wanting to eventually get into heavy haul

80000 lbs with a 5 axle 48 ft spread is extremely easy. Over 93000, and it gets difficult. Certain states will give you 22.5 per axle, but getting the weights even at that high a weight takes precision loading.
(I am talking 5 axles. Start adding axles and things change)

 

Is that your first job?

 

This is the foundation for precision loading. Understanding this and how to calculate it will make your life soooo easy. With more axles and more axle groups it's just a longer mathematical equation, but the formula remains the same!

Hint...the key to the answer is here...

 

Talk to guys doing what you want to do...in person. We're easy to find...we park around sunset!

Don't just look at what we are doing, observe it.
Always try to learn something new from each HH load you walk around and observe.
Ask questions...intelligently! ie: "what are you doing, and why do you do it that way?" Being humble about it goes a long way, you are trying to learn after all. Nothing loses my respect more quickly than someone being a "been there done it all type", when it's painfully obvious that they don't really know what they're talking about.
Ask several different people the same questions, you'll learn several ways and reasons to do things...it's like having options in the mental toolbox for the future.
After a while you'll get to know a few guys that you can actually learn from, and that's how you develop a stable of mentors...and that is an invaluable resource.
Once you develop a few good mentors, they'll help guide you on the correct path.
Don't forget to thank them for their help...one day when somebody starts to ask you these same questions, it's time to pay it forward!

good luck...

 

I started on flats and after a year of being safe I moved to a specialized division with TMC. I did tons of OD(over height/width) stuff on the step decks. After a year of safe driving and no claims They trained me on how to use a RGN. On those I did even more cool OD stuff. It was a 2 axle trailer so it was just a 5 axle setup but some of the things that we haul for JD were over weight so we could be permitted for up to 92K. 12/40/40. Its not bad figuring placement once you know your Empty weights and have a good estimate of the loads weight. Then again this was only a 5 axle setup which is obviously where you will start. Honestly, I can say that I personally think I dont have enough experience to do what these guys with 20K F/A weight, a tag and a 2x3x2 setup. I have never run with an escort either. Give it time, stay legal, safe, and no claims or incidents and you can work your way up. If you get up to just what I use to do, you will be so use to having wide loads on that when your empty you find yourself saying that it feels weird to not need extended mirrors and being able to see down the side of your RGN. Good Luck.

 

Reading the forum, I feel like I lucked into finding a good spot. I know it ain't just luck but I had no experience, and I got hired to do HH on a rollback truck because I knew how to run equipment, aka they knew I could drive it up safely on the truck.

Well 3 months in, I was doing what 10 year experience roll back drivers were doing. I was doing 8 moves a day. My boss didn't want to promote me because I was doing so good. So it became a battle. I became unhappy because I felt like I was being kept down and that made me not work as productive. So he gave me a raise and that it it all better for about 25 seconds. But then we got a new dispatcher and he realized that no matter what truck he put me in, I would do good. I don't turn down loads, I do my job safely and I give a good impression to the customers.

I don't lie, I don't pretend I'm more experienced, I'm straight up and honest, if I don't know something, I ask. Sometimes, I ask really super obvious questions and look like a total noob but other times I ask questions that nobody askes but I'm always safe and that is what makes me stand out. I pack a lunch everyday, I get my #### done quickly but safely.

But give me time and I everyone will respect me, not because I know it all but because I know when to be good and when to be slow. I was taught, first you get good, then you get fast. Well in today's society, in order to be good, you have to be safe.

 

OK I have 2 yes otr, 1 yr flat and no o.d. have dog need a place to start. Have checked with lone star and they won't take my pup, other places I've looked at need 3yrs otr or o.d at minimum. Not big on lease purchase cre took care of that, Any suggestions?? Tmc doesn't count sorry.

 

Try Keen Transport out of Carlisle,Pa

 

It is going to be hard finding somewhere that will let you have a dog with you. Look at Keen like said above and ATS also. Not sure which is better as I have never worked for either just talked to a couple drivers from each. You will start out with small stuff on flat and step and maybe RGN. My guess is you will have to pull around OD on flats and steps for a while before you get into RGNs. That is where you start getting into the over height stuff and sometimes overweight stuff.

Why doesn't TMC count just out of curiosity? Do you mean for a suggestion on a job for starting in over dimensional freight?