Possible weight increase for car haulers.

Discussion in 'Car Hauler and Auto Carrier Trucking Forum' started by GotDieselShow, Feb 19, 2023.

  1. GotDieselShow

    GotDieselShow Bobtail Member

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    I came across an article the other day expressing concerns about the weight of EV vehicles. As a car hauler myself hauling EVs always means being concerned about being overweight or dropping a unit. A coalition of car haulers, trailer manufacturers, and car manufacturers expressed to congress the need to increase weight limits by 10% or 8,000 pounds. Hopefully, something will come out of this because the units are getting bigger and heavier. Here's the article.
     
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  3. Kshaw0960

    Kshaw0960 Road Train Member

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    Or… hear me out… heavier vehicles should pay more to be transported.

    This argument is as dumb as saying more people are buying heavy duty diesel pickups so a car hauler should be able to be longer and haul heavier weight.

    If you get increased 10% to 88k lbs you’re just going to get worse fuel mileage, more maintenance and beat on your equipment even more, for an almost guaranteed same pay as your 80k now.
     
  4. GotDieselShow

    GotDieselShow Bobtail Member

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    Yes, I agree with you. Let's break this down as a company driver ok? I'm going to give you a ballpark on the load I've recently ran with Teslas. For a 391-mile run with model Y's with 8 units, it paid $600.00 for an average of $1.53 per mile with a weight of 36,440 lbs. I have 2023 389 that weighs 41,220 empty. If you break that down per unit it's 19 cents per unit per mile. If you add another unit that increases my pay $74.29 to 674.29. After calculation "YES" 215lbs over gross even with the 2000lbs increase so 30 gallons in one tank less for the fuel game needed not to get a ticket. If you ask me if is it worth it my answer would be "yes" as a company driver. Without knowing exactly what the contract rate is per unit but using my percentage per load my company made $200.00 more for that one unit. I hope, I didn't give you a headache with all the figures that wasn't my intention.:)
     
  5. Mnmover99

    Mnmover99 Light Load Member

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    The only way they should or could increase the weights for auto haulers is require a 3 axle stinger trailer so the 5 axle trucks would not be overweight. Actually, they should allow all trucks with 3 axle trailers to be 88,000 lbs. I more axle with brakes makes a safer vehicle.
     
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  6. ducnut

    ducnut Road Train Member

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    Why wouldn’t you be more concerned about your safety, as your braking distance and rollover probability are increased?

    Why should the EV world continue to get preferential treatment?

    When should the increases in lengths and weights stop?
     
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  7. Hammer166

    Hammer166 Crusty Information Officer

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    ATG is already running 3 axles trailers in the northwest where they can tag them for a higher gross.

    But you're right, 20% greater braking with a 10% weight increase is not a bad thing.

    New car freight is already this way, and anyone with a brain has structured they used car rates the same way.

    I realize that the load boards often don't reflect this, and it's one of many reasons a business based on someone else's customers isn't necessarily a good idea.
     
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  8. Banker

    Banker Road Train Member

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    I am not going to debate whether or not heavier trucks should be allowed. I am ok doing what I do legally the rest of my years left in trucking. In many states they are already allowed to be heavier with the same amount of axles with a permit. Coal and steel are the first that come to mind in my home state. If the larger/heavier units don’t pay more in correlation to their extra size/weight I won’t haul them.
    My best shipper pays very well the bigger they are and I love hauling their biggest vehicles. In fact I have 4 of them on my 7 unit load for tomorrow and the load is legal full of fuel.
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2023
  9. Banker

    Banker Road Train Member

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    When you don’t mind paying for the extra space, I don’t mind hauling it. D396AAFC-3ED0-4F5C-9F58-8E329870F884.png
     
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  10. Judge

    Judge Road Train Member

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    Pretty much like when it went from 73280 to 80k, everyone thought it’d pay more.
    It doesn’t.
     
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  11. Cat sdp

    Cat sdp . .

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    You’ll be hauling 88K for what you make now……..

    this is the “New Way”
     
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