevent forward movement, it must be secured by at least one tiedown for every 10 feet of article length, or fraction thereof. For example, a 26-foot item of cargo placed against a bulkhead must be secured with at least three tiedowns (and the aggregate WLL of those tiedowns must be at least one-half of the cargo weight).
Front end structures. Front-end structures are not required on a CMV. However, if a front-end structure (like a bulkhead or headerboard) is used to prevent forward movement of cargo, then that structure must meet the standards in 393.114.
Commodity-specific rules. Federal regulations include specific securement rules for the following commodities. These rules must be following in addition to the rules for general freight as described above.
En route inspections. After the start of a trip, drivers must make sure that their cargo remains secured. They must do this within 50 miles of the start of the trip, and then again:
This en-route inspection is not required for a sealed load that is not to be opened, or if checking the cargo is impracticable.