California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) now offers temporary special permits that increase the maximum overweight total up to 88,000 pounds for transportation of certain agricultural products. The permit applies only to overweight trucks hauling the following agricultural products: tomatoes, peaches, pears, grapes, onions, carrots, citrus, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, olives, pomegranates, rice, wheat, corn, safflower and potatoes.

The permit will only be valid for up to 60 days or until August 31, 2021, and a log of the overweight loads must be submitted every thirty days to Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol.

To obtain a permit, visit dot.ca.gov and click on “Agricultural Products Permit” underneath “Online Services/Permits.”

Please note that the temporary permit only applies to state highways and does not apply to overweight trucks transporting agricultural goods on Interstates and local roads. The California Trucking Association suggests contacting WCS Permits and Pilot Cars to obtain local permits for transportation on local roads by email at [email protected] or by phone at 888-737-6488.

Overweight trucks transporting agricultural products will have to get permits from local jurisdictions to travel on local roads. 

Western Growers was among the team that requested the issuance of these temporary special permits for overweight divisible loads consisting of agricultural products in order to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Western Growers thanks Don Cameron (WG member and California State Board of Food and Agriculture Board President) for his leadership in securing the temporary permit.

“We look forward to continuing to work with CalSTA and Caltrans to further address conditions impacting the transport of agricultural products and other divisible loads to avoid the need for special permits in the future,” said Matthew Allen, vice president of government affairs at Western Growers.