Colorado IFTA Calculator

Colorado is the gateway between the Great Plains and the Intermountain West, and its geography creates some of the most challenging trucking conditions in the lower 48. I-70 is the primary corridor running east-west through the state, cresting the Continental Divide at the Eisenhower Tunnel at 11,013 feet elevation before dropping into the ski country and resort towns of Summit County. The Vail Pass descent on I-70 westbound is one of the most technically demanding stretches of interstate in the country — a 6% grade for miles with mandatory truck brake checks enforced through the weighing stations at Dowd Junction. I-25 runs north-south connecting Cheyenne through Denver to Trinidad and into New Mexico. Denver's I-25/I-70 interchange is a freight bottleneck that causes regular delays.

Colorado's IFTA rate of $0.205 per gallon is competitive — considerably lower than neighboring Utah at $0.315 and somewhat lower than Wyoming at $0.240. Nebraska to the east at $0.290 is higher. Westbound drivers should fuel in Colorado before heading into Utah, and northbound drivers should top off in Colorado before crossing into Wyoming when heading toward I-80.

Standard weight limits are 80,000 lbs. The Chain Law is strictly enforced on mountain passes from September through May. Traction laws on I-70 from Vail to the Eisenhower Tunnel require snow chains or approved traction devices during winter storm events — CDOT activates these closures with little warning, and violators face fines and possible insurance liability for accidents. Oversize loads on I-70 through the Eisenhower Tunnel are regulated with specific time windows to avoid passenger traffic.

For IFTA compliance, note that Colorado does not have a separate surcharge but does have complex local jurisdiction fuel tax in some municipalities. Keep your GPS mileage logs clean for the mountain routes where odometer readings can vary from GPS due to elevation changes affecting engine load and MPG calculations.