We always want to give drivers the most accurate routing information, so we went straight to the source and contacted the New York City Department of Transportation. They had some pretty interesting information. Trucks with 53-foot trailers carrying divisible loads (goods that can be broken down into smaller loads, like fruit) are actually prohibited in New York City. 53-foot trailers carrying non-divisible loads (goods that can’t be broken down, like a statue) can only drive in New York City with a permit. Trucks that violate these codes risk a hefty ticket.

After contacting the NYC DOT, we decided to dig a little deeper and the situation got even trickier. While the NYC DOT is in charge of New York City, The New York and New Jersey Port Authority is the government entity in charge of the George Washington Bridge, and they haven’t set any restriction for 53-foot trailers on the bridge.  So technically, you can drive on the GWB with a 53-foot trailer, but as soon as you cross it, you’re subject to the New York City trailer restriction.

In short, driving across the George Washington Bridge into New York City is a no-go for most truck drivers, which is why we have our devices route around it.

If your trailer is smaller than 53 feet or you have an oversize truck permit, you can change your device settings to a 48-foot trailer and then you’ll be able to be routed over the George Washington Bridge.