Hazmat Team driver. Trying to get into Heavy Haul.

No, I didn’t. Been out of the loop since 2020. Good Man. Guess Short One returned to Thailand.

Thanks for the info.

 

Actually, she stayed in Davenport with help from some of his friends. Learned to drive and got a job - was doing well last I heard.

 

REALLY? She’s good people.

 

Interesting. Single trailer most I pulled was 8. 4 on truck, 4 on trailer. Around 100k.

O-oOO-------oOOo

Doubles was 10 axles. 105,500.

O-oOO----OO-OO----OO

 

Non divisible loads. 100k can be done on 5 axles provided it’s non divisible.

 

I’d define heavy haul as loads needing permits and pilot / escort cars

which varies a lot depending on the individual state laws

 

Nope. You start off with smaller oversized, like 10ft and smaller. Then 12 ft. Then 14ft. Then overheight. The problem that you will run into is, as a company schmuck, getting the loads that you need to qualify for the bigger loads. Being forced dispatch, they will have you hauling sticks and bricks for a number of years. It will be faster as a lease driver and owner op to move up because they can pick and choose their loads. The problem that you will run into doing a lease is the money. You will net more money as a company driver than you will as a lease. The problem with being an owner op is, you will need another truck for heavy haul.

The other issue you will run into is you won’t see the bigger loads unless there’s not another driver higher on the food chain than you. If you want the bigger loads, you have to stay under an RGN. Problem is, every time you empty, it will seem as if you are always under the wrong trailer and have to bounce to get another trailer. You will drop that trailer and as soon as you do, some other driver comes swooping in to grab it. As a lease driver, this will kill your HOS and your money. The only way to sit and wait is to be an owner op.In other words, it takes YEARS to move up as a company schmuck and fleece operator. IMO, it’s a circus.

My recommendation: you can cut out a lot of the circus act by going to a company that doesn’t haul sticks and bricks. Maybe try Warren, MidWest Transport, Bennett…etc.

 

I've wondered if getting a crane cert and having welding exp. will get you into good heavy haul companies.

I've seen some solid paying gigs requiring crane certs, class A, and welding/fab experience jobs locally. Not sure why welding is so common but being 5g or 6g w/ AWS papers or the ability to obtain them and somes NCCCO papers can land you 50+ hr here.

 

There’s a few oversize heavy haul companies that hire rookies right out of CDL school
and have a 6 to 9 month training period where you ride with a experienced driver
at half pay .

But they are real selective about who they hire .
Pretty extensive background check on the driver and spouse and siblings and parents etc
Gotta have good credit ,
Zero criminal history, spotless driving record etc

still doesn’t pay that good for the extra hassle

guy I know averages about 90 cents a mile , but it beats hauling a dry van and dealing with shippers and receivers etc