Flatbed Variety

Today's load. It's a John Deere 225D excavator. It's not a very large one but still fun to operate and load. I picked up at Ritchie brothers auction in Davenport Florida and deliver to Hidalgo Texas where it will cross the border to its new home in Monterey Mexico. The unit itself is 10'6" wide and weighs just shy of 58,000 putting my total weight at 93,540. The trailer it's on is a 3 axle heavy haul low profile step deck rated for 80k. Have a great weekend all.

So now that I am hauling flatbread, I mean flatbed, I will post my first few loads as a start!

These were my latest load. Wire coil going to Insteel in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

I have hauled more than a share or too of sheetrock! Lol.

These thing gave me the jigles. I knew how dangerous they can be so i put 21,600 pounds of securement on a 15000 pound coil each. I have never stopped so much in my life lol.

I finally got that thing done after 4 hours of trying to strap and tarp that monster. Hughwee.

And this is the truck I get to drive and almost wish I owned it but it has def. Im no Californicator. Hehe.

What permits and how you got them for that load Robert B.? Thats way over 80,000 pounds gross, did you have to go to a special route?

Today's load. It's a John Deere 225D excavator. It's not a very large one but still fun to operate and load. I picked up at Ritchie brothers auction in Davenport Florida and deliver to Hidalgo Texas where it will cross the border to its new home in Monterey Mexico. The unit itself is 10'6" wide and weighs just shy of 58,000 putting my total weight at 93,540. The trailer it's on is a 3 axle heavy haul low profile step deck rated for 80k. Have a great weekend all.

What permits and how you got them for that load Robert B.? Thats way over 80,000 pounds gross, did you have to go to a special route?

Today's load. It's a John Deere 225D excavator. It's not a very large one but still fun to operate and load. I picked up at Ritchie brothers auction in Davenport Florida and deliver to Hidalgo Texas where it will cross the border to its new home in Monterey Mexico. The unit itself is 10'6" wide and weighs just shy of 58,000 putting my total weight at 93,540. The trailer it's on is a 3 axle heavy haul low profile step deck rated for 80k. Have a great weekend all.

The company contacts each state that I'll be traveling through. In this case it's Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Every state has different regulations regarding the routing, specs on the axle weights and travel restrictions. It's partially about safety and definitely about money for the state's when it comes to permits. Texas charges a flat rate based on the number of axles until you get up there in weight 150k and doesn't require an escort on wide loads until 16'. Mississippi and Louisiana fees are based on weight with Alabama and Florida being flat rate states with various provisions. Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee are the most expensive to travel through with over dimensional, overweight loads and we avoid Tennessee like the plague unless the delivery goes there. In Virginia, anything over 112k is considered a super load and requires an extra, more expensive permit. New Hampshire and I believe Massachusetts require a bridge review once axle weights reach a certain weight. Those bridge reviews run $1000 per review, per bridge. It can get expensive quickly. The routing also varies from state to state and some are more extensive than others depending on the load.

Something else to keep in mind when working with over dimensional freight. In the case of width, you have two different measurements. First is the width of the item going on the trailer. In the case of that excavator, it's 10'6" wide. If you're not paying attention when you load it and it isn't square on the trailer, your friendly neighborhood DOT officer will measure the widest points because that's how wide you really are. It's very easy to make an item wider than originally measured by not getting it square on the trailer. You also never order permits for the width of the item. Always order a few inches wider to give some wiggle room, unless it might throw you into a different category of routing, escort requirements etc. Then you make sure you get it right. In the case of this excavator, it measures 12" of overhang on each corner. I got lucky and set it right the first time.

Wow, id better be making good money I would think to myself if I was going to be doing oversize as a owner op if I was.

