A. Subject to the limit upon the weight imposed upon the highway through any one axle as set forth in Section 66-7-409 N.M. Stat. Ann. and except as provided in Subsection D of this section, the total gross weight with load imposed upon the highway by any one group of two or more consecutive axles of a vehicle or combination of vehicles shall not exceed the gross weight given for the respective distance between the first and last axle of the group of axles measured longitudinally to the nearest foot as set forth in the following table:

Distance in feet between first and last axles of group Allowed load in pounds on group of axles 4                                                             34,320 5                                                             35,100 6                                                             35,880 7                                                             36,660 8                                                             37,440 9                                                             38,220 10                                                             39,000 11                                                             39,780 12                                                             40,560 13                                                             41,340 14                                                             42,120 15                                                             42,900 16                                                             43,680 17                                                             44,460 18                                                             45,240.

B. Except as provided in Subsection D of this section, the total gross weight with load imposed on the highway by any vehicle or combination of vehicles where the distance between the first and last axles is more than eighteen feet shall not exceed that given for the respective distances in the following table:

Distance in feet between first and last axles of group Allowed load in pounds on group of axles 19                                                             53,100 20                                                             54,000 21                                                             54,900 22                                                             55,800 23                                                             56,700 24                                                             57,600 25                                                             58,500 26                                                             59,400 27                                                             60,300 28                                                             61,200 29                                                             62,100 30                                                             63,000 31                                                             63,900 32                                                             64,800 33                                                             65,700 34                                                             66,600 35                                                             67,500 36                                                             68,400 37                                                             69,300 38                                                             70,200 39                                                             71,100 40                                                             72,000 41                                                             72,900 42                                                             73,800 43                                                             74,700 44                                                             75,600 45                                                             76,500 46                                                             77,400 47                                                             78,300 48                                                             79,200 49                                                             80,100 50                                                             81,000 51                                                             81,900 52                                                             82,800 53                                                             83,700 54                                                             84,600 55                                                             85,500 56 or over                                                        86,400.

C. The distance between the centers of the axles shall be measured to the nearest even foot. When a fraction is exactly one-half, the next larger whole number shall be used.

D. The total gross weight with load limitations imposed by this section for any vehicle or combination of vehicles shall be increased by:

(1)     four hundred pounds if the vehicle or combination of vehicles uses idle reduction technology; or

(2)     if the vehicle is a natural gas vehicle, a standard gross weight limit increase for each axle distance category in this section, established by the division by rule, by an amount equal to the difference between the average weight of the vehicle attributable to its natural gas tank and fuel system and the average weight of a comparable diesel tank and fuel system.