North Dakota Trucking Insurance

Trucking in North Dakota

North Dakota has two seasons that define trucking: the freeze and the thaw. The state runs the longest frost law season in the northern plains, from early March through mid-June, restricting axle weights on highways across the state as frozen roadbeds soften. When frost leaves the ground, highway pavement is at its most vulnerable, and the restrictions protect an investment in road infrastructure that this sparsely populated state cannot easily replace. Carriers that depend on heavy loads during spring months need to plan around these restrictions or shift routes to interstates, which remain at full legal weight.

I-94 is the primary freight corridor, running east-west from Fargo through Bismarck and Dickinson to the Montana border. Fargo is the state’s largest city and its main distribution center, sitting at the junction of I-94 and I-29. Agricultural freight — grain, sunflowers, sugar beets, and cattle — dominates the eastern half of the state. The Red River Valley around Fargo and Grand Forks produces some of the highest crop yields in the country, and harvest season from September through November puts heavy truck traffic on rural two-lane highways that were not designed for it. I-29 runs north from Sioux Falls through Fargo and Grand Forks to the Canadian border at Pembina, where a port of entry handles cross-border agricultural and energy trade.

The Bakken oil region in western North Dakota creates a parallel trucking economy. Heavy oilfield service traffic moves on US-2 and US-85, infrastructure has improved since the initial boom but remains limited compared to major corridors, and crude oil transport faces heightened hazmat enforcement. Williston and Watford City anchor the region, with fuel gaps of 40 to 60 miles and cell coverage that has improved but still has gaps. Parking in the Bakken remains scarce, and carriers serving oilfield locations on unpaved lease roads face higher physical damage exposure from rough terrain, dust, and equipment congestion at well sites.

Winter is the defining operational challenge. Prairie blizzards on I-94 can materialize within minutes, dropping visibility to zero across the open, windbreak-free landscape. NDDOT closes I-94 sections during severe storms, and closures in western North Dakota can last multiple days. Temperatures regularly hit -30F to -40F with wind chill from December through February. Diesel gelling is a real concern — carriers need winter-blend fuel and anti-gel additives as standard practice, not an afterthought. Engine block heaters and APUs are not optional equipment in North Dakota winters. Spring flooding along the Red River near Fargo and the Missouri River near Bismarck can close highways and detour freight for weeks in bad years.

Truck parking along I-94 is limited outside of Fargo and Bismarck. Rest areas between Bismarck and the Montana border are small and fill quickly. Fuel availability follows a similar pattern — adequate in the eastern cities, but plan carefully west of Bismarck where gaps between truck stops grow. The Dickinson area is the last reliable commercial stop before the Montana border on I-94.

North Dakota allows up to 105,500 lbs GVW on state highways — significantly above the 80,000 lb interstate limit — giving route planners a meaningful weight advantage on non-interstate roads. The state is completely toll-free with no weight-distance tax, and oversize/overweight permits run $20 per trip through the NDHP E-Permits system. OS/OW permit insurance requires $100,000/$300,000/$50,000 on the power unit, well above the standard state minimums of $25,000/$50,000/$25,000. We recommend $1,000,000 CSL for any carrier running North Dakota, particularly those serving the Bakken where remote conditions and environmental liability compound the risk. The combination of extreme cold, vast distances between medical facilities, and high-value oilfield cargo makes North Dakota a state where adequate coverage is not a suggestion — it is a necessity.

Starting a Trucking Company in North Dakota?

If you’re launching a new carrier in North Dakota, 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.