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US President Donald Trump has announced an extension to the deadline for the imposition of a 25 per cent duty on heavy trucks. The 25 per cent levy, aimed at protecting the "great American" truck makers, will now come into force on November 1. Originally, a date of October 1 was announced by the 47th American president."Beginning November 1st, 2025, all Medium and Heavy Duty Trucks coming into the United States from other Countries will be Tariffed at the Rate of 25 per cent. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump wrote on social network Truth Social.

Add Zee Business as a Preferred SourceThis is not the first time the US president -- who took office in January -- has first warned of a heavy levy and then postponed it. His often confusing tariff announcements and subsequent U-turns have kept investors on edge, with many financial experts cautioning against a slowdown in the world's largest and other major economies.Earlier, Trump announced the 25 per cent import duty on heavy trucks, among other actions in order to protect "great heavy truck manufacturers" like Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner and Mack Trucks from "unfair outside competition". The president described competition from non-American heavy truck makers as "onslaught of outside interruptions". Here are three important points from Trump's Truth Social post about the heavy truck industry: "We need our Truckers to be financially healthy and strong, for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!" he wrote. 

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Here are answers to a few frequently asked questions (FAQs) about heavy trucks in the US: 

How are heavy trucks defined in the US?

Trucks weighing 10,000 pounds (gross weight) and above are recognised as heavy trucks in the US. 

How significant is the American heavy truck market?

According to official data, this segment forms the very backbone of the American commercial vehicle market, with around 2.97 million tractor-trailer registrations and an overall total of more than 13.5 million trucks of all classes, as of 2025.

The heavy truck industry serves as a lifeline to cross-border trade, carrying 67 per cent of US-Canada surface trade and 85 per cent of US-Mexico trade by value annually.

While most American trucking companies are small businesses, 91.5 per cent of the fleets operate 10 or fewer trucks, highlighting the fragmented industry structure, according to industrial data.

How are trucks classified in the US?

The Federal Highway Administration, under the US Department of Transportation (USDOT), classifies trucks into three broad categories based on a metric known as gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). ClassDuty (Light, Medium or Heavy)Weight Range (GVWR)1Light0-6,000 lbs (0-2,722 kg)2Light6,001-10,000 lbs (2,722-4,536 kg)3Medium10,001-14,000 lbs (4,536-6,350 kg)4Medium14,001-16,000 lbs (6,351-7,257 kg)5Medium16,001-19,500 lbs (7,258-8,845 kg)6Medium19,501-26,000 lbs (8,846-11,793 kg)7Heavy26,001-33,000 lbs (11,794-14,969 kg)8Heavy33,001 lbs (14,969 kg) and above

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