Trailers & Bridges - Trailer Height

Mid roof open deck. I’ve snuck under a few 12 footers in the DC area...

I want to say my T660 comes in right around 11’-5” but I won’t go under anything less than 12’ on a good day...

 

I have done 13' 5" when airbags are dropped and loaded.

There is a bridge off US 6 near Elmira Horseheads south of town itself that passes under a major east-west road (I forget exactly it's designation off hand.) that bridge has caused me some issues more than any really. Especially since they engineered so that the girders and bolted plates underneath are really seriously beefy. They claimed that one was 13.6 But when I show up, antennas at 13.5 singing, tapping exhaust pipe behind cab at 13.5 and crawled under without scraping loaded with no daylight up top. The condition of the pavement below has alot to do with it. Either winter slush, ice or snow makes a potential scrape (Gently... like a wife, pet that bridge gently) Or even more fun, summer heat expands the new pavement under there and you are back to scraping again. There were a couple joints in the pavement above and when heavy over size pounds on them it taps my trailer now and then. tap tap tap. Once out northbound into town proper I can breathe.

After getting empty though on spring ride (No airbags anywhere) it becomes even more interesting.

Tires HISSSSSSSS. Then crawl under on hot days. Break out the 50 foot airline with it's own trolley gladhand and air your trailer tires back up. That takes a while. Annoying too.

The one bridge I used to say a prayer on would be north of Lancaster PA on US 222 southbound. It's a two lane road there. There is a stone arch bridge in them days across the entire roadway. SIGNS over the lane you are in say 10 foot flat. Other side says 10 foot something in their lane.

Number one of 4 of us gets on radio, how bout you northbound. Stone arch bridge 5 souls in about 15 seconds, we are coming through. Hop into the middle over that double solid yellow dead center and ram through just missing your top corners all the way down by a couple of inches or so. No matter what happens to the cars around you do not sway your trailer. You must take it down the middle in straight line. That means the locals are going to take their cars onto the shoulders both ways when they see us coming down the middle with the double yellow pavement dividing line under our doghouses. Northbound big trucks hop onto the radio after the 5 of us shoot that arch bridge and say they are three souls coming through, southbound hold up a sec. And they will shoot the bridge. And it becomes southbounds turn again.

It can be really intense and groovy I prefer to be either caboose or rocking chair, never ever number one on that route. Why? I cannot hear well on that radio. If I screwed up whose turn is it, we are going to have a one hell of a head on collision. Make that several trucks together. Smash.

For all of our sakes I hope they replaced that bridge.

Darlington Race track. has a ped overpass made of metal. Rusted beyond belief. Started to sag one day. I really hate to say this but I am one of the last trucks to pass under there some time before it went ahead and fell down with people up top who got hurt. Maybe killed too. I dindu. (Didnt do nuffing)

Chester PA. There is a container port, a righteous one by the Delaware river. A really small, very fast top notch crewed port. I can switch chassis, containers in any combination and be gone in 40 minutes flat any time of workday. It's a little bit scawy when the container jacks with wheels as tall as your rig spots your truck with a loaded container matching the BOL in your lap wheel around and come after you with that big box swaying in the sky. YOUR job is to be in that yellow painted rectangle and STAY THERE with max brake application until the THUMP is over and done with.

I don't know about you but those boys handled those jacks like a childs play thing box goes into your chassis perfect. Two honks later means you can now get out and get your corner pins. Now gtfo, others are waiting.

There is one problem with that Chester port. There is a Philadelphia commuter line station right across street. Under those tracks is a hot neon pink painted and flashing lighted gaurded bridge saying 13.0 feet. All Trucks turn left only Never right. Trucks banned do not turn right etc. Stacks of signs covering that street corner in three different neon colors. Puke yellow, hot pink and bright lime green etc. No, no and no that means you and you and you and especially you.

Here comes JBH with a full van trailer. He makes the right turn. Radio lights up HEY YOU ####### STOP THERE DON"T YOU MOVE!!!

Too late SMASH. No more trailer, no more tractor. Driver falls out and staggers around with his bell rung.

5 to 10 of us run up to him telling him what a stupid idiot he is doing that dumb wreck. Look at this mess you made.

nospeakieenglish.

Once or twice a week. SMASH. Over and over and over and over again. SMASH> SMASH SMASH.

I hope PennDOT Bricked and concrete blocked that thing over so nothing will go through that way anymore. All they had to do is drive past there a mile then make a right to cross over a crossing. Disgusting.

 

Even though I haul only open deck, I have a little tip...
I use my CB antenna as a height indicator for my cab height...I have it exactly 6" higher than my cabs height. If I'm unsure, I'll crawl up to the bridge/trestle/whatever, and if that hits, I ain't chancing it...

 

I was in NY and came upon a bridge with a 12'5" clearance.
The sign was about 100 feet from the bridge, and me going 35MPH. My RM GPS had no clue.

It was a lie.

After nearly skidding to a stop I looked at it, then slowly moved under it.
My 13'6" trailer had inches to spare.

 

I try only to go places that are marked 13 foot 6 or greater

Unless you are in New York. In New York all bets are off because all of the bridges pretty much are marked incorrectly and you just need to know where you can go and where you can't.

 

Standard trailer height is 13.2.

There's some 14 footers floating around but I"m guessing they don't visit the eastern side.

 

Deleted

Sorry,.. Not van or reefer. Disregard.

Hurst

 

A key tip for drivers is to lookout to identify upcoming bridges ahead of time. Once identified, pay attention to any signs indicating low clearance. If there is a pull-out detour designed for larger vehicles, adhere to it. Otherwise, plan for over-height clearances when visiting new areas by using your province's or state's traffic website or ask your experienced dispatcher.