Trucking and regulatory
GCWR
GCWR is gross combination weight rating. It is the greater of the manufacturer's value for the power unit or the sum of the GVWRs of the power unit and towed units. It is used for tractor-trailers and trucks that tow.
Why it matters
GCWR matters when a truck pulls a trailer. A tractor and a container chassis, or a pickup and a tag trailer, make a combination. The rating helps decide the license class and other rules. In federal rules, a combination at 26,001 pounds or more, with a heavy towed unit, falls under Class A. A common mistake is to check the truck's rating and forget the trailer. Another is to use the weight of the load instead of the rating. Add up both ratings and compare them. Check the labels, and ask a compliance professional if your setup is close to a threshold.
Read: Safety and compliance for container delivery: DOT, FMCSA, CDL and OSHA
Definition source: ecfr.gov
Related terms
GVWR
GVWR is gross vehicle weight rating. It is the maximum loaded weight of a single motor vehicle, as set by the manufacturer. It includes the vehicle, fuel, driver, cargo and equipment. It is printed on the vehicle's certification label and set by the maker.
Class A CDL
A Class A CDL is the commercial license for combination vehicles. Federal rules cover any combination with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, where the towed unit has a GVWR over 10,000 pounds. It is the class for most tractor-trailer rigs.
tag trailer
A tag trailer, or tag-along, is a trailer that hitches behind a truck on a drawbar or pintle hitch instead of a fifth wheel. Many tag trailers have decks that tilt so equipment can drive on without ramps. Capacity ranges widely, from light to heavy duty.
semi-trailer
A semi-trailer is a trailer built so that part of its weight rests on the truck that pulls it. Federal motor carrier rules define a semitrailer as a motor vehicle, other than a pole trailer, that another motor vehicle draws and that bears partly on the towing vehicle.
chassis
A chassis is a skeletal semi-trailer built to carry a container. It has twistlocks at the corners that lock into the container's corner castings. Chassis are used with tractors to move containers on roads between ports, rail yards and depots.
CDL
A CDL is a commercial driver's license, required to drive certain commercial motor vehicles. A driver must pass knowledge and skills tests. States issue CDLs. FMCSA sets the federal standards and does not issue them. Some vehicles also need extra endorsements.
For the industry
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