GPS and permit routing...

Routing with a GPS can be handled with waypoints. But many only allow one or two at a time.

Delorme software for your laptop will accept as many waypoints as you want.

But, either way you go. It will require you to edit the route one turn at a time. A very time consuming deal.

I can give you an idea on handle it. But that to would require about a half hour inserting turn points manually.

That would require you to "Go to" the next point at every turn

 

GPS for Permit Loads, a map and a legal pad.

 

Write out the route, big, so it's easy to read while driving. Include a stick map and give a copy to the pilot. You handle the load while he helps navigate. Works for me.

 

Exactly right, Get to know your route and go over it with your escort.

 

Quote: ".....and go over it with your escort."

There is no escort in the oil and gas industry during spring break up. You are on your own and have to follow some convoluted routes because of road bans and the temporary weight limits.

It seems no GPS can cope with this.

 

When you say that you have to "follow some convoluted routes" - where do you get those convoluted routes from? What resource to you currently use to determine "road bans and temporary weight limits" currently?

 

None of your statement rings true here, but your in Canada... Our Rigs are escorted when moved, so is our oversize depending on size. Has nothing to do with spring break.

 

I was driving for suppliers to a Frac operator. We took frac sand or chemicals to the oil leases where wells were being serviced. We all obtained our directions and weight limit info from the well servicing company. They would have obtained it from the province or from the municipality according to who owned the road.

We would be given directions such as: Take Hwy 3 for 21.6 km east of Newtown, turn south on regional road 61 for 8 km, then east on side road 50 for 1.6 km, then south for 2.8 km, then east for 1.6 km, then into lease on north side of the road.

We were informed of the weight limits which would mean that we would have to take a reduced load of sand. eg 24 tonnes instead of 32 tonnes. As a result it might mean 50% more trips between the sand supplier and the lease to take the required amount of sand for the job. There are typically three sand trucks supplying each frac crew.

The road bans and weight limits also apply to the heavy trucks and equipment used by the frac company. During the spring thaw period they almost cease operations for about six weeks as nobody can move because of the bans and weight limits on the secondary highways and side roads. Right now their yards are full of parked equipment. Last year because of the severe rains and snow melt operations were stopped from the end of March to the beginning of July. This year we expect it to be only a few weeks because it is so much drier.

Road bans can come into effect with no notice, meaning that heavy equipment and trucks can be trapped on lease as it is illegal to move them off the property on to the roads. Last year this happened at a lease where I was working - suddenly nothing heavier than a pickup truck could legally move so it was not possible to bobtail out. Highways goons count the vehicles on lease and take photos in such a situation. There are heavy penalties for those who exceed the limits.

Only the major highways normally never have this problem. However the Trans Canada Hwy was washed out by floods last year in both SK and AB.

Companies use these few weeks as an opportunity to renovate their equipment. Naturally they work as late as possible in March/April and want to start again as soon as they can. These are the weeks when it is necessary to make some really convoluted routing to get to leases.