Rookie Heavy Hauler

What company runs a lot out of Dundalk , MD that you were referring to? Are they Florida based? I'd love to find work running MD to Florida if it paid well.

Adam

 

The company they are talking about requires you to live in Northern Florida.

 

No love for us MD guys.

 

One of the most important questions you should ask is what am I allowed to weigh on specific axle groups. How many feet and inches allow for only so much weight. Major tickets from overweight can be very expensive. Learn the weight table. Keep a copy of it and also a good measuring tape. Happy trails.

 

I'm new to heavy haul as well, hauling out of Miami with a small company, staying mostly in FL.

Here's some knowledge from what I have experienced that tend to be an issue with oversize/overweight loads.

1. When dealing with a load, DO NOT let the customer run you illegal. Remember that everything on that truck is your responsibility. It will be uncomfortable to stir the pot but it's your butt on the hook when/if something happens.
a. They will try to pack everything in on the truck if they're sending something heavy "oh hey can you take this extra bucket or this job box too.....but the the last guy did it." - if your permitted for that gross weight but add a "multiple load" it voids the permit and now your on the hook for everything from 80K and up.
b. Some customers fudge the measurements to get the rate down as low as possible, so if they say 14' tall make sure it's 14' tall. If you hit a bridge because you were too tall, or get into a pinch because you were too wide.... it's now on you.

2. Know your route restrictions and the curfews, make sure your dispatcher knows them too if there is a conflict. Some times certain cities/towns/counties don't allow travel during certain random hours. It's your job to know the restrictions.
- you will run into a OS load a some point that was delayed and you have farther to go than there is daylight left, you have to have a plan for that, either it becomes an overnight deal where you have to find a safe haven or you will need to refuse it and come back and try again in the morning.

Know that OS/OW hauling is specialized...the customers usually don't know or understand the regs, in-fact most of the shippers don't. Buy a copy of the FMCSA rule book, read it and keep it as your bible, you will need to reference it quite often until you have it just about memorized.

READ YOUR PERMIT, they throw in weird things/ restrictions and procedures from time to time.
-Take the time to be meticulous, especially if your being crane loaded, the guys want to just get you gone as fast as possible but if you take a wide load item and place it crooked, now it's a wider load... and the 1" may put you in a whole different restriction bracket.

3. BE CAREFUL! Do not get into a rush, ever. You're new and you will be slow, just make sure everyone knows that you'd rather take the time to do it right rather than take the time to fill out an accident report or worse hurt/kill anyone... Obviously everyone is waiting on the load and 99% of things are hurry hurry, go go go. While it's on your truck you have to be safe, compliant & comfortable.

4. Ask questions because you don't know what you don't know.... get to know the veteran drivers and make friends with them, everyone with experience has learned things mostly the hard way, " how would you do this, or any tips on loading, hauling that?" BUT**** beware of lazy or burned out drivers...those guys who don't care or will give you bad advice. I hear " i've been doing it that way, or it's never been an issue, or i've never gotten a ticket for it" more times than I can count, but don't gamble on their luck... do it right, the rules have changed since most of these guys started and they don't know any other way.

You're out in the major leagues with the big dogs, know how to play the game. It's really easy to make a mistake and in OS/OW the mistakes get bad in a hurry.

But most important, HAVE FUN... hopefully you love what you do as much as I do, every day is a new challenge and an opportunity to get better at a very skilled trade.

Be safe out there driver.

 

There are no stupid questions. Just remember the answers.

 

any advice on how to get into heavy hauling?

 

Sure. Go skateboarding for about five years. You should learn how to tie down about anything. You will also learn about over dimensional loads just after the tickets or fines. Now drive your pickup to the nearest scale and ask for a copy of the O/D regs. If he doesnt have a copy, he will give you a website to them. Read it over and over again, whenever you have a minute. Now go apply to transport in the oilfields or construction. Good luck and safe roads.