Massachusetts Trucking Insurance | Class Insurance Agency

Class Insurance Agency, an affiliated office of AIC Insurance

Truck insurance for Massachusetts haulers

Massachusetts trucking runs on the Mass Pike, I-95 and I-495, through Boston tunnels that ban hazmat and parkways that ban trucks, and the state applies federal safety and insurance rules to in-state trucks. We quote Massachusetts owner-operators, new authorities and fleets by phone, email and online from our office in Vancouver, Washington, in English, Russian, Ukrainian or Romanian.

Call 360-450-2211 or start a quote online.

USDOT numbers and federal rules for in-state trucks

USDOT number. Since September 1, 2018, intrastate carriers must get and display a USDOT number for trucks of 10,001 lb or more, placarded hazmat vehicles and vehicles for 16 or more passengers, however the truck is registered.^[1]
Federal rules in state. The RMV’s safety rule adopts the federal safety rules and the federal financial responsibility rule for intrastate as well as interstate trucks of 10,001 lb or more.^[2] That points to the federal limits: $750,000 for general freight, more for hazmat. Confirm your filing requirement with the RMV.
Drivers. Intrastate-only drivers are exempt from the federal age-21 rule. The English proficiency exemption for intrastate drivers doesn’t cover CDLs issued after March 9, 2018 or hazmat haulers.^[2]
Non-domiciled CDLs follow the federal rule from March 16, 2026: H-2A, H-2B and E-2 visa holders only, in person.^[3]

Insurance minimums

Standard auto minimums rose on July 1, 2025 to $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury and $30,000 property damage.^[4] Personal injury protection stays at $8,000.^[5]
Trucks covered by the federal rules need the federal amounts^[2], and most brokers ask for $1,000,000.
Household goods movers need a DPU license, with a public hearing, a $100 application fee, $40 per vehicle decal and proof of insurance refiled each year.^[6]

Mass Pike and Boston tolls

Toll (5-axle truck)	E-ZPass	Pay By Plate
Full Mass Pike, West Stockbridge to Logan (135 miles)	$26.95	$31.15
Sturbridge (I-84) to Weston (I-95)	$5.80	$7.30
Sumner, Callahan or Ted Williams tunnel	$4.40	$4.70
Tobin Bridge	$3.75	$4.05

All tolling is electronic, from MassDOT’s toll calculator.^[7] Unpaid Pay By Plate invoices add fees at each overdue stage.^[8] IFTA carriers can recover Massachusetts fuel tax on Turnpike miles by deducting them on the quarterly return.^[9]

Tunnels, parkways and Pike rules

No hazmat in the Boston tunnels. Vehicles carrying any hazardous material may not enter them.^[10]
Low clearances. The standard height limit is 13 feet 6 inches, but only 12 feet 6 inches in the Sumner and Callahan tunnels.^[11]
Parkways closed to trucks. Storrow Drive, Soldiers Field Road and Memorial Drive are closed to trucks, with bridge clearances as low as 9 feet.^[12]
Right lane on the Pike. Between Weston and Sturbridge, heavy commercial vehicles must stay in the right lane except to pass. Long doubles up to 127,400 lb run only on the Turnpike with a MassDOT permit, never in the tunnels.^[10]

Weights, permits, idling and speed

Weight. 80,000 lb for vehicles with 3 or more axles, 22,400 lb per single axle, plus up to 400 lb for idle-reduction equipment.^[13] Semitrailers up to 53 feet and single trucks up to 40 feet.^[14]
Permits come from the MassDOT Truck Permit Office in Weston (857-368-3690), with no oversize moves on major holidays.^[11]
Idling over 5 minutes is prohibited, with fines up to $100 and then $500.^[15]
Speed. 65 mph is set only on named stretches of I-90, I-91 and I-95.^[16]
State contracts. Trucks of 10,001 lb or more working under Commonwealth contracts need side guards, convex and crossover mirrors and backup cameras, certified in the RMV portal.^[17]

Fuel tax and registration

Diesel is taxed at 24 cents a gallon, unchanged since 2013.^[18] IFTA runs through the Department of Revenue^[19], and IRP through 19 RMV service centers; you need an established place of business in Massachusetts.^[20]

Massachusetts freight

Trucks moved 83% of Massachusetts freight tonnage in 2017, and I-90 is the primary freight route from the west into New England.^[21] From 2017 to 2021, the worst truck-crash hot spot was the I-290/I-495 interchange in Marlborough.^[22] Massport’s Conley Container Terminal handled 245,000 TEUs in 2025.^[23]

What to have ready for a Massachusetts quote

USDOT and MC numbers
Where the trucks are garaged, your usual routes and your radius, including Boston runs
What you haul, including any hazmat
Whether you work on state contracts (for the safety device rule)
Driver names, license numbers and years of experience
Year, make, VIN and value of each truck and trailer
Current policy and loss runs, if you have been insured before

Frequently asked questions

Do trucks that stay in Massachusetts need a USDOT number?

Yes, since 2018 for trucks of 10,001 lb or more, placarded hazmat and vehicles for 16 or more passengers.^[1]

Can hazmat trucks use the Boston tunnels?

No. Vehicles carrying any hazardous material may not enter them.^[10]

What does a 5-axle truck pay on the Mass Pike?

$26.95 with E-ZPass or $31.15 by plate for the full 135 miles.^[7]

Can trucks use Storrow Drive?

No. Storrow Drive, Soldiers Field Road and Memorial Drive are closed to trucks, with clearances as low as 9 feet.^[12]

What are the Massachusetts auto insurance minimums?

$25,000/$50,000 bodily injury and $30,000 property damage for policies from July 1, 2025. Trucks under the federal rules need the federal amounts.^[4]^[2]

Get a Massachusetts truck insurance quote

Call 360-450-2211 or start your quote. We’re open Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific (10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern).

Related coverage and nearby states

Sources

General information only, checked September 2026. Rules change; confirm with the agency that issues your permits. Coverage availability, terms and filings depend on underwriting and the policy issued; a quote request does not bind insurance.