Tare Weight

Tare weight is the weight of an empty commercial vehicle including the tractor, trailer, fuel, and all permanently attached equipment, measured without any cargo on board. Tare weight is subtracted from the maximum allowable gross vehicle weight to determine the payload capacity, which is the maximum weight of freight that can be legally loaded. Knowing the accurate tare weight of a truck and trailer combination is essential for loading to maximum legal capacity without exceeding weight limits.

The tare weight of a reefer combination typically ranges from 34,000 to 38,000 pounds, compared to 30,000 to 34,000 pounds for a dry van combination. The higher tare weight of reefer equipment is due to the refrigeration unit weighing 1,500 to 2,000 pounds, thicker insulated walls and floor adding 1,000 to 1,500 pounds, a reinforced floor designed to support heavy frozen loads, and the reefer unit's separate diesel fuel tank when full.

Tare Weight Variability

Tare weight is not a fixed number for a given vehicle. It varies based on the fuel level in both the truck's main tank and the reefer unit's auxiliary tank, the amount of diesel exhaust fluid in the DEF tank, the weight of driver personal items and cab equipment, the age and model of the tractor and trailer, and any ice buildup inside freezer trailers. Experienced drivers and fleet managers know the typical tare weight of their equipment and can estimate payload capacity accurately, but weighing the empty truck periodically confirms the actual tare weight.

For shippers loading high-density products that approach weight limits, tare weight information should be communicated by the carrier before loading begins. If the carrier's tare weight is higher than expected, the shipper may need to reduce the number of pallets loaded to stay within legal gross vehicle weight limits. This communication prevents the costly and cold-chain-disruptive scenario of having to offload product at a scale after the truck has already departed the shipper's facility.