Home / Heavy Haul by State / Montana
All 48 states · Agency of CRST · Asset-based capacity
Oversize freight across the biggest distances in the lower 48: I-90 over the passes, I-94 to the Dakotas, I-15 to Canada, and the Hi-Line. MDT permits, pilots and timing handled for you.
Last verified: against official state sources.
Heavy haul in Montana
Montana is mostly a distance problem. I-90 runs from Lookout Pass at the Idaho line through Missoula, Butte, Bozeman and Billings, climbing over Homestake and Bozeman passes on the way. I-94 heads east from Billings to North Dakota. I-15 runs north from Idaho through Butte, Helena and Great Falls to the Canadian border at Sweetgrass. Off the interstates, the rules tighten fast, which is why route choice matters more here than almost anywhere.
I drove trucks before I ever brokered a load, I have spent more than 15 years in freight, and I have pulled oversize permits myself. So when a Montana load comes in, I am not reading the rules for the first time. I am looking for the part of the move that will actually bite: the escort trigger you are an inch over, the curfew that eats your window, the structure that cannot take the weight. Every load runs on CRST's asset-based network, with CRST's authority, insurance and compliance behind it, and one person accountable for it: me.
The numbers
A single-trip over-dimensional permit is needed for loads over these limits:
| Dimension | Montana legal limit | Over that means |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 6 in | Permit. Non-interstate: front pilot over 12 ft 6 in. Interstate: rear pilot over 16 ft 6 in. |
| Height | 14 ft | Permit. Over 17 ft needs a front pilot with a height pole. |
| Length | 55 ft single unit; 53 ft trailer; 75 ft overall with overhang | Permit. Over 150 ft is a superload. |
| Gross weight | Axle limits and bridge formula (61-10-107 MCA): verify with the state | Overweight trip permit priced by excess axle weight. |
Source: MDT 2026 Trucker's Handbook (PDF). Checked Oct 22, 2026.
Permits and escorts
Full detail, fees and holiday dates are in our Montana oversize permit guide.
Sources: MDT 2026 Trucker's Handbook (PDF); ARM 18.8.511A; ARM 18.8.509. Checked Oct 22, 2026.
Roads
The main east-west lane, with real grades at Lookout, Homestake and Bozeman passes and winter weather to match. Interstate pilot rules are generous, but a heavy load still needs the right tractor for the climbs.
Open plains through Miles City and Glendive toward the Bakken and the Upper Midwest.
Dillon, Butte, Helena and Great Falls to Sweetgrass. Cross-border freight to Alberta runs this corridor.
Two-lane across the northern tier. Non-interstate pilot and daylight rules apply the whole way, so a 12 ft load here needs more planning than the same load on I-90.
Who ships here
Sources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Platinum-Group Metals (PDF); USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Copper (PDF); EIA Annual Coal Report 2024 (PDF). Checked Oct 22, 2026.
Why Vector
The biggest Montana mistake is planning a load as if every road has interstate rules. We route to keep you on I-90, I-94 and I-15 where it makes sense, and when the job site is on a two-lane, we price and plan the pilots and daylight windows from the start.
Typical Montana move: a 12 ft wide dozer, Billings to Missoula on I-90. Single-trip permit through eTRIPS, no pilot on the interstate at that width, and 24/7 interstate travel allowed. The same load on US-2 would be daylight-only.
Instant answer
Punch in the piece you need moved. We will tell you whether it runs legal, what trailer it belongs on, and what to expect before you ever pick up the phone. Add origin and destination and we will map the route and break down permits state by state.
Estimates based on standard federal and state limits as of June 2026. States change fees and rules, and exact requirements depend on route and axle configuration, so check with your broker for current information. Permits, routing, and escorts are exactly the work we handle for you. Routing by OSRM, geocoding © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Questions we get
8 ft 6 in wide and 14 ft high. Loads over those limits, or over 75 ft long, need a single-trip over-dimensional permit from MDT.
Off the interstate, loads over 12 ft 6 in to 16 ft 6 in wide need one front pilot. On the interstate, loads over 16 ft 6 in to 18 ft wide need one rear pilot.
On interstates, loads up to 18 ft wide can travel 24/7, including holidays. Off the interstate, loads over 10 ft to 12 ft 6 in wide are daylight only.
Through MDT's eTRIPS system, which replaced the old system in December 2025. MDT Motor Carrier Services permitting is at (406) 444-7262.
Loads over 18 ft wide, 150 ft long, 17 ft high, or that need MDT Bridge Bureau approval.
Keep reading
We run all 48 states. Call (310) 989-6530 or send the details. Same-day answer, CRST capacity behind it.
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