First Oversize Load..help

Picking up my first oversize load tomorrow...i believe it's going to be construction equipment on a stepdeck.

Other than stop at every open scale house and only drive during daylight hours, I'm not sure of anything else.

Im going to be driving through Wi, il, In, oh, pa, and md. The weight is 44,500.

WheRe do I get my permits from?

When I drive through the ez pass toll roads, I know the oversize loads take the far lane, but do I have to stop or can I roll through?

When I get to the scale house, do I park in the lot and bring my permits in? Do I need to bring in anything else? Sorry for the basic questions, but again, I have not done this and most of the time I am figuring this stuff out without the help of dispatch.

Any advice or pointers for those states or in general would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

Pat M will be the authority on this one but I'm curious what company cut you loose with such a lack of need to know information?

WheRe do I get my permits from?

Your company will fax them to a nearby truck stop and you will pick them up there - at least that is the way I always got mine when I would get dispatched an over size load. Sometimes I would get them from the shipper that I picked up the load at.

When you go across the scales stop and have your window down. The scale house will give you directions. Each of them will have their own way of doing things. Some are going to tell you to pull around to the yard, park your truck, and bring all your paperwork in with you. Some are just going to ask you to hold up your copy of the permit out the window for them to see, and then they will tell you to move along. When you do go into a scale house take that states permit, your BOL's, and your permit book from your truck, along with trailer registration.

When you first get those permits, study them very thoroughly. Each state will outline the route you must take according to the way they are directing oversize loads to follow for the particular dates that you will be moving through their state. This can change from day to day or week to week depending on road maintenance and many other factors. I've traveled through some pig trail roads in Pennsylvania with oversize loads that were practically pushing Amish buggies off into the ditches, but that is the way the permit routed me. You cannot use the routing that comes with your dispatch orders - it will probably be what the computer normally would produce for a regular load - ignore it and use what is on the permits. Same goes for GPS - don't use it - study those permits and write down the routes you will need to be taking on a readily accessible piece of paper or in a note pad. Follow those routes specifically, don't take any short-cuts.

The rules vary from state to state. I don't run those states so I am of no help on specifics. Permits should come from your company. Before you sign them, read and understand what they are telling you then read it again. Old School was spot on with his advice. It also depends on how much oversized it is. For instance, I don't need to flag anything until I hit 10' in width but other states require loads that are 102.5" to be flagged. If you are ever in doubt just flag it. The size of the banner also varies by state so if you go with the 18" by 84" you should be covered in all states. Do not cover any lights or your license plate. Kinda hard sometimes but just slip the banner behind the plate.

And like Old School said, for heavens sake do not go off route. This can result in fines and cancellation of your permit. This would force you to get another one.

Then you have requirements for pilot cars. This again varies from state to state and even road to road. Here I don't need a pilot car if I am under `12'6" wide on 2 lane roads but on the interstate I can go up to 14' without a pilot. Length is another thing but it does not seem like you would have to deal with that unless there is overhang.

Thanks very much guys. I really appreciate it. Your responses definitely filled in the blanks.