Tips for getting faster loading...

Slow is fast. By that, I mean that you need to think about what you're doing, in order to minimize your steps. Reducing trips around the truck is the key to speed.

I'm assuming you have your routine down, i.e., you're loading the same way every time. Mentally walk through your routine and see where you are making extra trips. Put everything you can on the truck, then make one trip to tie down those units. Repeat as necessary.

You're times aren't horrible, my normal load times were close to that. I could do it much faster, but since I was 40 when I started hauling cars, I realized the extra wear and tear on the body weren't worth a few minutes off the load times. Some of these guys act like their whole sense of self-worth is tied up in being the fastest loader. Those guys are the ones who end up old men at a young age because they trashed their body rushing around.

If you want high rail specific trips, I can cover that later, it's dinner time!

 

The main thing that I have found is to get a routine. Don't take unnecessary steps, meaning do all that you can at one spot so that you don't have to come back to it again to do something else. Where your loading can effect your time also, depends on how close your vehicles are to your truck. I can load a 9 car highrail in about 1:15 if my cars are close and everything goes right. I average about 1:30 though for 9. Just starting in October though, 2 hours is pretty good. Don't get in a hurry as that's when mistakes happen. Most of it will come with time, you will get back in the truck one day and say "dang I just loaded in 1:15" or maybe even better. Just don't rush it.

 

Both replies are on the money. The key is eliminating wasted motion. Bad things happen when you are in a hurry.

 

You should load the whole top deck before strapping. Now if it's too big to get all 5 up there at once, I usually loaded 1 2 3 5, and left 4 until I had the first two in the belly. It was easier than fighting to get all five up out of the way to get something big in the belly. If it was just cars or smaller SUVs going under, load #4 after you have the others in the air, as you'll be able to get it out of the way enough to load under it. Then put every unit in the belly before you strap ( unless you're stacking the belly, of course.)

Do it that way, and you can make two trips around the truck with 9 smalls, and one extra trip if you have to do #4 separate.

On those loads with 4 trucks on the trailer, that last unit is always going to eat up time. It usually took the same amount of time to load 6 F-150's as it did a mixed 8. (Mind you, that was on a c-12 chain, it's a bit easier with the strap trailers thanks to that missing angled post between 4 & 5.)

As far as pin settings: When I first started, every post on my truck had 3 marks from a grease pencil. One for trucks, another for SUV, and a third for cars. I knew where to set the pins based on what was underneath. After a while on the same truck, you'll learn where they need to go just by referencing the pilot marks on each post. When I set pins, I just go down one side talking to myself (1 over...1 over, 2 under...1over 2 under,cover, etc...) so I could go to the other side and remember where I'd put them all.

 

Yup, Load the same way every time. Smooth is fast. Load your truck on paper first. If the load doesn't work on paper, obviously it won't work in reality. Also, always work clockwise around the truck, one step at a time. Throw your top deck straps/chains on with no pole. Work around the whole truck. Then grab your pole and tighten on your next lap around. It will make you faster and keep you from missing a step.

 

Tightening can be driver preference I guess. I prefer to tighten mine when I put them on and make one less trip around the truck. My bar moves around the truck with me and is always within reach so I'm not walking back to get it when I need to raise a tire a little to get a hook in or some other out of the ordinary reason.

 

Very good advice here. Don't rush, it's expensive.
Other time savers.

• If you're loading all the same units, stop the 1st unit you load on the deck you'll be loading next and look where the straps/chains/flippers need to be when you load that deck.
• On a strap truck leave all the ratchet dogs open so you can easily unspool the strap.
• Slide your tie down bar under the truck to the place you'll need it next.
• If you get distracted from your routine, stop and recheck where you're at, maybe you didn't raise a deck high enough when you were interupted...

On a clear day I can load 11 Corvettes in under 2 hrs or 10 Malibus in an l 1/2. That's best times with a truck I know and have all the pin stops marked with a paint pen. Not because I'm fast after almost 40 yrs of carhauling, because my straps etc. are all in the right place and easy to put on the same way I did it for the last 20+ loads.

 

Something else, if you have the luxury of loading the same units all the time look for unnecessary steps.
IE: I haul 8 SUV's out and 10 cars back. I eliminate all the idlers on a strap that aren't needed for either load by maybe loading a unit an inch or so forward/back. I look for ways to leave flippers in the same place even if it means my clearances are a little closer. And I'm still looking for little tricks to save time.
It's my pit stop and I'm the only one on the pit crew.