Something else to keep in mind when working with over dimensional freight. In the case of width, you have two different measurements. First is the width of the item going on the trailer. In the case of that excavator, it's 10'6" wide. If you're not paying attention when you load it and it isn't square on the trailer, your friendly neighborhood DOT officer will measure the widest points because that's how wide you really are. It's very easy to make an item wider than originally measured by not getting it square on the trailer. You also never order permits for the width of the item. Always order a few inches wider to give some wiggle room, unless it might throw you into a different category of routing, escort requirements etc. Then you make sure you get it right. In the case of this excavator, it measures 12" of overhang on each corner. I got lucky and set it right the first time.

Wow, id better be making good money I would think to myself if I was going to be doing oversize as a owner op if I was.

Something else to keep in mind when working with over dimensional freight. In the case of width, you have two different measurements. First is the width of the item going on the trailer. In the case of that excavator, it's 10'6" wide. If you're not paying attention when you load it and it isn't square on the trailer, your friendly neighborhood DOT officer will measure the widest points because that's how wide you really are. It's very easy to make an item wider than originally measured by not getting it square on the trailer. You also never order permits for the width of the item. Always order a few inches wider to give some wiggle room, unless it might throw you into a different category of routing, escort requirements etc. Then you make sure you get it right. In the case of this excavator, it measures 12" of overhang on each corner. I got lucky and set it right the first time.

It's paying me $.97 cpm as a company driver, so yeah, it pays well lol.

Not to go completely off topic here, but I'm curious Robert, are you now in an Coronado? Going off your previous pictures you had a Pete?

Wow, id better be making good money I would think to myself if I was going to be doing oversize as a owner op if I was.

Something else to keep in mind when working with over dimensional freight. In the case of width, you have two different measurements. First is the width of the item going on the trailer. In the case of that excavator, it's 10'6" wide. If you're not paying attention when you load it and it isn't square on the trailer, your friendly neighborhood DOT officer will measure the widest points because that's how wide you really are. It's very easy to make an item wider than originally measured by not getting it square on the trailer. You also never order permits for the width of the item. Always order a few inches wider to give some wiggle room, unless it might throw you into a different category of routing, escort requirements etc. Then you make sure you get it right. In the case of this excavator, it measures 12" of overhang on each corner. I got lucky and set it right the first time.

It's paying me $.97 cpm as a company driver, so yeah, it pays well lol.

Not to go completely off topic here, but I'm curious Robert, are you now in an Coronado? Going off your previous pictures you had a Pete?

Wow, id better be making good money I would think to myself if I was going to be doing oversize as a owner op if I was.

Something else to keep in mind when working with over dimensional freight. In the case of width, you have two different measurements. First is the width of the item going on the trailer. In the case of that excavator, it's 10'6" wide. If you're not paying attention when you load it and it isn't square on the trailer, your friendly neighborhood DOT officer will measure the widest points because that's how wide you really are. It's very easy to make an item wider than originally measured by not getting it square on the trailer. You also never order permits for the width of the item. Always order a few inches wider to give some wiggle room, unless it might throw you into a different category of routing, escort requirements etc. Then you make sure you get it right. In the case of this excavator, it measures 12" of overhang on each corner. I got lucky and set it right the first time.

It's paying me $.97 cpm as a company driver, so yeah, it pays well lol.

You are correct sir lol. I applied with this company the same time I applied with Kivi but these folks didn't have a truck available. My goal was to make it up to the heavy haul division and after hauling roughly 40% of my loads as over dimensional and overweight, I kept getting various reasons as to why there were no positions available on their heavy side. These folks called and offered me a position doing what I truly want to do with better money and the same benefits but almost half the cost, plus I have two good friends here who have been here 3-4 years. After some thought, I made the move. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about Kivi though because they treated me very well. My terminal manager and load planner didn't want to see me leave and after face to face conversations with them, they completely understood and told me if I ever wanted to come back, they'll make a spot for me.

Today's bit of fun is only 10' wide but 14'2" tall. It's a bit lighter than the previous excavator but top heavy and being on rubber tires makes it a bit like a feeble wobble lol. Anywho, it's going from San Antonio to its new home in Sparks Nevada.