Implications of rerating vehicle GVWR: What to know before considering customer requests to change weight ratings

Companies with vehicle certification responsibilities are familiar with chassis gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and gross axle weight ratings (GAWRs), and their importance in the labeling portion of the certification process. Dealers and end users are often accustomed to these ratings from an enforcement perspective (for driver qualifications, bridge weight limits, and state licensing/titling requirements) and may request intermediate-, final- and altered-stage manufacturers of new vehicles to change original ratings to lower or higher values to minimize driver requirements or maximize cargo capacity. NTEA released a whitepaper from Bob Raybuck, NTEA director of technical services, and Steve Spata, NTEA technical assistance director.