What is GVWR and GAWR?

Hi, my name is Larry Wyatt and welcome to this edition of National Fleet Services’ Truck Tips! Did ‘ya’ ever wonder what GVW, GVWR and GAWR mean? That’s a lot of acronyms. But it’s pretty simple. These are all terms that deal with weight.

And for the most part, trucks exist to carry weight.

To meet customers’ needs, truck manufacturers create different truck models that are designed to safely handle a variety of weights. These acronyms are one of the ways we can indicate those weight limits.

What does GVW stand for?

GVW, or Gross Vehicle Weight, means the total weight of the vehicle. This comes in two parts. First is the Curb Weight or the empty weight of the vehicle itself which includes all the fluids, a full tank of fuel and all added options. The second part is the Payload which is the weight of any cargo, passengers and, if towing, the tongue weight of the trailer. Put all of that together and you come up with the Gross Vehicle Weight.

What does GVWR stand for?

GVW is important to know because truck manufacturers are required to publish a GVWR, or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, for every commercial vehicle. This rating is the maximum allowable weight of the vehicle including its payload. Truck owners need to know their GVWRs because it is illegal to operate a vehicle which weighs more than its Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

What does GAWR stand for?

Now, let’s look at GAWR or “gawer”. It stands for Gross Axle Weight Rating* and means the load-carrying capacity of a single axle system, based on the “weakest link”. In other words, what is the lowest weight-rated component between the springs, wheels, axles and the tires? That number becomes the weight rating for the entire axle system. Separate ratings are published for the front and rear axles. So, not only do truck operators need to make sure they are not exceeding the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. They also must not exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating for each of the axles.

For example, the GVWR of a particular pickup might be high enough to accommodate the weight of a large snow plow. But all of that extra weight is carried by just the front axle and may cause it to exceed its Front GAWR! In that case, you need a heavier pickup.

I’ll leave you with a bonus National Fleet Services Truck Tip!

What is GCWR?

Don’t forget, you also need to know your vehicles’ GCWR or Gross Combined Weight Rating. * This is the maximum allowable weight of the loaded towing vehicle and the loaded trailer!

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