Maine Trucking Insurance

Trucking in Maine

Maine allows 100,000 lbs on all Interstate highways with a 6-axle configuration — no special permit needed. Authorized under federal law (23 USC Section 127(a)(11)), this is one of only two states (Vermont allows 99,000 lbs) where you can legally exceed the 80,000 lb federal cap on Interstates. For heavy haulers, that means running one trip at 100,000 lbs instead of splitting into two at 80,000 lbs. The economics are significant. But Maine pairs that weight advantage with the highest state insurance minimums in the region: $50,000/$100,000/$25,000 for BI/PD — three to four times higher than Pennsylvania or New Jersey. Maine also mandates UM, UIM, and MedPay coverages on top of the liability requirements.

The state is big — over 320 miles from Kittery to Fort Kent — and the northern half is genuinely remote. The Maine Turnpike (I-95 from Kittery to Augusta) is tolled at roughly $32 cash or $16-20 with E-ZPass for a 5-axle truck. North of Augusta, I-95 runs 222 miles to the Canadian border completely free. North of Bangor, distances between services become extreme. Limited truck stops, scarce fuel, and few repair facilities define the Aroostook County corridor. Running out of fuel in January up there is a survival situation, not just an inconvenience.

Maine’s freight economy centers on forest products, seafood, and petroleum distribution. Lumber and paper mills throughout the northern and central parts of the state generate steady outbound loads, with wood pellets and biomass adding seasonal volume. The 100,000 lb weight exemption exists in large part because of the logging industry — heavy timber loads are the norm, not the exception. Seafood, particularly lobster, moves out of the midcoast and Downeast regions year-round, with peak volumes from June through December. Portland’s port handles petroleum imports for New England heating oil distribution, which spikes in fall and winter. Potato harvest in Aroostook County creates a short but intense shipping season in September and October, with heavy loads heading south on I-95.

Truck parking in Maine is tight in the southern half and nearly nonexistent in the north. The Maine Turnpike service plazas at Kennebunk, West Gardiner, and a handful of others offer the most reliable parking along I-95 south of Augusta. North of Bangor, options shrink to a few scattered truck stops and the occasional wide shoulder. Planning overnight stops before you pass Bangor is essential for northern Maine runs. Fuel pricing tends to run above the national average, particularly in winter when demand for heating oil competes with diesel supply. The handful of truck stops along the northern I-95 corridor charge a premium — fuel up in Bangor or south whenever possible.

Winter is the defining season. Snow starts in November and can persist into April in the north. I-95 through the Kittery-to-Portland stretch handles winter reasonably well with aggressive plowing, but north of Augusta the response times stretch out. Black ice is common on bridges across the Penobscot and Kennebec rivers. Wind chill along the coast and in exposed northern valleys can drop well below minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Maine does not have a mandatory chain law, but winter tires with adequate tread depth are essential — bald drives on a mountain grade outside Bangor in January will end your trip. The Maine DOT posts real-time road conditions and travel advisories that are worth checking before every northbound run.

The Canadian border crossings at Houlton (I-95), Calais (US Route 1), and Fort Kent (Route 161) handle commercial traffic into New Brunswick. Houlton is the busiest, with FAST lane access for enrolled carriers. Cross-border freight includes forest products heading south and manufactured goods heading north. If you run the border, expect variable wait times and have your paperwork — customs bonds, commercial invoices, and PARS/PAPS numbers — organized before you arrive.

Route 1 along the coast connects communities from Kittery to Calais, but it is not a trucking route — narrow lanes, constant turns through small towns, and seasonal tourist traffic from June through October make it slow and frustrating for anything larger than a straight truck. US Route 2 crosses central Maine east-west from Bangor to the New Hampshire border and sees moderate truck traffic, but it is a two-lane road with limited passing opportunities and occasional moose crossings. Moose collisions are a genuine hazard in Maine, particularly at dawn and dusk from May through October. A full-grown moose can weigh over 1,000 lbs and stands tall enough that the body hits the windshield — these are not fender-bender incidents.

The regulatory environment in Maine is straightforward for interstate carriers. IFTA and IRP registrations apply as they do elsewhere, and Maine participates in the UCR program. Intrastate carriers need state authority through the Maine Department of Transportation. Oversize and overweight permits are handled through MaineDOT, and the 100,000 lb Interstate exemption simplifies permitting for loads that would need special authorization in other states. Maine’s enforcement posture is moderate — weigh stations on the Turnpike are the primary checkpoints, with portable scale operations on northern routes during the logging and harvest seasons.

Spring frost laws from March through May reduce weight limits 10-25% on secondary and posted roads during the thaw, which can strand heavy loads on the Interstate system if delivery points require secondary road access. In winter, frozen ground conditions offer a bonus: roughly 10% additional weight tolerance for bulk commodities. For interstate carriers, the $750,000 federal minimum applies. RMS recommends $1,000,000 CSL — Maine’s rural highways at 70 mph with long EMS response times produce high-severity outcomes, and the $100,000 per-accident BI minimum is a floor, not a ceiling. The combination of heavy loads under the weight exemption, remote operating conditions, and mandatory UM/UIM/MedPay coverage means Maine policies carry more endorsements than most New England states. Get the coverage right before you run here — claims in rural Maine take longer to resolve and cost more when they do.

Starting a Trucking Company in Maine?

If you’re launching a new carrier in Maine, our free guide walks you through every step from business formation to passing your first FMCSA safety audit. Start with the decision guide or jump to insurance costs for new authorities.