Confirm the current MASH crash-test level and host-vehicle weight requirement for a truck-mounted attenuator (TMA) before assigning a crash truck to a specific state DOT project.
domain: state DOT specifications (MnDOT / MoDOT / Maryland SHA) · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
Sampled — shipped under file-level sampling, not individually fact-checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Steps
Confirm the TMA has an FHWA Hardware Eligibility Letter certifying compliance with MASH 2016 at the required Test Level (TL-1 25 mph, TL-2 45 mph, or TL-3 62.5 mph)
Check the specific state's minimum test level requirement — e.g., MnDOT requires MASH-16 TL-3 or higher on its approved products list; MoDOT requires MASH 2016 TL-3 for attenuators manufactured after January 1, 2023
Confirm host vehicle weight meets the commonly required minimum (approximately 19,000 lbs), with ballasting permitted to reach it
For Maryland SHA projects, check Section 104.23 ('Protection Vehicle (PV)') of the Standard Specifications for Construction and Materials for state-specific placement/operation rules
Verify the TMA unit is on the relevant state's current approved/qualified products list (e.g., MnDOT's Truck/Trailer Mounted Attenuators list) rather than assuming national MASH compliance alone is sufficient
Known gotchas
MASH 2016 compliance and a specific state's approved-products list are not the same thing — a MASH-16 TL-3 unit can still be rejected if it isn't on that state's current qualified list
MoDOT's TL-3 requirement applies to attenuators manufactured after January 1, 2023 — older but still-serviceable units may be grandfathered, so check manufacture date, not just the spec sheet
Ballasting a host vehicle to reach the minimum weight changes its braking/handling characteristics — treat the weight minimum as a compliance floor, not a performance guarantee, and check the manufacturer's host-vehicle compatibility list
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