Police escorts

I remember hauling molten aluminum on two-lane US 31 before the bypass was built around Berrien Springs, MI. State Police would escort charter buses of beauty queen contestants to their various public appearances and promotions. These convoys would pass at a high rate of speed. There was no place for me to pull over. I thought it was most dangerous.

 

I once had a police escort, but, um, I wasn't hauling anything, come to think of it, I wasn't in the semi

 

I've had police escorts for some oversize loads in Ohio, Delaware, and West Virginia, and New York city. Some of them are cool to work with and some aren't. Some of them will roll ahead to block intersections so you can roll through red lights. Some prefer that you haul #####, and some are way to strict. The first one I ever had was in Ohio, I was running late and she had to report for duty that afternoon (Ohio Troopers do this for extra money not during their regular shift). She was running front door on U.S. 6 from In. line, I had a 16' wide 80' long load. Once she took off I had trouble catching up to her, she asked me if she was going fast enough for me as I'm running 70 trying to catch her. I told her she was doing just fine.

 

When I worked for Anheuser Busch and hauled the Clydesdale's transporters, we'd get police escorts all the time.

 

I see those pots running around occasionally. Never could figure out why or what the advantage would be to haul molten aluminum. Elaborate?

 

was that like a "chase" car???

 

We use police alot in the Houston area.

The guys are pretty cool. Harris county motorcycle cops.

Used them in Al. again motorcycle cops.
Used them in the east coast also.

Most are good some a pain.

Pa. Ny. and Ia. use on duty only and it is a real hassle.
They go district to district, execpt Ia. Then they only do 10 and you park no matter if you only made it 200 miles.

Wa. state also district to district, but they are off duty.

Extra pay for them.

Maine cops were cool when we used them 4 years ago every day,5 days a week for 3 weeks.

The part I hate is some do not have c.b. radios and it gets trying to figure lane changes and intersection control at times

 

i have used police escorts and yes they charge by the hr from the time they leave home until they get back home. but every time the cops i have used were real cool on making time and controling traffic.

 

Scrap aluminum is melted in furnaces at smelters. Impurities are removed and the exact composition of a batch is documented. Shipping the aluminum in molten form saves the consignee the cost of melting it again. The molten aluminum is poured directly into furnaces at the casting plant. A load of molten aluminum can be refused if it is not hot enough because delivery would lower the temperature in the furnace and temporarily shut down the casting plant. Most furnaces blast a natural gas flame onto the surface of the aluminum, but I delivered to one plant that used electric heat. It would take them forever to recover if a cool load was delivered.

Smelters also pour molten aluminum into molds to be stored or shipped as "sows" or "ingots".

 

I was in the sleeper when my lead driver refused to follow our military police escort onto an exit ramp. He passed the ramp and parked under the overpass. The young U.S. Army officer circled back and proceeded to read the riot act to my lead driver. The officer finally calmed down and agreed that we should stop entering these small towns whenever the military van needed fuel. My lead driver explained that a truck stop was located at the next exit. The officer agreed to get a truck stop directory and plan his stops better for the safety of the general public. We were hauling a Nike Hercules warhead.